Description
This recipe for Italian Turkey Meatballs offers a flavorful, lean twist on the classic dish using ground turkey breast combined with herbs, cheese, and whole wheat breadcrumbs. Simmered in a savory homemade tomato sauce infused with garlic, oregano, and fresh basil, these meatballs serve perfectly over pasta or with crusty bread for a comforting Italian meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 20 oz (1.3 lb) ground turkey breast (93% lean)
- 1/4 cup whole wheat seasoned breadcrumbs (or gluten-free crumbs)
- 1/4 cup Pecorino or Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1 egg
- 1 large clove garlic, crushed
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Tomato Sauce
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 2 (28 oz) cans crushed tomatoes (e.g. Tuttorosso brand)
- 1/2 small onion, cut in half (do not chop)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the tomato sauce: In a medium-sized pot, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the smashed garlic cloves and sauté until golden, being careful not to burn them. Next, add the crushed tomatoes, halved onion, bay leaf, dried oregano, fresh basil, salt, and pepper. Stir gently to combine all ingredients. Reduce heat to low, cover the pot, and let the sauce simmer for 5 to 10 minutes to meld the flavors.
- Mix the meatball ingredients: While the sauce simmers, take a large bowl and combine the ground turkey breast, seasoned breadcrumbs, egg, finely chopped parsley, crushed garlic clove, Pecorino or Parmesan cheese, kosher salt, and freshly ground pepper. Using wet hands, mix thoroughly until all ingredients are fully incorporated and the mixture is cohesive.
- Form the meatballs: Shape the turkey mixture into small meatballs about the size of a ping pong ball, approximately 1/8 cup of mixture per ball. This should yield about 24 meatballs.
- Brown the meatballs (optional): If desired, you can brown the meatballs prior to simmering. To do this, either pan-fry them in a skillet over medium heat until golden on all sides or place them on a sheet pan and broil them until the tops are golden, about 7 to 8 minutes. This step adds extra flavor but can be skipped to save time.
- Simmer meatballs in sauce: Gently add the meatballs directly into the simmering tomato sauce if you skipped browning, or add browned meatballs to the sauce. Allow them to cook on low heat for about 20 minutes until fully cooked through. Discard the bay leaf and onion halves before serving.
- Serve: Spoon the meatballs and sauce over cooked pasta or alongside whole wheat Italian bread for a complete meal.
Notes
- You can use 99% lean turkey instead of 93%, but the meatballs may turn out a bit drier.
- Browning the meatballs before simmering adds richer flavor but is optional.
- For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free breadcrumbs.
- Using Pecorino will create a sharper flavor than Parmesan.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 meatballs with sauce
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 10.5 g
- Sodium: 997 mg
- Fat: 11.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 25.5 g
- Cholesterol: 104 mg
