I have a little confession…
I don’t eat a lot of Italian food.
I know, crazy right? I think it’s because I’m a tiny bit obsessed with all things Mexican (enchiladas, chips, guac, tacos… etc.)! It’s just too good to refuse. This past week though I just had a craving for ravioli, lasagna, garlic bread, carbonara or basically ANYTHING ITALIAN. Unfortunately, all I had in my cupboard was a jar of pasta sauce, but man, did that sauce look good. Like I sort of wanted to eat it out of the jar and call it dinner.
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Is that weird? Yep.
I thought to myself for a very long time about what I could do with the pasta sauce. I mean, besides spooning it into my mouth or just warming it up and pretending it was tomato soup. At one point I considered ordering breadsticks from Pizza Hut just so I could dip them in the sauce, but decided I wasn’t that desperate.
I ended up searching the freezer and found lean ground turkey. Obviously cute little healthy turkey meatballs came straight to mind. Just look at that steamy goodness!
Are turkey meatballs healthy?
YES. I love making homemade meatballs using ground turkey rather than beef for a slightly leaner source of protein. One serving of these healthy turkey meatballs packs over 20g of protein! You can also use ground chicken if you’d like, or stick with beef if that’s your jam.
Ingredients in healthy turkey meatballs
These delicious homemade healthy turkey meatballs are simple to make with a few staple ingredients and plenty of spices. You’ll need:
- Lean ground turkey: I used 93% in this recipe so that there is still some juiciness to the meatballs. This recipe also works for ground chicken or ground beef.
- Egg: to hold these babies together.
- Panko breadcrumbs: adding panko breadcrumbs to the meatball mixture helps them stick together. I also have the option to use coconut flour if you want to keep these paleo or grain free/gluten free.
- Fresh basil: for that yummy Italian flavor throughout the recipe.
- Dijon mustard: a secret ingredient to give these meatballs a little zing.
- Italian seasoning: gimme all of the herbs.
- Amazing spices: cumin, garlic powder, cayenne pepper (if you like a little heat), salt and pepper.
- Pasta sauce: you can use a pasta sauce of your choice (garlic, red pepper, tomato basil, or marinara), but I decided to use a simple good-quality tomato basil sauce since I wanted to jazz it up with my own herbs like fresh basil. I’ve even added mushrooms to the sauce to jazz it up – so good!
- Red pepper flakes: add a kick of heat to your smooth, sweet tomato basil sauce (leave out if you don’t want a spicy sauce).
- Burrata cheese: can’t go wrong with gooey cheese, but feel free to leave out to keep this recipe dairy free and/or paleo. Fresh or shredded mozzarella will also work.
That may seem like a lot of spices, but it results are drop dead delicious! Feel free to serve these with your favorite pasta (omg best spaghetti & meatballs ever) or even over spaghetti squash for a low carb, paleo & gluten free option.
Make your turkey meatballs without breadcrumbs
This easy turkey meatball recipe can be made without breadcrumbs to keep it gluten free, grain free & paleo. Simply use 2-3 tablespoons of coconut flour in place of the breadcrumbs. I recommend starting with 2 tablespoons to see if your meatballs hold together well and if you can easily shape them into balls.
How to cook turkey meatballs in sauce
I prefer this method of cooking the turkey meatballs because they really soaked up all of that sauce flavor.
- Form your meatballs. In a large bowl, use your hands to combine all of the meatball ingredients and roll them into 16 golf ball sized meatballs. You can also use a cookie scoop to shape the meatballs if you’d like!
- Cook ’em up. Place a large skillet over medium high heat and add in olive oil. Add meatballs and brown on add sides; this should take about 5 minutes (you may need to do this in batches). You don’t need to cook them all the way through.
- Add the sauce. Once the meatballs have browned on all sides, reduce heat to medium low and add your tomato sauce. Spoon the tomato sauce generously over the meatballs. Bring to a simmer, cover with a lid and cook for 10-15 minutes while you make your pasta (if making).
