Description
This easy 5-ingredient Turkey Meatballs with Marinara recipe is a weeknight dinner lifesaver. Lean ground turkey meatballs simmer directly in rich marinara sauce for a flavorful, one-pan meal that’s ready in under 40 minutes. It’s a healthy, kid-approved dish that’s faster than takeout.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound ground turkey (93% lean recommended)
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs (plain or Italian-style)
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups marinara sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, egg, minced garlic, dried oregano, dried basil, salt, and pepper. Use your hands to mix until evenly combined; do not overmix.
- Slightly wet your hands and roll tablespoon-sized portions of the mixture into 1-inch meatballs. Place on a plate.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add meatballs in batches, ensuring not to crowd the pan. Brown them on all sides, about 5 minutes total.
- Pour the marinara sauce into the skillet with the browned meatballs. Nestle the meatballs into the sauce, spooning some sauce over them.
- Reduce heat to low, cover the skillet, and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked through (no pink inside).
- Let the turkey meatballs with marinara rest for 5 minutes off the heat before serving.
Notes
- For a gluten-free option, use gluten-free breadcrumbs.
- You can substitute other hard cheeses for Parmesan if desired.
- Fresh herbs can be used; use 1 tablespoon of fresh herbs for every 1 teaspoon of dried.
- If the marinara sauce is too thin, remove the meatballs and let the sauce reduce uncovered for 5 minutes.
- These meatballs can be baked at 400°F (200°C) for 15-20 minutes instead of pan-frying.
- Raw meatballs can be chilled for 15 minutes before cooking to help them hold their shape.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 meatballs (about 5 ounces)
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 480mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 12g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 22g
- Cholesterol: 90mg
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