There’s a restaurant in town that serves delicious spaghetti and meatballs. Or should I say, meatball, because that’s all you get: one baseball-sized meatball atop a plate of spaghetti and sauce. It’s really kind of hilarious looking, one giant meatball on a mound of spaghetti. How long it takes: 20 minutes to prep, 28 minutes to bake Equipment you’ll need: mixing bowl, sheet pan, oven Servings: 4 My mom used to buy canned Spaghetti-Os with meatballs. In total contrast to a single huge meatball, the can contained several tiny meatballs about the diameter of a dime. My sister and I used to count them out so we each got an equal number of meatballs with our Spaghetti-Os. I’m sure you all have a meatball story. There are about as many meatball recipes as there are families. Everyone has their own way of making them and serving them. Meatballs are so versatile. Most of us have had meatballs with pasta, noodles, or rice smothered with all the many sauces that come from different cultures. Of course, creamy Swedish meatballs are a classic but have you tried Greek meatballs with tzatziki? Chipotle honey glazed meatballs are popular appetizers or sandwich fillers. Even vegetarians can enjoy eggplant meatballs! Today I bring you a recipe for Italian style baked turkey meatballs. The recipe is easy to make, the meatballs are delicious, and I’m sure you’re going to love them!
About these baked turkey meatballs
A hands off approach. Once these meatballs are in the oven, you don’t need to flip, turn, or fuss with them at all. No oil to fry them is necessary which makes them better for you. There’s no messy stove to clean up either. So versatile! Whether you serve them as a main course or sandwich, meatballs are always a hit at meals. Meatballs also show up as appetizers, skewered with a toothpick and dressed in a tangy glaze. Keep reading for lots of serving ideas.
What You’ll Need
Ground Turkey: I like use 93% lean ground turkey. It has enough fat to keep the meatballs tender but is still lean enough to keep my health-conscious hubby happy. Onion: For best results, grate the onion, making sure to catch the resulting juice. The grated onion cooks quickly and the juice makes the meatballs more flavorful. Any type of onion is fine. Parmesan Cheese: You’ll want to finely grate the cheese, too. Remember that the cheese adds quite a bit of salty flavor so don’t go overboard on the salt. Panko: These coarse unseasoned bread crumbs are filler and make the meatballs tender. Garlic: There’s lots of garlicky flavor in these meatballs. Omit it or increase it depending on how much you like garlic. Egg: One egg is the glue that holds everything together. Basil and Parsley: Fresh herbs add a lot of pizzazz to meatballs, both color and flavor. Milk: Just a tablespoon, doesn’t matter what type of milk you use. Salt, Pepper, Dried Oregano, Red Pepper Flakes: More seasoning for the meatballs!
How To Make Turkey Meatballs
Get a nice big bowl out, roll up your sleeves, and let’s get started! Mix. Add all the ingredients to the bowl, and use your hands to squish it all together, just until the ingredients are combined. Over-mixing will toughen the meatballs. You don’t want a meatball that will bounce if you drop it (just kidding). Shape the meatballs. I like to use a cookie dough scoop but a tablespoon will do just fine, too. Aim for about an inch and a half diameter. As you make the meatballs, place them on a parchment or foil covered rimmed baking sheet. You should end up with 18 to 20 meatballs, depending on how large you make them. Bake. Brush or spray the meatballs lightly with olive oil and put them in a preheated oven. Bake for 25 to 28 minutes, or until they’re lightly browned. Enjoy!
Ways To Change Up This Meatball Recipe
Short cuts: If you want to make this recipe even easier and faster, substitute onion powder and garlic powder for the fresh minced onions and garlic. You can also substitute dried herbs for the fresh. So easy! I’ve included the directions for the substitutions on the recipe for you. Make the size you like. Make really large meatballs or really small meatballs. Adjust the cooking time (longer for big meatballs, shorter for small meatballs). However, do try to make all the meatballs uniformly sized so they cook evenly. Vary the seasonings if you like. These meatballs are Italian style with basil, oregano, and parsley. Use cumin, chili powder, and oregano for Mexican style meatballs. For Greek style meatballs, season with mint, parsley, cinnamon, and oregano. Serve them with tzatziki, if you like. Non-dairy: Leave out the cheese and substitute a tablespoon of water for the milk. Turkey not your thing? Try these classic meatballs, made with a mixture of ground beef and pork, or porcupine meatballs, made with ground beef and white rice.
Make-Ahead & Storage Tips
Refrigerate or freeze uncooked meatballs. Make the meatballs a day ahead and store them raw in the fridge up to 24 hours before baking them. Make sure they are well wrapped. You can also freeze them raw to bake later. Freeze them on the baking pan separated from each other so they don’t stick together. Once they’re frozen, you could put them into a zip top freezer bag. They should last up to three months in the freezer.Freeze cooked meatballs. If you prefer, bake the meatballs and store them in the fridge for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Frozen cooked meatballs are so handy to have in the freezer for a quick meal. Just gently heat up a jar of sauce with the frozen meatballs added to it, boil your pasta, and dinner is served! You could use the meatballs to make a delicious meatball sandwich, or use them as an appetizer with dipping sauce.
How To Serve Turkey Meatballs
Homemade Spaghetti Sauce Spaghetti Squash with Parmesan and herbs Angel Hair Pasta with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce Instant Pot Spaghetti and Meatballs Meatball Subs Homemade Barbecue Sauce Flatbread (makes a delicious sandwich) Homemade Pizza Sauce The cherry bourbon sauce on these crockpot meatballs is delicious and would go well with turkey meatballs.
