Description
These homemade ground turkey meatballs are incredibly tender and juicy thanks to dark meat turkey and Panko breadcrumbs. Seared until golden and simmered in a simple from-scratch marinara sauce with Italian herbs and crushed tomatoes. Ready in about an hour and perfect served over pasta with Parmesan cheese. A family-friendly dinner everyone will love!
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- 1 pound ground turkey (dark meat turkey yields the most tender, juicy meatballs)
- 1/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons milk (any type)
- 2 tablespoons white onion, very finely chopped
- 1 egg
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian herb seasoning (homemade or store-bought)
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt (depending on whether seasoning includes salt)
- 4 tablespoons cooking oil
For the Marinara Sauce
- 3/4 cup white onion, very finely chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian herb seasoning
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
For Serving
- Spaghetti or other pasta (or spaghetti squash for lower carb)
- Grated Parmesan cheese
- Chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
In a large mixing bowl, combine the Panko breadcrumbs and milk. Let this sit for 5 minutes while you prep your other ingredients. This gives the breadcrumbs time to soak up all that liquid – don’t skip this step! It’s what makes the meatballs so tender.
Add the ground turkey, 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion, 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, egg, and salt to the bowl with the soaked breadcrumbs. Here’s the important part: using your hands, GENTLY combine everything just until mixed. Don’t overmix! The more you work the meat, the tougher your meatballs will be.
Using a 1-tablespoon measuring spoon (or a small cookie scoop if you have one), scoop heaping spoonfuls of the mixture and roll them into uniform balls between your palms. Line them up on a sheet pan or cutting board as you go. You should get about 20-24 meatballs.
Heat your large Dutch oven, sauté pan, or skillet over low-medium heat. Add the oil and let it heat until it’s shimmering, about 1 minute. You want the oil hot enough to sear the meatballs but not so hot that they burn on the outside before cooking through.
Transfer the meatballs to the pan – don’t overcrowd them! Let them sear on the bottom for 2 minutes without touching them. This creates a nice golden crust that helps them hold their shape. Then gently shake the pan or use a spatula to turn them so they start to roll and maintain that beautiful round shape.
Continue cooking, turning occasionally with a spatula or tongs, until the meatballs are nearly cooked through – this takes about 8-10 minutes total. To check, slice one open; it should be tender and juicy but no longer pink inside.
Transfer the meatballs to a plate and return the pan to the heat. Look at all those beautiful browned bits on the bottom of the pan – that’s FLAVOR, friends!
If your pan looks dry, add a splash of oil. Add the 3/4 cup finely chopped onion and sauté until tender and starting to brown in spots. This takes about 5 minutes. The onions will pick up all those delicious browned bits from the meatballs.
Add the 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning and tomato paste. Stir this around for 1 minute – you’ll smell the tomato paste getting sweeter and more concentrated. This is called “blooming” the tomato paste, and it deepens the flavor of your sauce.
Pour in the crushed tomatoes and stir everything to combine. Let the sauce simmer for 2 minutes to let all those flavors meld together. Taste it and add a pinch of salt if needed!
Return the meatballs to the sauce and cook everything together for 1 minute. This lets the meatballs soak up some of that gorgeous sauce and everything becomes ONE delicious dish.
Serve your meatballs and sauce over cooked spaghetti or spaghetti squash. Top with grated Parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of chopped fresh parsley.
Notes
- Don’t turn them too often. Let each side get a nice sear (about 2 minutes) before turning. Constant flipping makes them more likely to fall apart.
- Use a cookie scoop if you have one! A 1-tablespoon cookie scoop makes perfectly uniform meatballs in half the time.
- Common mistake to avoid: Adding the meatballs to cold oil. Always let your oil heat until shimmering before adding the meatballs, or they’ll stick to the pan.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American