Turkey Meatballs

Ingredients

Ingredients with an * are listed more than once.

• 2 tablespoons olive oil *
• 4 cloves garlic , minced
• pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
• 3 15 ounce cans crushed tomatoes
• 1/4 teaspoon thyme, dried
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt *
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper *
• 1 medium onion , finely chopped
• 1/2 tablespoons olive oil *
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt *
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper *
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup dried breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 ounces Parmesan Cheese , grated (just less than 1 cup)
• 2 pounds ground turkey

Directions

• Gather and prep ingredients.
  
• Heat oil over medium high heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  
• Add tomatoes, oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer while you prepare the meatballs.
  
• 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.
  
• Add salt, pepper, egg, milk, breadcrumbs, and Parmesan cheese to the onions.
  
• Add turkey to the bowl and mix gently.
  
• Shape the turkey into 1½" meatballs.
  
• 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.
  
• Serve with spaghetti or spaghetti squash.
  
• 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.