Meatballs are always a crowd pleaser. These Italian Turkey Meatballs happily wallow in a pan of easy, homemade tomato sauce. Healthy comfort food at its best!
These Italian turkey meatballs earn me more hugs than almost any other meal. No matter how much older my boys get, meatballs are always a perennial favorite. And who can blame them?! It's comfort food that never gets old.
Meatballs happen in all forms around here. Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs are a long-time birthday dinner request, Honey Garlic Turkey Meatballs are a weeknight favorite and Salmon Meatballs with a Creamy Avocado Sauce are the food that made my boys falls in love with salmon. There's just something magical about meatballs.
Typically when I make meatballs, I roll them into morsels that can be consumed in one or two bites. But these...these are serious meatballs. For light eaters, one meatball will probably suffice, two meatballs for heartier eaters. They bake in about 20 minutes, which gives you just enough time to whip up the tomato sauce.
If there's one thing I've learned over the years, it's this...take a few extra minutes to make a homemade sauce to serve with these Italian turkey meatballs. The flavors of freshly sauteed onion and garlic, the richness of simmered crushed tomatoes and the brightness of fresh herbs makes all the difference in the world. Homemade sauce always tastes as though you finished off the meal with a pinch of love.
WHAT YOU NEED FOR THESE ITALIAN TURKEY MEATBALLS:
These are the main components of this recipe (affiliate links included):
- Ground turkey: Use 93% lean ground turkey for these meatballs. While it’s tempting to use extra lean (99%) to cut back on the fat further, it results in dry meatballs.
- Aromatics: Onion and garlic add tons of flavor. Grated the onion on the largest holes of a box grater. Grated onion blends well into the ground turkey without leaving chunks of onion.
- Breadcrumbs: I prefer whole wheat breadcrumbs for the extra fiber, but regular breadcrumbs work just as well. You can also use panko breadcrumbs or a gluten-free version, if desired.
- Egg: One egg for binding
- Herbs: Fresh parsley and dried oregano. Be sure to measure the parsley AFTER mincing it.
- The sauce: Homemade sauce is REALLY easy to make and you just can’t beat the flavor. You’ll need onion, garlic, canned crushed tomatoes, herbs and red pepper flakes (optional).
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How to make turkey meatballs in sauce:
This recipe comes together in two parts: The meatballs and the sauce. Start with the meatballs, then make the sauce while the meatballs are baking.
The meatballs:
- Mix together all of the ingredients, then divide the mixture into 8 portions.
- If the meatballs aren’t sticking together well, mix in additional breadcrumbs, one tablespoon at a time.
- Roll the 8 portions into balls and place them on a baking sheet coated in cooking spray. Bake until cooked through and firm to the touch.
The sauce:
- This is a basic marinara sauce – nothing difficult about it. Start by sautéing some chopped onion in a little olive oil.
- Once the onion is soft, add the garlic, oregano, salt and pepper. Only 1 minute cooking time here – you don’t want to burn the garlic, otherwise it will become bitter.
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes, bring it all to a boil, then simmer. Last but not least – stir in the fresh herbs.
How to serve turkey meatballs:
Our favorite way to serve these meatballs is over pasta, but you can change things up by serving them over rice or quinoa. If you like to freeze quinoa like I do, you can microwave a few portions of frozen quinoa in a minute or two.
For lower carb options, serve the meatballs over spaghetti squash (like in this puttanesca spaghetti squash recipe), cauliflower rice or zucchini noodles.
Grate a little Parmesan cheese over top and sprinkle with extra minced parsley, if desired.
Can I substitute ground beef for ground turkey?
Turkey meatballs can also be made with ground beef. I recommend using lean ground beef. This helps to lower the saturated fat grams.
Can I use oats instead of breadcrumbs?
Oats can be used in place of breadcrumbs to bind meatballs. If the recipe calls for seasoned breadcrumbs, be sure to adjust the seasonings when substituting the breadcrumbs with oats.
What to serve with Italian turkey meatballs:
Salads and bread are always popular side dishes for turkey meatballs. Here are a few favorites...
