A quick search for “meatballs” around these parts yields many a rotund result. We’ve got plenty of the chicken variety rolled in everything from teriyaki sauce to Buffalo sauce. But I’m swapping up the poultry game with this quick and easy recipe for baked turkey meatballs coated in classic marinara sauce and piled high atop a bed of pillowy quinoa.
Consider this recipe to be a lighter take on an Italian comfort food favorite. We’re bypassing the ground beef and skipping the spaghetti but still packing a whole lot-o-flavor into each spherical bite.
Breadcrumbs soaked in milk help seal in the moisture, while baking the meatballs in a mini muffin pan guarantees golden brown color across the board (but a baking pan works well, too!).
Keep this recipe as homemade or as store-bought as your heart desires by whipping up my 10-Minute Marinara Sauce or popping open your go-to jar of red sauce. And as long as we’re talking time, these turkey meatballs will be on your table in a speedy 30 minutes.
Flavorful, fast and filling. What more could you need in a meatball or a meal? All that’s left to do is toss together a quick salad and consider dinner done.
P.S. Willing to splurge on a side dish? Don’t miss my Secret Ingredient Cheesy Garlic Bread!
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Ingredients
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup breadcrumbs (Italian or plain)
- 1 1/2 lbs ground turkey
- 1 large egg
- 2 Tablespoons minced garlic
- 2 Tablespoons chopped parsley
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa
- 1 cup homemade or store-bought marinara sauce
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 500°F. Generously grease a baking dish or nonstick mini muffin pan with cooking spray.
- In a small bowl, stir together the milk and breadcrumbs and let the mixture sit for 5 minutes.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground turkey, breadcrumb mixture, egg, minced garlic, chopped parsley, grated Parmesan, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Use your hands to thoroughly combine the mixture and then shape it into balls using 2 to 3 tablespoons of meat per meatball.
- Arrange the meatballs in a single layer in the prepared baking dish or nonstick mini muffin pan. Bake the meatballs for 15 minutes until they are cooked through.
- While the meatballs bake, prepare the quinoa according to package directions. (See this video for tips on how to cook quinoa.)
- When ready to serve, divide the quinoa among plates then place the meatballs on top. Spoon the marinara sauce over the meatballs and garnish with grated Parmesan cheese.
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Recipe by Kelly Senyei of Just a Taste. Please do not reprint this recipe without my permission. If you'd like to feature this recipe on your site, please rewrite the method of preparation and link to this post as the original source.
Could you swap out milk for beef broth for soaking breadcrumbs?
That should work!
Fantastic absolutely fantastic
Thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Teresa!
The meatballs were full of flavor and the mini muffin pan trick is genius!
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Beth!
How many calories per ball.?
We’re working on providing nutritional info for our recipes. Please stay tuned!
Can you freeze these raw and thaw and cook when ready or should you cook then freeze them?
Hi Kim – I’ve never tried freezing them so I can’t say with certainty how they’d turn out after. But it should work to freeze the meatballs after forming them and before baking them.