Turkey Meatballs Marinara Sauce (Print Version)

Tender turkey meatballs cooked in a rich marinara sauce, perfect for a hearty and satisfying dinner.

# Recipe Ingredients:

→ Turkey Meatballs

01 - 1 lb ground turkey
02 - 1 large egg
03 - ½ cup breadcrumbs
04 - ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
05 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
08 - ½ teaspoon salt
09 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper
10 - 2 tablespoons milk
11 - 2 tablespoons olive oil (for frying)

→ Marinara Sauce

12 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
13 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
14 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
15 - 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
16 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
17 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
18 - ½ teaspoon sugar
19 - ½ teaspoon salt
20 - ¼ teaspoon chili flakes (optional)
21 - Fresh basil, for garnish

# Directions:

01 - In a large bowl, gently mix ground turkey, egg, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, parsley, garlic, oregano, salt, pepper, and milk until just combined.
02 - Form the mixture into 16 meatballs, approximately 1.5 tablespoons each.
03 - Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Brown meatballs on all sides, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove and set aside.
04 - In the same skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sauté the onion over medium heat until softened, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
05 - Add crushed tomatoes, basil, oregano, sugar, salt, and optional chili flakes. Stir and bring to a simmer.
06 - Nestle browned meatballs into the sauce. Cover and simmer on low heat for 20 minutes until cooked through.
07 - Sprinkle fresh basil over the meatballs and serve hot with pasta, rice, or crusty bread.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Turkey meatballs stay juicy and light, nothing dense or heavy about them.
  • The sauce builds flavor while the meatballs cook, so everything tastes like it's been simmering for hours even though you'll have dinner on the table in under an hour.
  • Endlessly flexible—serve them over pasta, pile them on a sandwich, or eat them straight from the pan with good bread.
02 -
  • Don't overmix the meatball mixture—I learned this the hard way when my first batch came out dense enough to use as doorstops.
  • Let the browned meatballs rest in the sauce without the lid for the first few minutes so steam can escape and the sauce concentrates slightly.
  • The sugar in the sauce balances the acidity of the tomatoes; start with what's listed and add more only if you taste it and it feels harsh.
03 -
  • Toast your breadcrumbs in a dry pan for 2 minutes before mixing if they're fresh and dense—it helps them absorb the milk more evenly.
  • Use a cookie scoop or spoon to portion the mixture; it keeps the meatballs uniform in size so they cook at the same rate.

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