- Garnish, simmer & serve. After about 10 minutes, add the basil and burrata in the tomato sauce and/or over the meatballs; cover and continue cooking for 5 more minutes or until the cheese has melted into the sauce. Serve with pasta, spaghetti squash, or some homemade garlic bread!
How to bake healthy turkey meatballs
Personally, I like to brown my meatballs in the skillet and then finish cooking them in the tomato sauce but you can also bake these meatballs if you’d like. Here’s how to do it:
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Form your meatballs as directed in the recipe and evenly space them on your lined baking sheet.
- Bake your meatballs for 15-20 minutes until they’re fully cooked.
- Then, transfer your turkey meatballs them to a skillet with your tomato sauce simmering on medium-low and gently spooned the sauce over the meatballs so that they continue to soak in the flavor. You can continue the recipe with adding burrata as well!
How to prepare meatballs ahead of time
These healthy turkey meatballs can easily be prepped ahead of time! Simply mix and form the meatballs then place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper then tightly cover the meatballs with plastic wrap and place in the fridge until you are ready to cook them. You can prep these meatballs up to one, or even two days ahead of time.
Store them for later
If you’re going to meal prep these homemade turkey meatballs, I recommend storing them in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Yes, you can store them in the sauce! To reheat simply place your meatballs and sauce in the microwave for 30-60 seconds.
Freezer-friendly turkey meatballs (2 different ways!)
- Bake first, then freeze: simply place your meatballs and sauce in a freezer safe, airtight container or bag and freeze it all for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy, let your container of meatballs + sauce thaw in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight, and then empty the contents into a pan on the stovetop. Heat them in your pan until they’re nice and warm, and then serve!
- Freeze before baking: you can also freeze these meatballs before cooking them! Form your meatballs as instructed, place them on a baking sheet, and put them in the freezer for 1-2 hours. This is called a flash freeze. Then, transfer your frozen meatballs to an airtight, freezer-friendly bag or container and place in the freezer for up to 3 months. To thaw them, simply place them in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight and then cook them as directed in the recipe.
You guys, I really love these turkey meatballs from the bottom of my heart. They’re healthy, juicy, and satisfying over a whole grain such as quinoa, pasta, or brown rice. Comfort food makeover, right?
I think that adding the Burrata cheese was what really made the dish special; it melted into the tomato sauce and created a creamy flavorful pop. If you don’t have Burrata, feel free to use fresh mozzarella or even, shredded!
Hopefully I’ve convinced you to jump on the meatball loving bandwagon cause I am obsessed with those little bites of heaven.
What to serve with these healthy turkey meatballs
The options are truly endless, which makes this easy dinner recipe super versatile and great for accommodating different dietary restrictions or preferences.
- Spaghetti or your favorite noodles
- Spaghetti squash or zucchini noodles (for a low carb, gluten free option)
- The Best Garlic Bread You’ll Ever Eat
- Garlic Fingerling Potatoes (roasted or grilled!)
- Rice or easy cauliflower rice
- A fresh spring green salad
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I know you’re going to LOVE these homemade healthy turkey meatballs. If you make them I’d love for you to leave a comment & rating so I know how you liked them. I greatly appreciate it, xo!
Ambitious Kitchen
Cookbook
125 Ridiculously Good For You, Sometimes Indulgent, and Absolutely Never Boring Recipes for Every Meal of the Day
Healthy Turkey Meatballs in Tomato Basil Sauce with Burrata
Ingredients
- For the meatballs
- 1 pound 93% lean ground turkey
- 1 egg
- ⅓ cup panko breadcrumbs (or if gluten free, sub 2-3 tablespoons coconut flour)
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil, finely minced
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon italian seasoning (or sub dried oregano)
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- For the sauce
- 1 (24 ounce) jar your favorite pasta sauce (we love tomato basil)
- 4-6 large basil leaves, julienned
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, plus more if you like it really spicy!
- 4-6 ounces Burrata cheese (or sub fresh mozzarella), cut into large pieces
Instructions
- In a large bowl, use your hands to combine the turkey, egg, breadcrumbs, basil, dijon mustard, italian seasoning, cumin, garlic powder, cayenne, and salt and pepper. Mix together until well combined and roll into 16 golf ball sized meatballs.
- Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and add in olive oil. Add meatballs and brown on add sides; this should take about 5 minutes. You don't need to cook them all the way through.
- Once meatballs have browned on all sides, reduce heat to medium-low and add your tomato sauce. Spoon the tomato sauce generously over the meatballs. Bring to a simmer, cover with a lid, and cook for 10-15 minutes while you make your pasta (if making).
- After about 10 minutes, add the basil and burrata in the tomato sauce and/or over the meatballs; cover and continue cooking for 5 more minutes or until the cheese has melted into the sauce.
- Serve meatballs over grain or pasta of choice. Would also be great over spaghetti squash. Serves 4.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats
Recipe originally published August 31, 2012, and republished April 13th, 2020.
Just what I was looking for/had turkey and fresh mozz/basil
And of course other ingredients in the pantry
Made this for dinner tonight/baked meatballs early this morn
And will heat up in sauce in about 1 hour
Can’t wait to enjoy
Thanks
wintkat
Delicious!!! served with ricotta-burrata next time when I can find-tomato/freshmozz/basil salad / definitely a keeper recipe http://t.co/lGkk1ePv
Thanks for sharing
wintkat
Yum!! I’m the total opposite – I think I eat Italian every other night, I”ve been trying to get myself to branch out but I’m too obsessed with basil and tomatoes 🙂 Need to give these meatballs a try! I’m really curious about the cumin in them, I’ve never added that to mine before, sounds delish!
Monique, these look FABULOUS. I pinned on Pinterest so I can make this soon. Thank you for a great, delicious idea to use up some of my fresh basil.
YUM. These meatballs look seriously delicious. Love them!
I made a chicken version of this (with a few minor changes) last week and it was DELICIOUS. I love the photos. I don’t know how we haven’t been blog friends before, but I love everything I see from you. Brilliant work!
Dinner tonight, along with zucchini from the garden.
I made this for dinner tonight and it was amazing, a little spicy for my liking but still very good, I also made the zucchini chips as our appetizer and again that was amazing =].
Just found you and am so glad I did! I pretty much want to make everything I’m seeing here. These meatballs look diviiiine. And I assure you I’ll be making at least one of your cookie recipes this week. Thanks!!
Made these the other night and they were absolutely delicious! I couldn’t find burrata so I just used fresh mozz and it was so good. My hubby loved them so much he requested them the next night!
BEST DAMN MEATBALLS EVER. JUST FINISHED EATING AND WOW. SURE MADE THE TURKEY FLAVORFUL. WILL MAKE AGAIN CHARLIE LOVED THEM, HAVE MORE LEFT OVER FOR TOMORROW NITE.
Oh My! got to try this 🙂 Thanks.
Looks great! Question… Which tomato sauce did you use? I still haven’t established one that I LOVE!
Made this tonight with spaghetti squash, and it was SO GOOD!!! I used smoked mozz over the top–it complimented the spices + heat well. Thanks for the great recipe!!!
Made these tonight, used fresh mozzarella instead… just a touch of cayenne and there was some REAL heat in those balls! We LOVED them! So moist, flavorful and yummy! Thanks for this one, it’ll make a re-appearance in my house 🙂
DELICIOUS! Made this and we didn't even have left overs! We made it with spaghetti squash! This will be a staple in our home! THANKS!
Just curious why cumin came to mind when mixing these up? That was so suprising to me.
I made this tonight. I did not have fresh basil so I used the dried stuff. I also added a little bit more bread crumbs. I did not put the red pepper flakes in the sauce for fear my kids would think it was too spicy. We LOVED it!!!! Oh I also used mozz cheese instead because I had it on hand.
Thanks so much for sharing this one!!!
Yay!
I made this tonight and it was delicious! Awesome recipe and I absolutely adore your blog. Your food is beautiful and I am now a big fan 🙂
Excellent!!! Tried it with spaghetti squash and loved it!
