A simple recipe for gluten-free, oven-baked, healthy turkey meatballs! Featuring fresh herbs and ricotta cheese, plus a recipe for a quick marinara dipping sauce.
I'm not sure if I've ever met another human being who doesn't get even just a little bit pumped up about meatballs. Why? Because meatballs are special. They are meat…in the shape of a ball. Now, that’s just fun stuff right there. My love for meatballs has stayed with me throughout a lifetime, and if I could eat them on the reg, I totally would. However, I do try to eat on the healthy-ish side every now and again, so to save myself a few calories, I thought I might look into a lighter version and get to work in the kitchen.
So how do we make meatballs healthier? Well, avoiding the initial quick-fry, like many recipes advise, is a great start. Pan-searing the meatballs in oil right off the bat develops a good deal of flavor, however, we can get the same amount of flavor from baking them at a high temperature. Plus, it saves us time and effort. Bonus.
The best temperature to bake meatballs at is 400°, as it is a high enough temperature to brown the exterior of the meatballs. Every heard of the Maillard reaction? It's kind of science-y stuff, but in a nutshell, it means browning equals flavor.
Ground Turkey Meatballs vs. Ground Beef Meatballs:
I buy ground turkey about as often (or maybe even a little more often) than I buy ground beef, so I am always looking for new ways to put it to work. However, ground beef and ground turkey are two completely different animals…well, I mean, obviously. One’s cow and one’s turkey. But, what I mean is they cook differently.
Ground turkey retains are great deal more moisture than beef. If you’re a hands-on type person, you could actually feel the difference. Ground turkey is…well, more goupy than ground beef. Less firm might even serve as an accurate description. They don’t feel the same, and they definitely don’t cook the same.
The point is, while regular beefy meatballs require a little help in the moisture department from soaked breadcrumbs, ground turkey meatballs don’t. So what does this mean? Yup. Gluten-free meatballs. Aren’t you feeling healthier already? Look at us making good choices. Go, team.
If you'd like an even healthier option for spaghetti and meatballs, you can get the recipe for basil and parmesan spaghetti squash here. Yes, please.
This recipe rocks as a healthy dinnertime option, but is also great for entertaining, because as we discussed in the beginning...everybody loves a meatball. Enjoy.
A simple recipe for gluten-free, oven-baked turkey meatballs, featuring fresh herbs and ricotta cheese, plus a recipe for a quick marinara dipping sauce.
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ yellow onion minced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil minced
- 1 pound 85/15 ground turkey
- ⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon whole-milk Ricotta cheese
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ yellow onion finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 large can 28 ounces fire-roasted, crushed tomatoes
- 1 ½ tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
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Preheat the oven to 400° and have ready a rimmed sheet pan lined with nonstick aluminum foil.
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For the meatballs, add olive oil to a small sauté pan over medium heat. Add onion and saute 2-3 minutes, just until softened. Add garlic and saute 1 minute more. Remove from the heat and stir in basil. Set aside to cool.
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In a large mixing bowl, combine turkey, Ricotta, Parmesan, salt and pepper. Add in the cooled veggies, and gently mix until all of the ingredients are evenly distributed.
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Using oiled hands, scoop out about two tablespoons of the mixture, roll into a ball, placing each meatball 1” apart on the prepared pan. Bake for 25-27 minutes, or until cooked through.
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Add olive oil to a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and saute 2-3 minutes, add the garlic and sauté 1 minute more.
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Add the tomatoes, sugar, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes and stir to combine. Allow to rapidly simmer for 15 minutes, uncovered, stirring often.
To serve as an hors d’œuvre, transfer the meatballs to a platter, place toothpicks in each ball and have a generous bowl of marinara on the side for dipping. You could place meatballs in a chafing dish, or crockpot on the warm setting, cover with sauce and stir.
To serve as an entree, serve over cooked pasta, creamy Fail-Proof Polenta or Spaghetti Squash with Basil and Parmesan, and enjoy.
