Spaghetti and Turkey Meatballs
Oven-baked turkey meatballs simmered in a garlic tomato sauce, served over spaghetti with fresh parsley and Parmesan cheese.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 40 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
Instructions
Heat the oven and water
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Heat the oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with foil and lightly coat it with extra-virgin olive oil.
Prepare the parsley and cheese
Finely chop the fresh parsley and measure 2 tablespoons, plus more for serving. Finely grate the Parmesan cheese and measure 2 tablespoons, plus more for serving.
Mix and bake the meatballs
Combine the ground turkey, panko breadcrumbs, milk, 2 tablespoons parsley, 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, black pepper, onion powder, eggs, and ⅔ teaspoon minced garlic in a large bowl. Mix evenly with a fork. With wet hands, shape into 2-inch meatballs and arrange on the baking sheet. Roast until the centers reach 165°F, about 12 minutes; continue roasting as needed to reach that temperature.
Make the tomato sauce
While the meatballs roast, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a wide saucepan over medium heat. Add the remaining 1⅓ teaspoons garlic and a pinch or two of crushed red pepper flakes. Cook until the garlic is golden, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Carefully add the crushed tomatoes and diced tomatoes with their juices, followed by the remaining 2 teaspoons salt. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, or until the meatballs are ready.
Simmer the meatballs
Add the cooked meatballs to the sauce and gently spoon sauce over them. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.
Cook the spaghetti
While the meatballs simmer, cook the spaghetti in the boiling water until 1 minute short of the package's al dente time. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain the spaghetti. Keep the meatballs covered and warm if the pasta needs more time.
Finish the pasta
Return the spaghetti to its empty pot. Push the meatballs aside and ladle some of the tomato sauce over the pasta. Add ½ cup reserved pasta water and cook over high heat for 1 minute, tossing constantly. Add more of the reserved water as needed to loosen the sauce.
Serve the spaghetti and meatballs
Transfer the spaghetti to a large serving bowl. Spoon the meatballs and remaining sauce over it. Top with the reserved parsley and Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.