Spaghetti with Baked Turkey Meatballs

Spaghetti with Baked Turkey Meatballs
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This the most popular Italian dish, simply boiled pasta al dente served with these delicious turkey meatballs, smothered in a rich pomodoro sauce (see my recipe for Super Simple Great Pasta Sauce) and topped with Parmigiano-Reggiano is an easy dinner, delicious and always satisfying.

baked turkey meatball -robs little kitchen

Spaghetti with Baked Turkey Meatballs

Divas Can Cook
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
broil pasta 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Course Appetizer, Dinner
Cuisine American, Italian
Servings 24 meatballs

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb. spaghetti

BAKED MEATBALLS

  • 1 lb. ground turkey - I hand blend ½ lb. light meat and ½ lb. dark meat.
  • ⅕ cup crushed butter-garlic flavored croutons or Italian breadcrumbs
  • ½ cup onion - finely chopped or grated
  • 2 cloves garlic - minced (1½ tbsp)
  • ¼ cup butter - softened
  • ¼ cup mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon Parmigiano-Reggiano - finely grated
  • 2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1½ tablespoon dried or finely chopped fresh flat leaf Italian parsley
  • ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes

POMODORO SAUCE

  • See note

Instructions
 

TURKEY MEATBALLS

  • Preheat oven to 400 F.
  • Line a baking sheet with greased foil paper. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl add turkey meat and the next six ingredients.
    turkey meatball prep - robs little kitchen
  • Gently mix everything up with your hands (preferred) or a rubber spatula.
  • Combine the remaining six ingredients in a small bowl and sprinkle over the turkey mixture.
  • Gently mix until the spices are worked into the meat. Do NOT over mix.
  • Fry up a small piece of the mixture to taste and adjust the seasonings, if needed.
  • Refrigerate for 30 minutes. (Optional but works great for easy handling)
  • Using a mini scoop, scoop out a tablespoon of the mixture and roll into a ball.
  • Place on prepare baking sheet.
  • Bake for 8-10 minutes and then broil on low for 1-2 minutes. (Watch them carefully during the broiling stage)
  • When meatballs come out of the oven, gently toss them in the juices in the pan and let them cool slightly.
    turkey meatballs - robs little kitchen
  • Top with marinara sauce (see recipe) and Parmigiano-Reggiano as an appetizer or over al dente spaghetti with sauce and cheese.
  • Or let cool and then flash-freeze and bag.

PASTA

  • Fill a 5qt pot ⅔ full of water, add 1 tablespoon olive oil (this keeps the spaghetti from sticking together), ½ tablespoon salt and bring to a boil. Grab the pasta in two hands, hold over the pot (BE CAREFUL NOT TO SCALD YOURSELF), bend it towards you until it snaps in half and let it roll off your fingers into the water.
  • Boils for approximately 10 minutes until al dente (still slightly firm). If overcooked the noodles become soggy and mushy, if undercooked they will be chalky and tough. ROB'S LITTLE SECRET: After the pasta has cooked for about eight minutes, you can start monitoring the doneness by removing a few strands with a tong, running it under cold water and biting into them.

POMODORO SAUCE (see note)

    Notes

    Super Simple Great Pasta Sauce
    Pomodoro sauce may have similar ingredients to marinara, but the big difference is in their textures. Marinara is more liquid and runnier, and it is often chunky. Pomodoro is thicker and smoothly textured. I like the thicker, richer pomodoro sauce.
    In making the turkey meatballs
    • Do not over-handle the meat mixture.
    • Watch carefully while baking to prevent over baking/burning.
    Keyword meatballs, turkey
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