Baked Turkey Meatball Marinara
Oven-baked lean meatballs in slow-simmered tomato basil sauce
Turkey meatballs with parmesan and herbs bake on sheet pans, then simmer in a big pot of marinara. Serve over whole-wheat spaghetti or polenta.
Why crews like it: Comfort food that feels like Sunday dinner. Baking keeps grease down and makes portioning predictable for eight hungry firefighters.
552Cal
48gProtein
26gCarbs
27gFat
Ingredients
- 3 lb lean ground turkey
- 1.5 cups plain breadcrumbs
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese
- 3 whole large eggs
- 0.5 cup fresh parsley
- 6 cloves garlic cloves
- 2 cans crushed tomatoes
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves
- 1 large yellow onion
- 2 tbsp dried Italian seasoning
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
- Mix and shape meatballs: Combine turkey, breadcrumbs, parmesan, eggs, parsley, half the garlic, Italian seasoning, and 1 tsp salt. Roll 48 golf-ball-size meatballs without overworking the mix.
- Bake meatballs until set: Arrange on two parchment-lined half-sheets. Bake at 400°F for 18–22 minutes until internal temp reaches 165°F and exteriors look lightly browned.
- Start marinara base: Sauté onion in olive oil over medium heat 6 minutes until soft. Add remaining garlic and tomato paste; cook 2 minutes until paste deepens to brick red.
- Simmer sauce and add meatballs: Pour in crushed tomatoes with 1 cup water. Simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens enough to coat a spoon. Add baked meatballs.
- Rest and portion at the line: Simmer gently 10 more minutes so meatballs absorb sauce. Meatballs should feel springy, not dense, when cut open.
Tonight's spread
- Whole-wheat spaghetti with grated parmesan at the line.
- Garlic sautéed green beans with lemon.
Hall tips
- A panade of breadcrumbs and milk (2 tbsp per lb) keeps turkey meatballs juicy.
- Flash meatballs under broiler 2 minutes before saucing for extra browning.
- Freeze half the batch sauced for an emergency pasta night.
Meal prep
Roll meatballs uniform golf-ball size for even baking. Sauce can simmer 2 hours ahead on low and hold. Station: Bake meatballs on parchment so they release cleanly and brown on all sides with one flip. Station: Simmer sauce in the widest pot on the range for fast meatball absorption. Station: Hold sauced meatballs in a baking dish at 165°F—do not boil or turkey dries out.
Leftovers
- Meatball subs on whole-grain rolls with melted mozzarella.
- Meatball soup: slice and simmer in chicken broth with orzo.
- Two half-sheet pans
- Large Dutch oven or stock pot
Related recipes
- Turkey Sweet Potato Chili
- Turkey Sausage Egg Muffins
- Turkey Taco Skillet
- Turkey Lettuce Wraps
- Caprese Chicken Bake
- Turkey Zoodle Bolognese