This looks heavenly! I almost think I would keep in baking dish (after pouring out any grease) and add sauce and cheese directly there to avoid washing another pan! My kids love meatballs, this is such a great way to serve them.
Delicious!
Wow! This is so good! I had to try it with calf instead of turkey but it was still delicious (I really want to try it with turkey though 🙂 ) The spices mix is perfect and heavenly spicy, but also fresh. Can’t wait to try your other recipes!
These were delicious! My husband asked if there was sausage in them!
I loved these meatballs…the only thing I would say is it's a bit too spicy. Can't really cook this when I have kids over which is often. Also, can I respectfully make a suggestion? Could you note when an ingredient is a specialty food item/not sold in a regular food store? I searched and searched at Superstore for the Burrata cheese not knowing it's a rarity in your everyday store. Superstore (which is kind of like Wal Mart Supercenter) has an impressive cheese selection but I couldn't find it so I had to leave it out. Next time I make this I will go to the cheese shop (there's only one in my city) in Wpg. Loving your recipes! And I will be baking your favorite Nutella cookies tonight too! 🙂
Would there be a substitute for the barrata? I am not able to buy it where I live. This sounds really good. I want to serve it over zucchini “spaghetti”. Thanks!
Try mozzarella!
I tried to send you message on engagement rings but can't add me and then maybe u can get through to me yes they are fr Ben moss
Hi there! I don't usually post on these but I made these for dinner last night & omgosh! They were incredible. I've never made ANY meatballs because I was extremely intimated but when I saw this recipe, I had to try it. Best decision ever. I cannot wait to make them again and share them with other members of my family. Delicious. Thank you! ♥
sorry but every one seems to be counting cal. these days , or many people are, cal. , fat’s carbs and so on , it really would be nice just to know how many calories im putting in my mouth , some of us just have to watch every little cal. not that we want to , just have to, i can just smell a cookie and gain 5 lbs. I have seen some awesome recipes and would love to try them, could ya just maybe just think about it ?Thanks for such wonderful recipes……..You are very talented…
Hey just made these and they are wonderful……..woot woot
I just wanted to say thanks for this recipe. After stumbling upon your site a year or two ago I found this recipe and have made it multiple times. I just enjoyed them tonight again. I can’t handle spice so I eliminate the cayenne and red pepper flakes and they are delicious. I often eliminate the cheese as Burrata seems hard to come by where I live but I add Parmesan. Tonight I’m having it on spaghetti squash, but I’ve done it on pasta and also on bread (like meatball sub/sloppy joe style) and works equally well every way. So good!! and really not that difficult to put together. Thank you!! Love so many of your recipes. 🙂
So happy you love them! I just ate some a few nights ago 🙂
Last weekend I had made this delicious recipe for my friends and it was made superb. My entire friend become fan of your recipes when I told them about your other recipes as well. Please keep sharing more.
Very good and super easy!
So glad you enjoyed!
This recipe looks great, I can’t wait to try. Question on the sauce – I wanted to add mushrooms as you suggested… would you recommend sauteeing the mushrooms first? Thanks!
I usually just add them in to cook with the sauce!
I have only ever made the meatball portion of this recipe, but these are my favorite turkey meatballs! They always come out juicy, with just a hint of heat. Thanks Monique!
So happy to hear that Kailey! Such a great go-to recipe 🙂
I am making this weekly now, the meatballs are a hit!!!
Hi, these look completely delish! Do you have nutritional info for them anywhere? Thanks a million!
Updated!
I make this recipe two times a month. I make a double batch and freeze half of it. I don’t add the red pepper because of my kids and they love it. I Shred parmesan on top. One of our favorite dinners.
Amazing! This is one of my classic meatball recipes 🙂 Glad the whole family loves them!
This has become a go-to meal in our family. We have it every other month usually. We absolutely love it. We tone down the spice now that we have little kids but still add extra chile flakes to our own serving. Tonight I did something really scrumptious though and wanted to share. I decided to put my raw meatballs into a cast iron skillet. I cooked them for the recommended time and added my already warmed and seasoned sauce. I dabbed the cheese on top and put the skillet under the broiler until everything was bubbly and golden brown. It was the best version yet, and I have been making this for at least five years. Thanks again for such a delicious, reliable meal. Also, I used ground chicken this time as it was on sale – spectacular!
