Ingredients
Method
Make the Marinara Sauce
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook for 5 minutes until softened.
- Add minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Stir in tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes to develop the flavor.
- Add crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer.
- Reduce heat to low and let sauce simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding sugar if needed to balance acidity.
Prepare the Meatballs
- In a small bowl, combine breadcrumbs with chicken stock and let soak for 5 minutes.
- In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, soaked breadcrumbs, beaten egg, diced onion, minced garlic, parsley, oregano, salt, and pepper.
- Mix gently with your hands until just combined. Don't overmix or the meatballs will be tough.
- Shape mixture into 24 meatballs, about 1.5 inches in diameter. Place on a plate.
Cook and Combine
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Brown meatballs in batches, turning carefully to brown all sides, about 6-8 minutes total per batch. They don't need to be cooked through.
- Transfer browned meatballs to the simmering marinara sauce.
- Cover and simmer for 15 minutes until meatballs are cooked through and sauce has thickened.
- Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve hot over pasta or with crusty bread.
Notes
Meatballs can be made ahead and frozen before or after cooking. If freezing raw, thaw completely before cooking. Cooked meatballs in sauce freeze well for up to 3 months. The soaked breadcrumbs are key to keeping turkey meatballs moist, so don't skip this step.
