Turkey meatballs in tomato sauce recipe
This turkey meatballs in tomato sauce recipe is healthy, flavorful, and easy to make. Tender and juicy meatballs tossed in simple tomato sauce. The meatballs are made with lean ground turkey and an assortment of herbs and spices and then air fried to perfection. They are so tender and packed with Italian flavor. The tomato sauce is made from scratch using pantry staples ingredients, fresh tomatoes, and aromatics. The finished dish is hearty and satisfying, yet light enough to enjoy any day of the year. Additionally, this recipe can be easily customized to suit your individual taste. Whether you’re looking for a healthy weeknight meal or an impressive dish to serve in addition to your holiday table, this turkey meatballs in tomato sauce recipe will not disappoint. This recipe is not only easy and delicious, but it’s also a great opportunity to get the kids involved in cooking. They’ll love rolling the meatballs! I also love that it can be made ahead of time, it keeps well in the fridge for a few days, and it reheats well.
What you will need to make these turkey meatballs in tomato sauce
For the tomato sauce you will need the following ingredients Tomato: I used a mixture of chopped tomatoes and passata. You can use either of the two for this sauce Dried basil Dried oregano Olive oil Onions Garlic Sugar Salt and pepper To make the succulent meatballs you will need the following Ground turkey: also known as turkey mince in the UK, I used 93% fat lean ground turkey Onion Garlic granules Large egg Italian seasoning Panko breadcrumbs Mayonnaise Fresh parsley Freshly grated parmesan cheese Salt and black pepper to taste
How to make meatballs in tomato sauce
Make the meatballs: To a large bowl add ground turkey, grated onion, garlic granules, egg, Italian seasoning, panko breadcrumbs, mayonnaise, salt, and black pepper. Using your hand or a spatula, gently combine all the ingredients until well mixed Form into balls: Using a tablespoon, medium ice cream scoop, or your hands, form the mixture into small meatballs, about 1 ½ inch in diameter. You should get about 12-16 meatballs from this recipe Air fry, bake, or saute the turkey meatballs until well done. Alternatively, you can cook the meatballs directly in the sauce without cooking it first. Here are recipes for how long to cook the meatballs in the air fryer or oven. PS: If the turkey mix is wet and sticky, spray your palms with some cooking oil, and that would help in making round balls. Make the tomato sauce: While the meatballs are cooking, make the tomato sauce. To a saute pan or Dutch oven, add olive oil and heat over medium heat until hot and simmering. Add diced onions and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened. Next, add garlic and cook for an additional minute until fragrant. Add chopped tomatoes, passata (add about ⅓ cup of water in the can of tomato and rinse it into the pan) sugar, dried basil, salt, and black pepper. Stir well and bring to a boil for about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the sauce has thickened slightly. Taste for seasoning and adjust accordingly. Finish the dish: Once the meatballs are cooked, add them to the tomato sauce and stir gently to combine. Cook for an additional 3-5 minutes. Take it off the heat and serve it over cooked pasta, polenta, rice, cauliflower rice, spaghetti squash, or quinoa. You can also serve it as is with some crusty garlic bread on the side. Enjoy!
Tips
Don’t overwork the meat mixture or the meatballs will be tough
You can cook the meatballs ahead of time and store them in the fridge for up to 4 days until you’re ready to use them.
This sauce can also be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge for up to 5 days, as long as it is kept at the proper temperature.
If you prefer a smoother sauce, simply swap the chopped tomatoes for passata
This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled to feed a larger crowd.
Instead of turkey meatballs, can I use beef, lamb, or pork
Yes! You can absolutely use any ground meat you like in this recipe. Just keep in mind that the cooking times may vary slightly depending on the type of meat you use.
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Broccoli gnocchi Easy rigatoni bolognese Gorgonzola gnocchi Dutch oven chicken breast and tomatoes Creamy chicken and chorizo pasta Meatballs and gravy There you have it, a simple homemade turkey meatballs in tomato sauce recipe that you can make at home in 5 minutes. As always, if you made this recipe, I would love to hear from you! Kindly rate the recipe 5 star and leave me feedback in the comment section below. Tag me @thedinnerbite on Instagram and save it away to your Pinterest. Please subscribe to the blog if you haven’t for free new recipes in your inbox
