baked italian turkey meatballs
baked italian turkey meatballs
serves 4-6
Ingredients
1 lb ground turkey, preferably dark meat
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
½ cup minced onion
2 teaspoons dried italian herbs (or any combination of dried basil, sage, rosemary and/or thyme)
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 tablespoon ground chia seed
1 organic pasture-raised egg
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 24-ounce jar Rao’s marinara, tomato basil or arrabiata sauce, or your favorite organic tomato sauce
to serve (optional):
whole-grain or legume pasta, zucchini noodles, spaghetti squash or crispy roasted broccoli
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 F degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easier clean up.
Combine all ingredients except for tomato sauce in a large mixing bowl, making sure not to overmix. Using wet hands, form mixture into even sized balls (~1.5 inches each), and then place them on the baking sheet (spray with avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil first to grease lightly).
Bake meatballs for ~15 minutes, or until cooked through. The meatballs are done when an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 165 F degrees.
Meanwhile, heat tomato sauce in a large pot and reduce to a simmer. Add the meatballs when they are finished baking and allow to simmer in the sauce for 5 minutes before serving.
Serve over pasta, zucchini noodles, spaghetti squash or crispy roasted broccoli with a simple side salad and enjoy!