One-Pan Italian Turkey Meatballs with Easy Marinara Sauce are seasoned with a blend of dried herbs and, using a few tips provided, come out tender and full of flavor. Once the meatballs have been formed, the dish comes together in a flash. 

There’s something about meatballs simmering in red sauce that feels instantly cozy and comforting. Meatballs are always a dinner win at my house, and this healthier twist on classic Italian meatballs has been a popular one. We’ve been serving these meatballs and sauce over spaghetti squash for the adults, regular spaghetti for the kids, topped with a healthy dose of grated parmesan for all. Bonus that meatballs are a freezer-meal dream – just defrost and use them as you need them.

Do you love freezer meals as much as I do? Check out all of my freezer-friendly meals which each include a printable label to attach to the meal.

Italian Turkey Meatball and Marinara Sauce Ingredients

• Breadcrumbs – In this and almost all recipes, I prefer to use Panko breadcrumbs. Panko are Japanese breadcrumbs that can be found in the international aisle of almost any grocery store. Panko has a large, fluffy texture that works especially well to soak up and hold onto the liquid in this recipe. If you don’t have Panko, any type of breadcrumbs – homemade or store-bought – will work.
• Milk – As noted above, breadcrumbs and milk work together to retain moisture in the meatballs, making them tender and juicy. Any type of milk will work.
• Ground Turkey – Just like with chicken, turkey is available in both light and dark meat. Light meat ground turkey will work just fine, but dark meat ground turkey has a higher fat content and will give you the most tender and juicy meatballs.
• White Onion – You just need a very small white onion for this recipe. Chop it as finely as you can. 2 Tablespoons will go into the meatballs and the rest will be used in the sauce.
• Italian Herb Seasoning – This easy blend of dried herbs gives big, fresh flavor to the dish without the need to chop fresh herbs. Find the recipe for my homemade seasoning here. In a pinch, you can also use store-bought Italian Seasoning. Divide one batch of the seasoning in half, stirring half into the meatballs and using half to flavor the sauce.
• Egg – An egg helps to bind the meatball ingredients together.
• Crushed Tomatoes / Tomato Paste – These two pantry ingredients are all the additional ingredients you’ll need to make a flavorful, classic red sauce. Look for “tomato sauce” if you don’t see canned “crushed tomatoes”.

Tips for Tender Turkey Meatballs

1. Panko + Milk – You’ll find some combination of breadcrumbs and liquid in any good meatball recipe. The breadcrumbs work to absorb liquid and slowly release it into the meatballs as they cook, resulting in tender, not-dry meatballs. Panko works especially well because it comes in large pieces that absorb maximum liquid.
2. Onions – Adding very finely chopped onions to the meatball mixture creates tender meatballs because the onions release moisture into the meatballs as they cook. Just be sure to chop the onions very finely – you don’t want even want to know that they’re there when you bite into a meatball.
3. Dark Meat – Ground turkey comes in light and dark meat. These meatballs will work with light meat, but using darker meat with lead to tender, more juicy meatballs.
4. Don’t Overwork – When mixing the meatballs, do it gently and only until everything is combined. That’s why mixing with your hands works great. Overworking the mixture can lead to tough meatballs.

Freeze This Meal

This is an easy meal to freeze. Use either of these methods:

• Baking Dish / Oven: Transfer the cooked meatballs and sauce to a square baking dish or reusable aluminum pan. Cover tightly with foil (to minimize the amount of air in the dish) and freeze for up to 6 months. 
• Freezer Bag / Microwave: Transfer the cooked meatballs and sauce to a freezer-safe plastic bag. Press out as much air as possible and seal. Lay the meatballs flat in the freezer (I do this on a sheet pan, so they freeze very flat) until frozen solid. To reheat, defrost in the fridge for 24 to 48 hours. Transfer meatballs to a microwave-safe bowl and cover with a paper towel or microwave-safe lid. Heat, stirring every minute, until heated through, 4 to 5 minutes total. 

Be sure to print the recipe below for a cut-out label with reheating instructions. Tape it to the baking dish or freezer bag so that cooking directions are always at your fingertips.

How to Deliver This Meal To Someone Else

This would be a fun meal to deliver to someone who could use a little extra TLC because it super family-friendly and flexible. The meatballs are great served on their own (no pasta necessary) or with a baguette on the side. I like to add in a package of pasta for an easy serving option too. See below if you are making this for someone who needs to eat gluten-free or low-carb.

Deliver with:

• Garlic Bread Hawaiian Rolls
• Uncooked Spaghetti or other Pasta 
• Store-bought Salad Kit (or greens + avocado + vinaigrette)

How to make Gluten-Free, Low-Carb Meatballs

Most meatballs include a small amount of breadcrumbs that act as a binder. The breadcrumbs are soaked in liquid and the combination of these two ingredients helps to retain moisture inside the meatballs. You can omit the breadcrumbs and liquid in almost any meatball recipe. Meatballs without breadcrumbs can be a bit more soft and finicky to work with, but they will cook up fine. 

To make the entire dish gluten-free or low-carb, serve the meatballs and sauce over spaghetti squash. Click here for everything you need to know about preparing spaghetti squash.

More Italian-Inspired Recipes

Mini Italian Meatball and Orzo Soup

Instant Pot Italian Sausage Pasta

Italian Sausage and Pasta Soup with Ricotta

Italian Pot Roast

Just hangin’ out on a bridge in flip-flops in these last days of summer…