TURKEY MEATBALLS IN TOMATO SAUCE

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Turkey Meatballs in Tomato Sauce image

Tender meatballs filled with onions and Parmesan, bathed in plenty of tomato sauce, are classics in every way except for one: They call for turkey instead of the usual beef (or beef-veal-pork combination). Serve them over spaghetti or polenta, or stuff them into a hero roll for a sandwich. Try to use ground dark meat turkey here if you can, it has a deeper, richer flavor than ground white meat.

Provided by Melissa Clark

Categories     dinner, lunch, meatballs, main course

Time 50m

Yield 28 meatballs, 4 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 13

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, more for serving, if desired
1/2 cup panko or other plain dried bread crumbs
1/4 cup minced onion
1/4 cup chopped chives or basil
2 garlic cloves, grated on a microplane or minced
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
1 1/2 pounds ground turkey, very cold
1 large egg, beaten
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, more as needed
3 cups marinara sauce, more to taste

Steps:

  • In a large bowl, combine cheese, bread crumbs, onion, chives, garlic, salt, pepper, oregano and red pepper flakes, if using, and mix well. Add turkey and egg and blend with your hands until well mixed. If you've got time, cover mixture and chill for an hour or up to 24 hours. These are easiest to form into balls while very cold. Form into 28 meatballs, each about 1 1/4-inches in diameter.
  • Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large sauté pan. When hot, add enough of the meatballs to fit in one layer without crowding, and brown on all sides, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate, add another tablespoon of oil to pan and brown another layer of meatballs, transferring them to the plate as they brown. Repeat until all meatballs are browned, adding more oil to the pan as needed.
  • When meatballs are all browned, add marinara sauce to pan and bring to a simmer, scraping up the browned bits on the pan bottom. Return meatballs and their juices to pan, shake pan to cover the meatballs with sauce, and lower heat. Partly cover pan and simmer until the meatballs are cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.
  • Serve hot, drizzled with more olive oil and sprinkled with more cheese, if you like.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 382, UnsaturatedFat 14 grams, Carbohydrate 18 grams, Fat 21 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 30 grams, SaturatedFat 5 grams, Sodium 827 milligrams, Sugar 8 grams, TransFat 0 grams

Saadulla Khan
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These meatballs were a little bit too dry for my taste, but they were still delicious. I think I'll add a little bit more breadcrumb to the mixture next time.


Gaige Guinn
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I'm not a huge fan of meatballs, but these were really good! The sauce was flavorful and the meatballs were moist and tender.


Abdoulie Ceesay
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These meatballs were easy to make and turned out great! I served them over spaghetti and everyone loved them.


Ahmed Jiya
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I made these meatballs last night and they were a hit! My family loved them. The only change I made was to add a little bit of Italian seasoning to the sauce. Otherwise, I followed the recipe exactly.


Jehanna Artwell
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These meatballs were delicious! The sauce was flavorful and the meatballs were cooked to perfection. I will definitely be making these again.


Kateregga Lilian
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These meatballs were a little bit too salty for my taste, but they were still good. I think I'll use less salt next time.


Cynthia Phakathi
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I made these meatballs for a party and they were a huge hit! Everyone loved them. The sauce was especially delicious.


Md.Shadman Sakib
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These meatballs were so easy to make and they turned out so flavorful! I will definitely be making these again.


Khadiza Binte Shafique
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These meatballs were a little bit too dry for my taste, ولكنها كانت لا يزال لذيذًا. I think I'll add a little bit more breadcrumb to the mixture next time.


Faraz King
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I'm not a huge fan of meatballs, but these were really good! The sauce was flavorful and the meatballs were moist and tender.


Sergio Ceron
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These meatballs were easy to make and turned out great! I served them over spaghetti and everyone loved them.


Brian Nyamajiwa
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I made these meatballs last night and they were a hit! My family loved them. The only change I made was to add a little bit of Italian seasoning to the sauce. Otherwise, I followed the recipe exactly.


Anthony Mensah
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These meatballs were absolutely delicious! The sauce was flavorful and the meatballs were cooked to perfection. I will definitely be making these again.