Amazing! So happy to hear that. Your technique sounds delicious too!
AK meatball recipes have been knocking it out of the park since 2012! These are delicious and so easy to make. I swapped thyme for basil because I had some I needed to get rid of – it gave them a nice savory flavor that went great with the sauce.
So happy you’ve been loving them! Glad the thyme worked out well 🙂 yum!
So tasty! The meatballs were so flavorful and moist. Will definitely make this again
Glad you loved them!
This looks so great. I love your photos!
Such a great dinner! 🙂
Could you use G F oat flour instead of coconut flour? Not a fan of anything coconut.
I think that would work well but you might just need to up the oat flour to 3-4 tablespoons.
This is so delicious! I mixed mozzarella and feta cheese. Definitely going to make this more often.
Thank you for this delicious recipe !
That sounds amazing! Glad you enjoyed 🙂
I have been craving some meatballs and pasta and since I don’t eat beef or pork, this fit the bill. I made it as directed with the exception of no fresh basil (didn’t have since I already exceeded my two times/week out in public facility rule), though that would be a perfect add I’m sure. I also used mozzarella, because it’s what I had. The family really enjoyed them. We just had the left overs last night. I made my meatballs a little smaller than you, so had a lot of them, I really like the browning and then finish cooking them in the sauce – perfect for a fast, easy meal. Thank you. These delicious meatballs have been added to our meal rotation.
Perfect! So happy you found this recipe and that the whole family enjoyed 🙂
Can I give this 10 stars? Just got finished eating this for the second day in a row and I almost licked my plate. So delicious and the flavors come together perfectly! I ate it with spaghetti squash and husband had noodles. I couldn’t find Burrata so I used fresh mozzarella. All Delicious 😋
So delicious!! Glad you enjoyed and thanks for your comment 🙂
Made this for dinner last night and it was a hit! Super easy to make and delicious – everyone commented multiple times how good it was! Thank you 😉
So happy to hear that! One of my fav dinners 🙂
Delicious!!! I did add a grated zucchini too, as I love that tip from your ginger thai meatball recipe! Love the secret veggie addiction.
Perfect! So delicious 🙂
Didn’t have ground turkey so I used beef and made my breadcrumbs from fresh sourdough, also used fresh mozzarella and it was perfect. . We all loved this recipe!!
Sounds amazing! Glad you all loved it 🙂
I made these last night and they were delicious! I got 18 meatballs out of the recipe, perfect for leftovers. We didn’t have any burrata on hand but we didn’t miss it as the meatballs were still perfect without. Will definitely make again!
Such a great dinner! And yes they’re still perfectly delicious without the burrata 🙂 glad you enjoyed!
Excellent as written. Easy and quick to put together.
One of my all-time favs! Glad you enjoyed!
Yum, yum, YUM! I just made this recipe for the first time, and it did NOT disappoint! The meatballs are super flavorful and juicy from simmering in the tomato sauce. The only addition I made was add splash of red wine into the sauce while it was simmering. I love doing this with pasta sauces because the wine really helps deepen/bring out the other flavors!
So happy to hear that! Love the idea of adding a little red wine to the sauce – yum!
AMAZING! So juicy and moist my bf loved them!
So happy to hear that!
Made these with your tomato sauce. Both turned out so well!
Love that! Glad you enjoyed 🙂
I just made this and it’s genuinely one of the best meals I’ve made in a while. It is filling and absolutely delicious. I made my own tomato sauce, and sautéed celery, bell pepper, onion, mushrooms, and garlic then added the sauce to it… it’s delicious. I made the coconut flour meatballs and I will not lie — I was nervous but this meal could not have turned out more delicious! Thank you for a great, healthy recipe, Ambitious Kitchen. I will be making this again.
