These healthy turkey meatballs in tomato sauce are a delicious and easy to make dinner idea. Your family will love the soft meatballs in a tangy sauce served over a bowl of steaming spaghetti. Ready in under 40 minutes.
Check out also meatballs in mushroom sauce.
Why this recipe works
- It's quick and contains few ingredients! This dish, made from scratch, comes together in under 40 minutes. You can reduce this further by preparing the sauce in advance (see Notes below).
- It's healthy. The meat contains only 7% fat and the sauce is made using a little olive oil and a scatter of parmesan cheese.
- You can use any ground meat to make the meatballs.
- The meatballs are light and fluffy and guaranteed to be a hit with adults and children alike.
Ingredients
How to make fluffy meatballs
Meatballs are easy to make but it's important to keep a few things in mind in order to ensure they are light and fluffy too.
- Use a bit of soft bread and milk or water. The bread will soak up the moisture so even though your meatballs are low in fat they will turn out moist and fluffy. Adding breadcrumbs will not produce the same results.
- Use a food processor/blender to combine the ingredients. This is not only easier and quicker to do than using a spoon but also helps to make soft and fluffy meatballs.
Step-by-step recipe instructions
1.To make the sauce in a saucepan heat up 2 tablespoons of oil, add the chopped onion, garlic and celery and fry for 3 minutes stirring often. Pour in the wine and cook for another minute or so.
2. Add the canned tomatoes, tomato paste, sun dried tomatoes, salt and pepper, cover and bring to the boil then simmer gently for 10 minutes stirring occasionally.
3. Remove from the heat, add the chopped basil and puree the mixture. Cover and set aside while you make the meatballs. Preheat the oven to 400 F/ 200 C/ gas mark 6.
4. Whilst the tomato sauce is bubbling away make the meatballs. In a blender bowl combine the meat, 1 tablespoon of tomato paste, torn bun/bread, milk/water, salt, pepper and onion granules.
5. Pulse (for a few seconds) until well combined and sticky.
6. Form small meatballs (you should get 16-18 meatballs).
7. In a large nan-stick pan heat up 1-1.5 tablespoons of oil and fry the meatballs over a medium/high heat for about 5 minutes turning often until lightly browned (they will finish cooking in the oven).
8. Place the meatballs in your oven dish, pour over the sauce, scatter a little parmesan cheese, approx. 2 tablespoons, (or just drizzle with oil) over the top and bake in the centre of the oven for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve over pasta.
Top tips for making meatballs in tomato sauce
- Meat: use ground meat with around 7% fat. You can swap pork or beef for turkey.
- Herbs: I used fresh basil but you can add oregano or thyme if you prefer.
- Make ahead: You can make the sauce ahead and refrigerate overnight. Then simply reheat before combining with the meatballs and popping the dish in the oven.
- To save time start making the meatballs while the sauce is bubbling away.
- Frying the meatballs: Use a large frying pan so it's easy to turn the meatballs over. They need to brown a little and will finish cooking in the oven.
- Best served immediately so boil the pasta while the dish is in the oven. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days.
- Freeze for up to 3 months.
- Yields 16-18 meatballs.
Related recipes to try next
- Turkey Meatballs in Gravy (Polish Klopsiki)
- Easy Meatball Pasta Bake
- Meatballs in Healthy White Sauce
- Chicken Meatballs in Leek Sauce
See also these other easy dinner ideas!
Recipe
Easy Turkey Meatballs In Tomato Sauce (Healthy)
Equipment
- Food processor/blender
- Non-stick large frying pan
- Medium saucepan with lid
- Medium size shallow oven dish
Ingredients
For the tomato sauce
- 1x14.11oz can (400 g) tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons tomato puree
- 4 sundried tomatoes in oil, chopped
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
- ½ celery stalk chopped
- 3 tablespoons white wine
- 3 tablespoons fresh basil finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ⅓ teaspoon fine sea salt and pepper to taste
For the meatballs
- 1.1 pounds (500 g) ground turkey approx. 7% fat
- 1 soft roll/bun or 1 slice of bread, torn into small pieces
- 1½ tablespoons milk or water
- ¼ teaspoon onion granules
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt and ground pepper each
Instructions
- To make the sauce in a saucepan heat up 2 tablespoons of oil, add the chopped onion, garlic and celery and fry for 3 minutes stirring often. Pour in 3 tablespoons of the wine and cook for another minute or so.
- Add the canned tomatoes, tomato puree, sun dried tomatoes, salt and pepper, cover and bring to the boil then simmer gently for 10 minutes stirring occasionally.
- Remove from the heat, add the chopped basil and puree the mixture. Cover and set aside while you make the meatballs. Preheat the oven to 400 F/ 200 C/ gas mark 6.
- Whilst the tomato sauce is bubbling away make the meatballs. To a food processor add the meat, tomato puree and torn bun/bread. Pour the milk over the bread, add salt, pepper and onion granules. Pulse until well combined and sticky.
- Form small meatballs (you should get 16-18 meatballs). In a large pan heat up 3 tablespoons of oil and fry the meatballs over a medium/high heat for about 5 minutes turning often until lightly browned (they will finish cooking in the oven).
- Place the meatballs in your oven dish, pour over the sauce, scatter a little parmesan cheese, approx. 2 tablespoons, (or just drizzle with oil) over the top and bake in the centre of the oven for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve over pasta.
Notes
- Meat: use ground meat with around 7% fat. You can swap turkey for pork or beef.
- Herbs: I used fresh basil but you can add oregano or thyme if you prefer.
- Make ahead: You can make the sauce ahead and refrigerate overnight. Then simply reheat before combining with the meatballs and popping the dish in the oven.
- To save time start making the meatballs while the sauce is bubbling away.
- Frying the meatballs: Use a large frying pan so it's easy to turn the meatballs over. They need to brown a little and will finish cooking in the oven.
- Best served immediately so boil the pasta while the dish is in the oven. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days.
- Freeze for up to 3 months.
- Yields 16-18 meatballs.
Nutrition
*Nutritional information is automatically generated and should be considered as an estimate.
**A note about baking: If using a fan-assisted oven refer to your appliance's instructions and adjust the temperature accordingly.
Keep in touch!
If you make this easy turkey meatballs recipe I'd love to know how it turns out for you. Let me know in the comments below, thanks:)
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akashocd says
these meatball are looking so wonderful and i am sure it's taste will also be delicious thank you for sharing your recipe
Monika says
You are very welcome!
[email protected] says
Thank you! I am new to Saucy Saturdays, I'll look out for you there:)
[email protected] says
Thanks Hayley:)
Corina says
What a gorgeous recipe! I love making meatballs for my children as it's one of the things I can be almost certain they will eat. These ones sound lovely!
[email protected] says
Thank you Corina, this is definitely a child friendly recipe, my kids loved it, hope yours will too:)