Turkey Meatballs with Marinara (Printable)
Savory turkey meatballs cooked in rich marinara sauce for comforting dinners or hearty sandwiches.
# What You Need:
→ 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
# Steps:
01 - Combine ground turkey, egg, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, parsley, garlic, oregano, salt, pepper, and milk in a large bowl, mixing gently until just combined to avoid toughening the mixture.
02 - Shape the mixture into 16 equal-sized meatballs, approximately 1.5 tablespoons each.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and brown meatballs on all sides for 5 to 7 minutes; remove and set aside.
04 - In the same skillet, add olive oil and cook chopped onion over medium heat until soft, about 4 minutes, then add garlic and cook for an additional minute.
05 - Add crushed tomatoes, dried basil, oregano, sugar, salt, and optional chili flakes to the skillet; stir and bring the sauce to a simmer.
06 - Return browned meatballs to the skillet, nestling them into the sauce, cover, and simmer on low heat for 20 minutes until cooked through.
07 - Garnish with fresh basil and serve hot alongside pasta, rice, or crusty bread.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- Turkey stays incredibly juicy when you don't overwork the mixture, making each bite tender and never dry.
- The whole dish comes together in under an hour, which means you can have dinner on the table without stress.
- Marinara is forgiving and actually tastes better the longer it simmers, so you can make this ahead.
02 -
- Don't skip browning the meatballs first; those browned bits stuck to the pan create the foundation for a deeply flavored sauce.
- Fresh milk mixed into the turkey mixture makes an enormous difference in tenderness—I learned this the hard way by skipping it once and regretting every bite.
03 -
- Room temperature ingredients mix more gently and evenly, preventing overworking that toughens the meatballs.
- If your sauce tastes too acidic, a pinch more sugar or a splash of cream mellows it out beautifully.