This is one of my go-to recipes when I crave Italian comfort food.
I make no excuses for this recipe; it’s pure indulgence for me. It’s been so cold that I’ve wanted something warm and comforting to fill by tummy, and this fits the bill. One of the reasons I love this recipe is how versatile it is. I make a big batch, use some for spaghetti and meatballs, some for meatball subs, and freeze the rest for future use. For this recipe, I fried the meatballs in a little olive oil, but I occasionally bake them in the oven so those alternate instructions are at the end.
Yield: 30-32 meatballs, depending on size
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs. ground lean turkey
- 1-1.5 cups bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/3-1/2 cup onion, chopped and cooked
- 1/8-1/4 tsp black pepper
- Pinch of nutmeg
- Your choice of marinara sauce
- Olive oil for cooking
- Salt to taste (I don’t add any because I find the Parmesan and marinara to plenty salty)
Method
Chop onion and sauté in olive oil until soft. Let cool.
Mix all the ingredients except the bread crumbs and marinara sauce.
Add bread crumbs and mix again.
Form into meatballs.
Brown meatballs in olive oil on all sides.
Once meatballs are complete browned, cover them with marinara, cover the pan, and cook for 20 minutes. Uncover and cook for 20 minutes more.
Alternate method: Bake meatballs at 400°F for 18-22 minutes. Add meatballs and sauce to a pan, cover, and cook on the stove for 20 minutes.
Serve hot.
Приятного аппетита! (Priyatnova appetita! Russian for ‘Bon Appetit!’)
I am a follower of Christ, wife of a pastor, mother of a strong-willed little boy, and native of Russia. In addition to cooking and baking, I enjoy drinking coffee and relaxing on the beach.