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Turkey Meatballs with Pasta

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These turkey meatballs in tomato sauce are guilt-free comfort food at any time of the year. It a hearty and wholesome meal for the whole family in less than 30 minutes. Serve it over spaghetti, penne or any pasta you like.

A plate of turkey meatballs with penne pasta.
Make a delicious tomato sauce with meatballs made with ground turkey. A light and healthier version of the spaghetti and meatballs

Is there anything more comforting than a bowl of pasta topped with some delicious turkey meatballs with tomato sauce? Meatballs are my children’s favorite meals.

I grew up with all kinds of meatballs and mom made plenty of Indian variety. Then over the years, I almost forgot all about meatballs until I had kids and realized it was time to have fun with meatballs again. It’s definitely a kid favorite dish and my kids are no different.

About this recipe

This is the skinny version of my recipe for spaghetti and meatballs but with turkey instead of beef.

The recipe is simple and easy to make. The two main ingredients are ground turkey and cans of tomatoes, the rest are all pantry staples.

The meatballs are delicious on their own. They are well seasoned and flavored with garlic, onion, and oregano. I’ve used breadcrumbs which helps keep them moist soaking up all the sauce like a sponge. The parmesan adds a nutty flavor too.

Unlike my marinara sauce made with fresh tomatoes, this tomato sauce is made with canned tomatoes which is why this dish gets ready in less than 30 minutes.

This meatballs in tomato sauce can be made ahead of time and kept in the fridge for up to 3 days. Boil fresh pasta just before you want to serve.

A plate of turkey meatballs with penne pasta.
Meatballs with Ground Turkey in Tomato Sauce

Ingredients and substitutes

  • Ground turkey – I like to use the ground turkey thighs but turkey breast would work just as well.
  • Onions – personally, I like using red Spanish onions but the yellow will work just as well.
  • Garlic – I use the powder in the meatballs and fresh in the sauce. Do not add fresh in the meatballs, you don’t want to bite into a piece of garlic.
  • Basil – if you have fresh basil it adds a nice flavor but you can also use 1/2 tsp of dry basil for flavor.
  • Paprika – I like using smoked hot paprika just for that little kick.
  • Tomatoes – I am using 2 cans of crushed tomatoes but you can also use whole and mash them in the pot before you add the meatballs.
A plate of meatballs and pasta.
Meatballs with Ground Turkey in Tomato Sauce

Step by step instructions

Pasta

  • In a large pot of boiling salted water cook the pasta according to package instructions.

Meatballs

  • In a mixing bowl, combine ground beef, garlic and onion powder, oregano, paprika.
  • Season with salt and pepper – combine well.
  • Add the breadcrumbs, parmesan, and egg. Combine well.
  • Shape them into about 16 to 18 balls. Set aside
A pot of meatballs cooking in tomato sauce.
Meatballs with Ground Turkey in Tomato Sauce

Tomato sauce

  • In a Dutch oven or heavy-bottom skillet over medium-high heat, add tbsp of olive oil.
  • Add the meatballs, sear them on all sides. Remove from the pans and set aside
  • To the same pan, add remaining oil and saute the onions and garlic.
  • Next add the bay leaves, oregano, and the crushed tomatoes
  • Season with salt and pepper. Add the sprigs of basil inside.
  • Cover and cook for 8 to 10 minutes
  • When done remove the basil leaves. Season and adjust seasoning.
  • Serve spaghetti topped with meatballs and sauce.
  • Enjoy
A plate of turkey meatballs with penne pasta.
Meatballs with Ground Turkey in Tomato Sauce

Tips for cooking perfect pasta

  1. Use a large pot of water when boiling pasta to prevent a mess on the stovetop.
  2. Use 4 times the amount of water for your pasta – For example, to boil one cup pasta use at least 4 cups water.
  3. Always bring the water to the boil before adding pasta or the pasta will be sticky.
  4. Salt the water generously more than you think you need as this is the only time you will be able to season the pasta on its own.
  5. Never add oil to the pasta when cooking. This will create a non-stick surface on the pasta that prevents the sauce from sticking.
  6. Pick the right pasta for the right sauce. For example, long pasta such as spaghetti for oil and tomato-based sauces, or penna and large shapes for cream and meat-based sauces.
  7. The pasta cooking time on the package is a suggestion – always taste pasta to know if it’s done. Most dry pasta takes about 10 to 12 minutes while fresh pasta often takes less than 2 minutes.
  8. Pasta must be cooked “al dente”, which means it must be tender yet have a bite.
  9. If you plan to cook pasta long before serving, it’s a good idea to keep it a minute underdone as it will continue to cook with the residue heat in the sauce.
  10. Never drain the pasta into a colander and never rinse the pasta. Instead, remove the pasta from the pot (preferably directly into the sauce).

Frequently asked questions

How long will this turkey meatballs keep?

This sauce on its own will keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. When you need to reheat it – add a few tablespoons of water to help the sauce blend again. The pasta with meatballs will stay in the fridge for 2 to 3 days.

Can I use other ground meat instead of ground turkey?

Absolutely, you can use ground chicken instead of turkey. Or use ground beef as I have done in my spaghetti and meatballs.

