Tender Turkey Meatballs Dish (Printer-friendly)

Savory turkey meatballs baked and simmered in tomato sauce, perfect with pasta or rice for a hearty dinner.

# Ingredient List:

→ Meatballs

01 - 1.1 lb ground turkey
02 - 1 large egg
03 - 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
04 - 2 tbsp milk
05 - 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
06 - 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
07 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (or 1 tbsp dried)
08 - 1 tsp dried oregano
09 - 1/2 tsp salt
10 - 1/2 tsp black pepper

→ Tomato Sauce

11 - 2 tbsp olive oil
12 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
13 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
14 - 28 oz crushed tomatoes (2 cans)
15 - 1 tsp dried basil
16 - 1 tsp dried oregano
17 - 1/2 tsp sugar (optional)
18 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ To Serve

19 - 10.5 oz pasta or cooked rice
20 - Fresh basil or parsley, chopped (optional)
21 - Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

# How-To Steps:

01 - Heat oven to 400°F and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
02 - Combine ground turkey, egg, breadcrumbs, milk, Parmesan, garlic, parsley, oregano, salt, and pepper in a large bowl; mix gently until just combined.
03 - Form the mixture into 16 to 18 golf-ball-sized meatballs and place evenly on the prepared tray.
04 - Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, turning halfway through, until golden and cooked through.
05 - While meatballs bake, heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Sauté onion for 3 to 4 minutes until softened, add garlic and cook one minute more.
06 - Add crushed tomatoes, basil, oregano, sugar if using, salt, and pepper; simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
07 - Transfer baked meatballs into the sauce and simmer gently for 10 minutes, spooning sauce over meatballs.
08 - Cook pasta or rice according to package instructions while meatballs finish cooking.
09 - Place meatballs and sauce over pasta or rice, garnish with fresh herbs and extra Parmesan if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • Ground turkey keeps things light without tasting like you're eating cardboard, especially when you add enough garlic and herbs to make it sing.
  • Oven-baking the meatballs first means they stay tender no matter what, then finishing them in tomato sauce melts them together into something greater than the sum of their parts.
  • The whole thing comes together in under an hour, making it the kind of weeknight dinner that doesn't feel like a compromise.
02 -
  • Don't skip baking the meatballs first; it sets their structure and gives you a safety net in case they're slightly underdone, because they'll finish gently in the sauce.
  • The milk and breadcrumb combination is non-negotiable if you want tenderness; I learned this the hard way making dense, mealy versions before I understood the science.
  • Tomato sauce tastes better on day two, so if you have the luxury, make this ahead and reheat it gently.
03 -
  • If your meatballs are falling apart in the sauce, it means the mixture was too loose or cooked too fast; next time add an extra tablespoon of breadcrumbs and bake a touch longer.
  • Fresh garlic minced by hand tastes noticeably better than pre-minced from a jar, and it only takes thirty seconds.
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