Tender Turkey Meatballs Tomato (Printable)

Juicy turkey meatballs baked and simmered in tomato sauce, served alongside pasta or rice for a satisfying dish.

# What You’ll Need:

→ 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 parsley)
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, to balance acidity)
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)

# Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, gently mix ground turkey, egg, breadcrumbs, milk, Parmesan, minced garlic, parsley, oregano, salt, and pepper until just combined.
03 - Form the mixture into 16 to 18 golf-ball-sized meatballs and arrange them on the prepared baking tray.
04 - Bake the meatballs for 18 to 20 minutes, turning them halfway through, until lightly golden and cooked through.
05 - Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Sauté the chopped onion for 3 to 4 minutes until softened, then add garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
06 - Add crushed tomatoes, dried basil, oregano, optional sugar, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
07 - Transfer the baked meatballs into the simmering sauce and cook gently for 10 minutes, spooning sauce over the meatballs.
08 - Cook pasta or rice according to package instructions while meatballs finish cooking in the sauce.
09 - Serve meatballs and sauce over pasta or rice, garnished with fresh herbs and extra Parmesan if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Turkey stays incredibly tender when you handle the mixture gently and don't overmix, something that took me three batches to stop doing wrong.
  • The oven does most of the work while you build the sauce, so you're never actually cooking the whole time.
  • This freezes beautifully, which means you can make a double batch and eat it for three weeks without guilt.
02 -
  • Don't skip the parchment paper or the meatballs will stick no matter what you tell yourself about butter or oil on the tray.
  • Turning the meatballs halfway through baking is non-negotiable if you want them golden and not pale on one side.
  • Let the mixture rest for a minute after combining instead of rushing straight to shaping, and they'll hold together infinitely better.
03 -
  • Mix the breadcrumbs with milk first to create a paste, which distributes moisture evenly through the turkey and keeps things tender.
  • Use your hands to shape and mix instead of a spoon or utensil, because you can feel exactly when everything is just combined and stop before overdoing it.
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