Turkey Meatballs in Roasted Tomato Sauce (Printable)

Tender turkey meatballs in a vibrant roasted tomato sauce with garlic and herbs

# What You'll Need:

→ Roasted Tomato Sauce

01 - 2 lbs ripe tomatoes, halved
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and quartered
03 - 4 garlic cloves, peeled
04 - 2 tbsp olive oil
05 - 1 tsp salt
06 - ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
07 - 1 tsp dried oregano
08 - 1 tsp sugar (optional, to balance acidity)
09 - 1 handful fresh basil leaves, torn

→ Turkey Meatballs

10 - 1.1 lbs ground turkey (preferably thigh)
11 - 1 large egg
12 - ½ cup breadcrumbs
13 - ¼ cup whole milk
14 - 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
15 - 2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
16 - 1 garlic clove, minced
17 - 1 tsp salt
18 - ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
19 - ½ tsp dried thyme
20 - 2 tbsp olive oil (for searing)

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
02 - Place tomatoes (cut side up), onion, and garlic on the tray. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and oregano. Roast for 25 minutes, until tomatoes are soft and slightly caramelized.
03 - While the vegetables roast, soak breadcrumbs in milk in a large bowl for 5 minutes.
04 - Add ground turkey, egg, Parmesan, parsley, minced garlic, salt, pepper, and thyme to the breadcrumbs. Mix gently with your hands until just combined.
05 - Form the mixture into 16 golf ball-sized meatballs.
06 - Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Brown the meatballs in batches, turning until golden (about 5 minutes). Set aside on a plate.
07 - Transfer roasted vegetables to a blender or food processor. Add sugar (if using). Blend until smooth. Pour sauce into a large, deep skillet or saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer.
08 - Add meatballs to the sauce. Cover and simmer on low for 15-20 minutes, until meatballs are cooked through.
09 - Stir in fresh basil leaves just before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The roasted tomato sauce tastes like it simmered all day but comes together in under an hour
  • Turkey meatballs stay impossibly tender thanks to the milk soaked breadcrumb trick
02 -
  • Do not overmix the meatball mixture or they will become tough and dense
  • The sauce needs to be gently simmering, not boiling aggressively, or the meatballs will break apart
03 -
  • Use a rimmed baking sheet for roasting to catch all those delicious tomato juices that caramelized on the pan
  • Let the meatballs rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes after searing so they do not fall apart in the sauce

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