- Green salad with the best balsamic vinaigrette!
- Tomato Focaccia Recipe - with caramelized onions
- Apple Pecan Salad
- Warm Kale Salad - with caramelized onions & mushrooms
Italian Turkey Meatballs in Tomato Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
The Meatballs:
- 1 pound lean ground turkey
- ½ medium onion grated
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- ¼ cup minced flat-leaf parsley
- ¼ cup whole wheat breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon ground oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
The Sauce:
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 small onion chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon ground oregano
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 1 14 ounce can crushed tomatoes
- ¼ cup minced flat-leaf parsley
- 4 basil leaves thinly sliced
Instructions
The Meatballs:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, stir together the ground turkey, onion, garlic, parsley, breadcrumbs, egg, oregano, salt and pepper.
- Divide the mixture into 8 portions, form into balls and place on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake until the meatballs are firm to the touch and cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.
The Sauce:
- Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet set over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic, oregano, salt and pepper, and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, bring the sauce to a boil, and then simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the parsley and basil.
- Nestle the meatballs into the sauce and spoon sauce over to coat the meatballs.
- Serve over pasta or rice, or on their own.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Other healthy ground turkey recipes:
Southwestern Turkey Rice Casserole
Ground Turkey Stir-Fry with Greens Beans & Kale
Turkey Taco Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Pesto Turkey Tortellini Soup
This recipe was originally posted on March 2, 2015, and was updated on April 27, 2022.
Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Ria
Recipie calls for red pepper flakes but instructions don't say when to add. I just added in sauce and you have crushed tomatoes twice..we add 2 cand?
Chef John
I've made a lot of turkey meatballs in my time and I agree that this is one of the best recipes I've ever used. Made it exactly as written. Excellent results for a casual dinner party!
Chris David
Really love it yummy!!!
Karen McGarry
Absolutely love this recipe.
Natalie
I’ve made these before and they are absolutely delicious! So tender and flavorful! I have a question about making them ahead of time. If I were to freeze the uncooked meatballs, how long would you suggest to cook them if they went straight into the oven from out of the freezer. Thanks!
Dara
Hi Natalie, I'm so glad you enjoy the meatballs! The general rule of thumb that I use is to cook frozen meatballs about 50% longer than unfrozen ones. That being said, be check them along the way to make sure that they're not becoming overcooked.
Kathy
I have made these several times now. I also forwarded the recipe along to my daughter and two nieces and it has gotten rave reviews.
It really is a wonderful way to make meatballs healthy without giving up flavor.. I also use the sauce when I need a quick sauce even when I don't make the meatballs. Thanks!
Dara
I'm so glad to hear that, Kathy! Thank you for letting me know.
Tara
Is there supposed to be 2 separate quantities of crushed tomatoes? The recipe is confusing to me.
Dara
Hi Tara, I apologize for the confusion. So, there should be a total of 42 ounces of canned crushed tomatoes, which equals one 28 oz. can plus one 14 oz. can. I hope that makes sense!
Lj
So 2 cans of tomato’s? I’m confused as well
Dara
Sorry for the confusion. Use a total of 42 ounces of canned crushed tomatoes. I wrote the recipe the way I did since canned crushed tomatoes are typically sold in 28 ounce and 14 ounce cans. I hope that clears things up!
Liz
Recipe is great, tastes good but meatballs took well over 20 minutes to cook through at that temperature more like 30-35 minutes.
Claudia ellis
Made these turkey meatballs and tomato sauce with spaghetti pasta for dinner last night. It was a huge hit with the family. Love love love the turkey meatball version, so juicy and flavorful! And best of all, it came together so quickly! Won't be buying frozen meatballs ever again!!!
Kim Beaulieu
I'm not sure I knew you lived in New York for awhile. Such a fun city. I love these meatballs so much. There is nothing more comforting than a big helping of meatballs. And you've made them healthier so I can eat more and not feel guilty.
olivia - Primavera Kitchen
And now you made me miss meatballs. I think it tastes as good as it looks on the picture 😉