I’m so glad you found this one! Such a great dinner 🙂
I love, love, love this recipe! I’ve made it several times, sometime exactly as posted, sometimes putting different herbs and spices. Made it with Alfredo sauce, with or without cheese….never tried the burrata yet. I’ll look for it today and give it a try! Thanks for sharing! Love your website!
This is such a flavorful and simple recipe, all ingredients are staple in my kitchen so they came together sooo fast!
So so so good we are making it for a second week in a row.
The perfect pantry recipe! So glad these were a hit 🙂
I literally make this recipe every Sunday for the whole week. It is amazing! Seasoning is perfect. I use panko breadcrumbs because that’s usually what I have on hand. In the summer I use fresh basil and in the winter I use dried basil. I double up the recipe up have enough for the whole week. Amazing, perfect meatballs!
I’ve made this recipe many times now! The perfect mix of indulgent and healthy, it’s the perfect weeknight dinner.
So happy to hear that!
I had never heard of ambitious kitchen and somehow stumbled across this recipe! Hands down all time favorite! I will make this for years to come. Thank you!!
Amazing! Thanks so much for your note, Lillianne 🙂
Love this recipe! All the recipes are this blog are easy to follow and delicious. Thank you!!
So glad you’re liking them! One of our favorite dinners, too 🙂
Yummo!!. Have made these twice already. They have a good flavor and were a hit with family. I used fresh mozzarella since that is what I had and a good quality marinara sauce. I like browning the meatballs and letting them finish cooking as the sauce simmers. As a bonus, I used this recipe to make a turkey burger, equally as good. Really like the fresh basil flavor.
So happy to hear that! Great idea to make it as a burger 🙂
Oh wow, the flavoring is delicious! And it was super easy to make. Definitely making again!
I have been making these meatballs for a few years and swear the original recipe only called for 2 tbls of bread crumbs. Did you change it? I’m so confused. They seemed different this time.Thanks!!
Hi Vicci! I recently updated this recipe to make it even better 🙂 did they seem drier to you?
I love to make these in advance and freeze them for days I’m just looking for a quick, healthy dinner option. These turkey meatballs are packed with flavor and are perfect as a main dish with a side of veggies or topping a big serving of spaghetti. I highly recommend making this!
Absolutely! Great idea for easy dinners.
This was SO delicious! My boyfriend and I LOVED this dish. I ended up using a 25 oz jar of tomato/basil sauce, then added an extra can of tomato sauce (with a little bit more seasoning to make it saucier. Served over chickpea pasta. Never used burrata heated up before…SO DELICIOUS!! Thank you!
Amazing! So glad you both loved it!
i LOVE these meatballs! i’ve made them several times now and they are always such a win!! i don’t put dijon and sometimes i don’t have basil, but they are just as delicious and soooo easy to make. so filling, so simple, and so yummy. this is definitely a go-to and staple recipe for me. thank you!!
Amazing! So glad you love them!
Absolutely DELICIOUS
Glad you enjoyed!
So delicious!! These meatballs are easy to make and so so yummy. They’ve become a staple in my house and everyone loves them!
Amazing! Glad they’re a hit!
Hi – Whats the calories on just the meatballs?
Great tasty dinner. Easy and quick. Everyone loved it
So happy to hear that!
The burrata melting into this sauce makes it so good and creamy!
How can you go wrong when you top red sauce with juicy barrata? So good.
Right?? So good!
This is my go to meatball recipe! I’ve been making it even before it was updated and it still lives up to 5 stars. Also should be noted it made my husband a meatball convert.
Love that!!
Absolutely love this recipe! My 18 month old daughter loves it too! Definitely a family favorite and enough for 2 nights for my husband and I! We use chickpea pasta with it too! We’ve probably made it 10-15 times!
Amazing! So happy to hear that 🙂
Sooooo good! Honestly the best meatballs I’ve ever made! We had it over spaghetti squash and used fresh mozzarella. So good, as are all your recipes!
So happy to hear that!
