This is based on a recipe I found on the Food Network years ago. Per the usual, I played with my food and came up with a few modifications to make it my own. I started working on this recipe back during the single days…we will call them BJD (Before John Days)… BJD, I could make this puppy last an entire week and still be the hero manager at work when I brought in leftovers as snacks for the team! The draw of this recipe is that it is SUPER easy to throw together and legitimately takes 15 minutes to bake. It is packed full of flavor and protein. Plus it is actually healthy for you!! That was precisely what I needed before and/or after working on my feet all day in the retail world.
These turkey meatballs are juicy, soft, and full of flavor! I knew I'd be cooking the Turkey Sausage balls this week for the 'Battle of the Balls' so I cut the recipe in half and eyeballed the amounts. You really cannot go wrong if you add a little too much here…if it gets too dry then add a little more milk to counter the dry. The great news is that you do not have to bake all of the balls the same day. Make the batter and then scoop out as many as you'd like to bake (don't forget extra for left overs!). Store the remaining batter in an air tight container and refrigerate. Before throwing out the ground turkey packaging, check the best by date and cook the entire batter before that date. Turkey does not give you a lot of leeway when it comes to going bad…and trust me when I say…You.Will.Know….if it has turned. Pepe le Pew would be put to shame with that smell so try not to go there! If you are nearing that date, or just getting sick of eating meatballs, finish cooking the batter and follow this link for super easy freezing instructions.
These balls go great with a Sunday Funday Pasta Sauce and, during BJD, I paired it with a super delicious (and healthy!) warm kale salad. I will post the recipe for that soon, but in the meantime comment below with your take on these lovely balls and any sides you added!
Alright! Let's get our cook on ya'll!! Come join me!
Baked Turkey Meatballs
Thyme Until Dinner: 25 Minutes
Tools:
Large Bowl
Wooden Spoon
Vegetable Knife
Cutting Board
Parchment Paper OR Cooking Spray
Baking Pan OR Baking Dish
Zero fear of touching the meat….
Optional: 1" Scoop
Keep It Simple | Just The Basics:
2 LBS Ground Turkey
1 Cup Breadcrumbs (Panko or Regular)
1/4 Cup Milk at Room Temp
2 Eggs at Room Temp
1 Small Onion (or 1/2 large)
1-2 Cloves Garlic or 1 TBSP ish of Garlic Powder/Granulated Garlic
1 TBSP Tomato Paste
Herbs/Spices
Salt
Pepper
Olive Oil
Thyme For Mine | Make It With Me:
2 LBS Ground Turkey (room temp)
1 Cup Panko Breadcrumbs (I prefer panko because it will make the batter light and airy--breadcrumbs will be more dense and heavy)
1/4 Cup Milk at Room Temp
2 Eggs at Room Temp
1 Small Onion (or 1/2 large) Finely Chopped
2-4 Cloves Garlic Minced and/or Finely Chopped
1 TBSP Tomato Paste
1/4 Cup Freshly Chopped Basil
1/4 Cup Freshly Chopped Italian Parsley
1-2 TSP Fenugreek
2-3 TSP Thyme
Salt
Pepper
Olive Oil
Direction Thyme:
1. Preheat Oven to 400 Degrees
2. Take Milk & Eggs & Ground Turkey out of the fridge (Seriously Ya'll…I ALWAYS forget to do this…. And really who has time to let these things warm up to room temp anyway!)
3. Finely chop Onion
4. Mince/finely chop Garlic
5. Whisk together Milk and Eggs
6. Using wooden spoon, Combine All Ingredients except ground turkey & olive oil until fully incorporated. TIP: I like to start with the dry: Breadcrumbs, Fenugreek, Thyme, Salt, Pepper, Basil, Parsley. Then the wet: Onion, Garlic, Tomato Paste, Egg/Milk mixture. This will save the wet from sticking to the bottom of the bowl
7. Line baking pan with Parchment paper, or grease baking dish
8. Add Ground Turkey
9. Using hands, fully incorporate turkey and bread mixture
10. Using a scoop or hands, make 1" balls and place 1" apart on baking sheet
11. Drizzle a little olive oil on each ball
12. Place on middle rack in the oven and bake 15 minutes until golden brown
TIP: You know they are done when you squeeze them and they give a little but bounce back to their original shape!
Yeay! You did it! The possibilities to use these are endless! Eat them alone, make a fun dipping sauce, throw them in a pasta sauce, add them to a salad...I really could go on but I want to hear what you did with your balls! Don't forget to comment below and tell me how you made it your own!