Turkey Meatballs

A great topping for spaghetti squash.
50 minutes Total Time
35 minutes to prep
15 minutes to cook
Comments
8 servings
I like to make these meatballs to serve with spaghetti squash. For some reason I don't like beef meatballs with squash, but the sweetness of the squash goes really well with the turkey. I've adapted this recipe from an old Everyday Foods magazine. The original made a lot of sauce and the sauce is a bit bland. Instead of spicing up the sauce, I doubled the meatballs which we really like. They freeze very well. I'm making these meatballs gluten-free by using GF breadcrumbs made from rice, but I usually use regular breadcrumbs.
Fitting all the meatballs into the sauce is not easy. Be patient, and try to move the meatballs gently to make room. They are a bit fragile before cooking, but they will solidify and shrink as they cook.

Ingredients

Ingredients with an * are listed more than once.

Directions

  • Gather and prep ingredients.
    Step 0
  • Heat oil over medium high heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
    Step 1
  • Add tomatoes, oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer while you prepare the meatballs.
    Step 2
  • Mix onions and olive oil in a large microwaveable bowl. Microwave for about 4 minutes, stirring every minute until the onions start to soften. Try to find a bowl large enough to hold the turkey so you only dirty one bowl.
    Step 3
  • Add salt, pepper, egg, milk, breadcrumbs, and Parmesan cheese to the onions.
    Step 4
  • Add turkey to the bowl and mix gently.
    Step 5
  • Shape the turkey into 1½" meatballs.
    Step 6
  • Drop meatballs into the sauce. It may be a very tight fit. Find room by carefully moving meatballs aside as you go. The meatballs will shrink a bit as they cook. Increase the heat to medium-low. Cover and cook until the meatballs are cooked through, around 15 minutes.
    Step 7
  • Serve with spaghetti or spaghetti squash.
    Step 8
  • The leftovers freeze really well. I freeze some in 2 cup containers for two servings. I also save a few single servings with the leftover spaghetti squash. It is probably better to freeze the squash separately because it does release water when thawed. I don't freeze regular pasta, and make new pasta to serve with the meatballs.
    Step 9

Comments and Questions

Log In or Sign Up if you would like to comment.

There are no questions or comments yet.