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Tender Turkey Meatballs in Rich Marinara Sauce

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Tender and juicy turkey meatballs simmered in a homemade 5-ingredient marinara sauce, perfect for quick and comforting family dinners.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound ground turkey (preferably lean but not too dry)
  • ½ cup bread crumbs (plain or Italian seasoned)
  • ¼ cup milk (whole or 2%)
  • ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil (for browning meatballs)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil (for marinara sauce)
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced (for marinara sauce)
  • 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • Salt and pepper to taste (for marinara sauce)

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, soak ½ cup bread crumbs in ¼ cup milk. Let sit for 5 minutes until soft.
  2. Add ground turkey, grated Parmesan, chopped parsley, minced garlic, salt, and pepper to the soaked bread crumbs. Mix gently until just combined.
  3. Form mixture into 1½-inch meatballs, about 16 total. Place on a plate or baking sheet.
  4. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Brown meatballs in batches for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove and set aside.
  5. In the same skillet, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and sauté 4 minced garlic cloves until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  6. Add crushed tomatoes, dried oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir and bring to a simmer.
  7. Nestle browned meatballs into the simmering sauce. Cover and cook over low heat for 15-20 minutes until meatballs are cooked through and sauce thickens.
  8. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve hot over pasta or with crusty bread.

Notes

Soak bread crumbs in milk to keep meatballs moist. Brown meatballs in batches to avoid steaming. Handle meat gently to avoid dense meatballs. Simmer meatballs gently in sauce to absorb flavor. Add a pinch of sugar if sauce is too acidic. Can bake meatballs instead of pan-frying. For gluten-free, substitute bread crumbs with almond flour. For dairy-free, substitute milk and Parmesan with almond milk and nutritional yeast.

Nutrition

Keywords: turkey meatballs, marinara sauce, easy dinner, homemade sauce, quick recipe, family meal, healthy meatballs

Find it online: https://tempotaste.com/tender-turkey-meatballs-recipe-easy-5-ingredient-homemade-marinara-sauce/