Obsessed with this recipe. It’s pretty easy to make yet seems so impressive! My husband and I got hooked on making meatballs from this recipe. We didn’t use red pepper flakes but it was totally great still. We also used trader joe’s tomato basil sauce and loved it!
So happy to hear that! Such a great dinner 🙂
I love, love, love this recipe! I’ve made it many times. I’m not a beef eater and this recipe satisfies my cravings for meatballs! I switch up the cheese and sometimes I just sprinkle some Parmesan on top without other cheese in the sauce. I usually add more spices but basically just as written is wonderful! Thanks for sharing!
I’m so glad! The perfect dinner 🙂
Made these for dinner this week and will definitely be making again! Was a quick, delicious protein for pasta that everyone loved. And that burrata just makes ALL the difference!
Absolutely! Glad you enjoyed!
This is amazing!!! Both over pasta or by itself!
Absolutely! Glad you love it!
Our whole family loved this recipe! We subbed basmati rice for the noodles. 5 stars!
I’m so glad! Sounds delicious 🙂
These are PERFECTION! Instead of pasta, I mix in two bags of spinach. So delicious!
Perfect! Glad you loved these!
Delicious and easy! Definitely helps you have a yummy jarred red sauce on hand (our fave is Rao’s). The meatballs were moist which I feel like is hard to achieve with ground turkey. My 1 year old loved them too.
Absolutely! Love Rao’s, too 🙂
This recipe is easy to make and delicious. My whole family enjoyed them especially my 5 and 2 year old. Easy to make the meatballs ahead of time too.
Aw yay, so happy you guys are all loving these!
Wow! Made this tonight and it was soooo delicious. The meatballs were really flavorful and moist. Followed the recipe exactly as provided. I made my own marinara sauce but that added Burrata was genius! The entire dish tasted so great and looked amazing as well. Thank you so much for yet another great recipe!!
Awesome! I’m so glad you tried and loved it, Christine! Isn’t burrata such a fun ingredient?!
I love this recipe because it was so easy to bring together and it was so yummy.. I made mine plant based from the meatballs to the cheese to the pasta, using spaghetti squash. Delicious!!
That sounds amazing! So happy you enjoyed it, Diana 🙂
Amazing! Every time I’ve tried making turkey meatballs in the past they seem to be dry, but these were perfect! Thanks for a new easy and healthy go-to recipe
Oh I’m so glad you loved these! Thanks, Lucy!
SO TENDER AND FLAVORFUL! and easy! My family loved it. I didnt have fresh basil or burrata so i just worked with dried basil, spicy italian seasoning and parm cheese. served it with brown rice pasta.
Yay! I’m so happy you loved them, Victoria 🙂
This recipe was so good! I never leave reviews but I had to on this. I added a touch more of Italian herbs, some paprika and Old Bay seasoning. Cooked it in the cast iron skillet like you and poured over some quinoa and paired it with broccoli. Superb!
Thank you!
Oh this was so good! I made these on a cold Saturday in February and followed the recipe exactly. The spices in the meatballs were so perfect (who’d a thought cumin?) and I loved the burrata cheese. This is definitely a keeper recipe for me. For reference I used Rao’s Tomato Basil sauce which perfectly complemented the fresh basil. Yum!
Oh I’m so glad!! Such a cozy winter recipe, right? And love Rao’s!
I just love how easy this recipe is but also how yummy and hearty it is. We just had this for dinner with fresh focaccia and it was 10/10! Can’t go wrong with burrata.
Thanks for this delicious recipe!!
OK so I love meatballs, especially because my kids will (usually) eat them, but the burrata here elevates everything and makes this something exciting for the grown-ups, as well. So delicious!
Absolutely incredible meatballs 😍
Thank you! Glad you loved them!
You had me at burrata, girl. Making this for dinner AGAIN tonight, it’s such an elevated meal that’s super simple to make. Cumin is not my fave spice (it’s so overpowering to me) so I use 1/2 teaspoon instead. Love it with whole wheat gemelli. So good!!!
I’ll absolutely love love love this recipe. I occasionally will make my own pasta sauce and/ or use a different cheese.. But this recipe is so company worthy! I don’t eat beef or pork, but with this recipe, it doesn’t matter because it is so good.. Thank you for all of your recipes.