Can I use fresh tomatoes instead of canned for these turkey meatballs?

The purpose of using canned tomatoes is to make this a quick and easy dish in under 30 minutes. You can certainly use fresh tomatoes. If you do I highly recommend using my marinara sauce with fresh tomatoes as a base. Then add the meatballs to the marina sauce to make it a meatball sauce.

How do you make good pasta? How do you boil perfect pasta?

Boil water with salt in a large pot at least 4 times the quantity of pasta. So, 1 cup pasta would need at least 4 cups of water.
Once the water comes to a boil, add the pasta and give it a good stir.
Let the pasta cook for about 8 to 12 minutes.
The best way to check pasta is to taste it. It has to be Al Dente – meaning soft but still have a bite.
Drain the pasta and set aside until ready to use it into the sauce.

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A plate of pasta with meatballs.

Turkey Meatballs in Tomato sauce

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Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Calories: 65kcal
Adjust Servings Here: 8 servings

Description

These turkey meatballs in tomato sauce are guilt-free comfort food at any time of the year. It a hearty and wholesome meal for the whole family in less than 30 minutes. Serve it over spaghetti, penne or any pasta you like

Ingredients 

Meatballs

  • 1 lb (450 g) Ground Turkey
  • ½ tsp Garlic powder
  • 1 tsp Onion powder
  • ½ tsp Salt
  • ½ tsp Pepper
  • ½ tsp Oregano
  • ½ tsp Paprika
  • ¼ cup Breadcrumbs
  • ½ cups Parmesan
  • 1 Eggs

Tomato sauce

  • 2 tbsp Olive oil (divided)
  • ½ cup Onions
  • ½ tsp Galic fresh
  • 2 Bay leaves
  • ½ tsp Oregano
  • ¼ tsp Salt
  • ½ tsp Pepper
  • 28 oz (790 g) Crushed tomatoes ((2 cans))
  • 2 sprigs Basil

Pasta

  • 1 lb (450 g) Penne (or Spaghetti)
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Instructions

Pasta

  • In a large pot of boiling salted water cook the pasta according to package instructions.

Meatballs

  • In a mixing bowl, combine ground turkey, garlic and onion powder, oregano, paprika.
  • Season with salt and pepper – combine well.
  • Add the breadcrumbs, parmesan, and egg. Combine well.
  • Shape them into about 16 to 18 balls. Set aside

Tomato sauce

  • In a Dutch oven or heavy-bottom skillet over medium-high heat, add tbsp of olive oil.
  • Add the meatballs, sear them on all sides. Remove from the pans and set aside
  • To the same pan, add remaining oil and saute the onions and garlic.
  • Next add the bay leaves, oregano, and the crushed tomatoes
  • Season with salt and pepper. Add the sprigs of basil inside.
  • Cover and cook for 8 to 10 minutes
  • When done remove the basil leaves. Season and adjust seasoning.
  • Serve spaghetti topped with meatballs and sauce.
  • Enjoy

Recipe Notes & Tips

 
  1. Use a Dutch oven or deep soup pot when making tomato-based sauces as tomato spatters while cooking
  2. Don’t make haste, give every step the time it needs to saute, sweat, and stew.
  3. Saute onions until they are soft and translucent so later they will almost disappear in an effort to thicken the sauce.
  4. Use a variety of tomatoes – different types of tomatoes bring different flavors and sweetness
  5. This sauce works better with canned tomatoes if you use fresh tomatoes – cook the sauce for 2 hours on low then add the meatballs and cook further for 10 minutes. 
  6. Undercook the pasta if you plan to keep it for a while before servings. It will cook further while it sits in the hot sauce.
  7. Make extra sauce but don’t drown the pasta in the sauce. Remove some and save for later.
  8. Extra sauce is amazing over pizza!!

Conversions Used

1 lb = 453 grams, 1 cup = 240 ml, 1 stick = 113g, 1 tbsp= 15 ml, 1 tsp= 5 ml,

Nutrition Information

Serving: 100gCalories: 65kcalCarbohydrates: 6.8gProtein: 5.1gFat: 2.3gSaturated Fat: 0.4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1.9gMonounsaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 217mgPotassium: 0mgFiber: 1.1gSugar: 3.7gVitamin A: 0IUVitamin C: 0mgCalcium: 0mgIron: 0mg

The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you

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20 Comments

  1. Annemarie @ justalittlebitofbacon says:

    5 stars
    I agree that ground turkey is a great way to lighten things up – both for tummy and wallet! And that fresh tomato sauce was wonderful. I love your idea of caramelizing the sugar to deepen the flavor and color. It was nice to have my deep sauce red rather than just bright orange. I will be using that technique for more of my sauces in future.

  2. Elizabeth @ SugarHero.com says:

    5 stars
    This sounds delicious! I love pasta and meatballs–such a perfect comfort food dish!

  3. Suchi @elegantmeraki says:

    5 stars
    This is my kind of meal, hearty and homey! I mean serious who doesnt like a good pasta.

  4. Stephanie@ApplesforCJ says:

    5 stars
    I have to agree that the sauce is much better with fresh tomatoes. This sounds great!

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