How to Make Spaghetti Sauce with Turkey Meatballs - A Step-by-Step Guide

Spaghetti sauce with turkey meatballs is a delicious and healthy twist on the classic Italian dish. This recipe offers a lighter alternative to traditional meatballs, substituting ground turkey for beef. The result is a flavorful and satisfying meal that the whole family will love.

The key to this recipe is the homemade spaghetti sauce, which is simmered to perfection with a combination of aromatic herbs and spices. The turkey meatballs are made from scratch and then simmered in the s...

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Ingredients

  • ¾ cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 medium white onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon red pepper paste
  • 1 ½ pounds lean ground turkey
  • 2 teaspoons dried basil
  • 2 teaspoons dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground allspice, or more to taste
  • 1 pinch salt and ground black pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • 4 cups water, or more as needed
  • 1 (28 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
  • 1 (14.5 ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
  • 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste

Information

  • Prep Time: 25 mins
  • Cook Time: 1 hr 20 mins
  • Total Time: 1 hr 45 mins
  • Servings: 6
  • Yield: 6 servings

  • Combine parsley, onion, garlic, and red pepper paste in the bowl of a food processor; process until finely blended. Transfer to a large bowl. Add turkey, basil, thyme, cumin, cinnamon, allspice, salt, and pepper; mix until thoroughly combined. Form mixture into uniformly-sized meatballs.
  • Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add meatballs, working in batches if necessary, and saute until browned on all sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove to a plate.
  • Add 4 cups water, spaghetti sauce, diced tomatoes, and tomato paste to the saucepan; mix to combine. Add more water if sauce seems too thick. Drop meatballs into sauce and cook over medium-low heat until flavors have melded, about 1 hour.
  • Nutrition

    347 cal.

    • Total Fat: 10g
    • Saturated Fat: 2g
    • Cholesterol: 73mg
    • Sodium: 1055mg
    • Total Carbohydrate: 33g
    • Dietary Fiber: 6g
    • Total Sugars: 18g
    • Protein: 33g
    • Vitamin C: 21mg
    • Calcium: 99mg
    • Iron: 5mg
    • Potassium: 1133mg