Thanks for sharing!!
Monique, these were absolutely delicious! I loved the cumin and dijon. I never would have thought to add those ingredients, but so good. I see in your notes you say these can be made up to two days ahead, would that also work if I used veal, pork and beef? (my Italian dad loves his meatballs that way)
So glad you loved these! And yes, feel free to use your favorite ground meat in this recipe.
This came out absolutely delicious even though I forgot to add frssh basil to the meatball mix. I think I got away with it because I did add 1/3 cup grated parm 🙂 I have never had burrata and wow, fabulous! In trying to be healthy, I served this over Right Rice, which to me mimics an orzo in my imagination. Thanks for the great and easy recipe!
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed!
I made this last week for my family and it was exceptional! My dad said, “this could be served in a restaurant” and that says a lot from a foodie with lots of opinions.
We always enjoy AK recipes!!
Amazing!! So happy to hear that 🙂
Just made this tonight and it was perfect, so delicious and hit the spot! Followed it exactly how you wrote it.
So happy to hear that!
The most moist, flavorful meatballs ever!!! I made these for a dinner party and some of my guests said they were the best meatballs they’ve ever had.
Amazing! So glad they were a hit!
This is my go-to meatball recipe when I feel like making from scratch. What I love about this recipe is it’s beginner-friendly, so not only is it a great recipe but it’s also the one that taught me how to make meatballs from scratch, which I hadn’t really attempted before. All that’s to say this recipe is quick, easy, and delicious, and easily adaptable.
Absolutely! So easy and delicious 🙂
Loved this! I’ll admit I questioned the use of cumin and almost chickened out and omitted it but I decided not to be a coward and made the recipe as intended, albeit the gluten free version since I have celiac disease. The cumin doesn’t overpower, just offers a depth of flavor or certain something that you wouldn’t be able to guess if you didn’t know. I’m still curious how you even thought to put cumin in an Italian dish like this but I won’t question it. Delicious!
The cumin does sound a bit odd but YES it just adds depth of flavor 🙂 Glad you enjoyed!
Another home run!! I made this tonight and it was so yummy! This will go in our rotation for sure. I was surprised how easy it was to pull together too. Thanks, Monique!
Amazing! So glad you enjoyed!
I’ve made this recipe twice and absolutely loved it! Wanted to make them for a friend but her son has an egg allergy, any egg swap you would recommend? Thank you!
So glad you love them! I’ve only tested my meatball recipes using an egg as a binder, so I’m not 100% sure what I’d swap to make up for that “binding.” Sorry!
the meatballs are so tasty! I used dried basil and served over spaghetti squash. did not use cheese. Just a really good meal! Thank you!
Wonderful recipe I made it tonight. The whole family loved it. The only thing I would change for my own taste is no cumin. The cumin just makes it taste more like a Mediterranean dish. Other than that, it’s a great recipe to make extra of and freeze for future pasta or Italian bread dishes.
Perfect! So glad it was a hit with the family!
love the kick from the cayenne! baked in the oven for 30 min at 350. served with spaghetti squash and a homemade pesto. the meatballs weren’t dry at all. can’t wait to use the meatball recipe for more!
That sounds amazing! Yes, these meatballs are SO versatile 🙂
the meatballs with the little cayenne pepper are amazing. just enough heat! served mine with heart of palm linguine and no burrata or cheese. looking forward to the leftovers tomorrow. thank you for another great recipe.
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed!
This is a regular for us, and my boys favorite meal! As a full time working mom of 3, my husband and I need meals that are quick and easy to make but are good. This is it! Sometimes we sub fresh mozzarella, because the boys prefer the thicker cheese.
I’m all about quick, easy, nourishing meal! Glad it’s a family favorite 🙂
Love love love! Found this recipe while trying to use up some frozen ground turkey. Made it for dinner and scooped up the meatballs and cheese with garlic bread. Didnt even miss the past noodles!
So happy to hear that!