Turkey Meatballs in Sauce are juicy and loaded with Italian-inspired flavors, simmered in rich marinara sauce to be enjoyed as a heart main meal or party appetizer.
2teaspoonsminced fresh parsleyor ½ teaspoon dried parsley
Fresh Italian parsley for garnish
1-2tablespoonscanola or olive oil
Instructions
In a medium mixing bowl, stir together bread crumbs and buttermilk. Allow the mixture to sit for a few moments so that the milk is absorbed into the bread crumbs. This makes an extra moist meatball.
To the breadcrumb/milk mixture, add ground turkey, minced garlic, dried basil, dried oregano, black pepper, salt, Worcestershire sauce, egg, parmesan cheese, and fresh minced parsley. Use gloved hands to mix the ingredients until thoroughly combined.
Use a 2 tablespoon cookie dough scoop (for large meatballs) to form balls from the meat mixture. Roll the balls by hand for a tighter, more uniform meatball if desired.
Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add meatballs to the skillet and cook, browning on each side.
If you will be serving the meatballs straight from the skillet, be sure to cook them until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Turn the heat down and continue rotating the meatballs so that they do not burn.
If you will be adding the meatballs to a marinara sauce or to another dish like meatball parmesan, do not cook the meatballs all the way through yet. Simply brown the meatballs on all sides. The meatballs will continue cooking when simmered in sauce or in a casserole - overcooking leads to a dry and tough meatball.
When meatballs are browned, set aside while preparing marinara sauce. Add meatballs into the marinara sauce during the last 10 minutes of simmering. Simmer the meatballs until they are heated through and reach an internal temp of 165°F.
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Notes
If you do opt to double this recipe, don’t forget about increasing the binding agents such as the eggs, buttermilk, and breadcrumbs in order to ensure that your meatballs hold shape and don’t fall apart.
Don’t be alarmed if you notice your meatballs becoming misshapen while pan-frying. If you rotate them frequently and gently while cooking then they will retain their shape.
Buttermilk is a lovely addition to turkey meatballs since turkey can be somewhat dry and lacking in flavor due to its lower fat content when compared to ground beef.
Use your hands or a cookie scoop to form the meatballs. I find that I get uniform-size meatballs whenever I use my cookie scoop instead.
This recipe makes 12 large meatballs but you could make 24 smaller “regular”-sized meatballs (great for serving as appetizers) or you can simply double the recipe if you plan on feeding a crowd or want to make a larger meal.
I love browning these meatballs in a skillet since it increases the flavor, and also provides that appetizing golden brown color to the meatballs! If you would rather make baked turkey meatballs, then add them to the oven in a greased 9x13 casserole dish or on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes (for meatballs that will be cooked additionally in a sauce or casserole) or for 18-20 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. You should note that these turkey meatballs won’t brown much in the oven.