Turkey Meatballs in sauce ~ tender, juicy ground turkey meatballs in rich tomato sauce. Serve with your favorite whole grain pasta for a delicious healthy meal.
Like brussels sprouts, turkey meatballs have gotten a bad rap. I mean really bad. My husband calls them “fowl balls“. I can’t make this stuff up. Call them what you like – they’ll win over even your pickiest eater.
Whatever you call them, these Turkey Meatballs in Sauce are everything a turkey meatball isn’t supposed to be: tender, juicy and loaded with flavor.
They’re pan seared then simmered in an easy-to-make rich, homemade marinara sauce taking in all that Italian flavor goodness. Run, don’t walk to this one.
New year, new healthier habits. Ugh. Boy am I struggling with this one. It’s cold as a witch’s you-know-what around here and all I want to do is wear stretchy pants and take in all the comfort I can.
That’s where this recipe comes in. Total comfort. Total deliciousness. Totally healthy – especially with all the really good whole grain pastas on the market these days.
Tips for the BEST turkey meatballs:
Sear the meat. It adds another layer of flavor and any brown bits in the pan leftover from searing are included in the sauce giving it – you guessed it – more flavor.
Sear the meatballs then finish cooking them in the sauce. It lets the meatballs soak in the flavors of the sauce and keeps them juicy.
Don’t overmix the meat. Mix only until combined. Enough said.
What’s in Turkey Meatballs:
- ground turkey
- fresh spinach finely chopped
- parsley chopped
- onion finely chopped
- grated garlic
- egg
- breadcrumbs
- parmesan cheese
- worcestershire sauce
- salt and pepper
how to cook turkey meatballs in sauce:
Finely chop the spinach, parsley and onion then add to a medium size bowl along with the the turkey, grated garlic, egg, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, Worcestershire, salt and pepper.
Gently blend using your hands without overmixing then roll into about golf ball size meatballs.
Drizzle one tablespoon of olive oil in a deep skillet or pot over medium heat, then once the oil is hot add the meatballs. Sear then meatballs then remove them from the pot and set them aside. The meatballs are not cooked through at this point.
You’ll be using the same pot to make the sauce so don’t wash it!
what’s in the sauce?
- canned crushed tomatoes
- olive oil
- garlic cloves
- onion
- salt and pepper
- crushed red pepper (optional)
- tomato paste
- dry red wine (chianti, cabernet, merlot)
- fresh parsley
how to make the sauce:
In the same pot you cooked the meatballs, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the grated garlic, a small pinch of crushed red pepper and the chopped onion. Season with salt and pepper and cook over medium heat 2-3 minutes or until the onions are tender stirring frequently so the garlic doesn’t burn.
Fold in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Add the wine and simmer 3-4 minutes until the wine reduces by about half then stir in the crushed tomatoes and parsley then season with salt and pepper.
Can I cook turkey meatballs in the sauce? The answer is not only yes, but please do! The meatballs will continue to cook in the sauce soaking up all that amazing flavor!
So – now that the sauce is combined, transfer the seared meatballs to the pot. Cover and simmer 15-20 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through then serve with your favorite pasta.
Can I use jar sauce instead of homemade?
By all means if you have a favorite go-to marinara in the jar you can definitely use it instead. There’s no shame in the jar sauce game!
Looking for more Italian favorites?
Chicken Parmesan – step by step instructions for this Italian classic.
Lasagna Soup – slow cooker and 30 minute stove to table options.
Pasta Alla Vodka – pasta in a delicious tomato-cream sauce.
Enjoy!
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Turkey Meatballs in Sauce
Ingredients
MEATBALLS
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1/2 cup fresh spinach stems removed, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons parsley finely chopped
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic grated
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup Italian Style breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese grated
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
SAUCE
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic grated
- small pinch crushed red pepper optional
- 1 small onion diced
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/2 cup dry red wine chianti, cabernet or merlot
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes canned
- 3 tablespoons fresh flat leaf parsley chopped
Instructions
Turkey Meatballs:
- Finely chop the spinach, parsley and onion then add to a medium bowl along with the turkey, grated garlic, egg, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper.
- Blend without overmixing then using your hands roll into about golf ball size meatballs.
- Drizzle one tablespoon of olive oil into a deep skillet or pot over medium heat, then once the oil is hot add the meatballs. Sear then meatballs then remove them from the pot and set aside. The meatballs are not cooked through at this point! You’ll be using the same pot to make the sauce so no need to wash it.
The Sauce:
- In the same pot you cooked the meatballs, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil add the grated garlic, a small pinch of crushed red pepper and the chopped onion. Season with salt and pepper and cook over medium heat 2-3 minutes stirring frequently so the garlic doesn’t burn until the onions are tender.
- Fold in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Add the wine and simmer 3-4 minutes until the wine reduces by about half then stir in the crushed tomatoes, parsley and season with salt and pepper and stir to combine.
- Transfer the seared meatballs to the pot. Cover and cook over low heat 15-20 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through then serve with your favorite pasta.
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