Description
Juicy turkey meatballs simmered in a garlicky cream sauce with fresh spinach — a comforting, flavorful, and nutritious dish that’s great over pasta, rice, or veggies.
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground turkey (lean)
- 1 cup fresh spinach, chopped (or frozen, thawed & drained)
- ½ cup breadcrumbs (whole wheat or gluten‑free if preferred)
- 1 large egg
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (for cooking meatballs)
- Creamy Sauce:
- 1 cup heavy cream (or Greek yogurt for lighter option)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, chopped spinach, breadcrumbs, egg, garlic, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Mix just until combined, then form into about 16‑20 meatballs.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium‑high heat. Cook the meatballs in batches for about 4‑5 minutes per side, until browned and cooked through. Remove and set aside.
- In the same skillet, melt butter. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant.
- Stir in broth, scraping up browned bits from the pan; simmer 2‑3 minutes.
- Add cream (or Greek yogurt) and simmer until the sauce begins to thicken, about 3‑5 minutes.
- Stir in Parmesan cheese and thyme; season with salt and pepper.
- Return meatballs to skillet, coat them in the sauce, and simmer together another 5 minutes so flavors meld.
- Garnish with fresh parsley and serve hot with your choice of sides (pasta, rice, roasted vegetables, etc.).
Notes
- Using lean turkey keeps the meatballs lighter; if mixture seems dry, add a splash of broth or a teeny bit more egg.
- Greek yogurt can replace heavy cream for a lighter sauce, but sauce texture and flavor will be a bit different.
- Breadcrumbs can be replaced with gluten‑free crumbs or oats if needed.
- Freshly grated Parmesan gives better flavor than pre‑grated packaged versions.
- This recipe freezes well — freeze cooked meatballs, and thaw + reheat in the sauce.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Pan‑cook meatballs + stove sauce
- Cuisine: American / Comfort
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (≈4‑5 meatballs with sauce)
- Calories: ≈400‑450 kcal
- Sugar: 2‑4 g
- Sodium: ≈550‑700 mg
- Fat: 25‑28 g
- Saturated Fat: 12‑14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8‑10 g
- Trans Fat: 0‑1 g
- Carbohydrates: 15‑20 g
- Fiber: 1‑2 g
- Protein: 30‑33 g
- Cholesterol: 150‑170 mg
