Turkey Meatballs, Two Ways
A savory turkey meatball cooked in a quick marinara sauce. You can serve this two ways. Either with pasta or on a split top roll, topped with mozzarella cheese. Turkey meatballs have many versatile uses. Find more suggestions in the notes below.
Yield: 6
Materials
For the Marinara Sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, lightly crushed
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1 28 oz (794 ml) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 tsp sugar (optional) taste tomatoes to check acidity
- 1 tsp salt, kosher
For the Meatballs
- 1 pound (453 g) ground turkey
- 1/2 cup (15 g) fresh breadcrumbs (or panko or italian)
- 1/4 cup (18 g) grated parmesan
- 2 tbsp chopped, fresh parsley
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp salt, kosher (or to taste)
- 1/8 tsp pepper
- 2 tbsp olive or canola oil
For the Pasta & Meatballs
- 1 pound pasta (your choice of shape)
For the Meatball Rolls
- 6 split-top rolls or buns
- 1 cup fresh or grated mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Heat a medium dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil. Once lightly shimmering, add the garlic clove and sizzle for 30 seconds. Add the red pepper flakes and oregano. Carefully pour in the crushed tomatoes (it will immediately boil). Stir and season with sugar, if needed (i.e. if tomatoes are acidic) and salt and pepper.
- Bring to a boil. Partially cover pot with lid and allow to gently simmer as you make the meatballs (about 20 minutes).
- In a large mixing bowl, add all the ingredients for the meatballs, except the oil. Gently stir together, mixing only until everything is combined. If time allows, chill this mixture in the freezer for 10-15 minutes.
- Using a small (#60) cookie scoop, scoop out some of the mixture. Using wet hands, quickly roll into a meatball. Keeping hands wet will prevent the mixture from sticking and make smoother meatballs. Repeat until all meatballs are formed. (A quick chill in the freezer helps them retain their shape as you cook them, if time allows.)
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil. Once hot, add the meatballs in a single layer. Cook, browning on all sides. Remove from pan and repeat until all meatballs are browned.
- Add meatballs to simmering pot of marinara. Gently stir and bring back to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 15 minutes.
- To serve on rolls, preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Place rolls on a sheet pan. Add 4-5 meatballs on each roll, top with a few spoonfuls of sauce and some mozzarella cheese. Bake for 5-7 minutes or until cheese is melted.
- To serve with pasta, cook pasta according to package instructions. Toss with marinara sauce and meatballs. Serve immediately.
Notes
-to prepare the meatballs without the sauce, after browning, bake on a sheet pan at 350°F for 15 minutes to finish cooking. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.
-to make it gluten free or paleo/low-carb, substitute gluten free bread to make the crumbs or use almond meal as a replacement.
-browned meatballs would also be great dropped into a simmering chicken stock, with vegetables and noodles for a soup.
-thread browned meatballs onto skewers with vegetables and grill. Glaze with a tangy sauce.