Go Back
–+ servings
bowl of turkey pesto meatballs with spaghetti

Turkey-Pesto Meatballs

Bree Hester
4.80 from 5 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Course dinner
Cuisine Italian
Servings 8 (40 meatballs)
Calories 548 kcal

Ingredients
  

For The Meatballs:

  • 2 pounds ground turkey breast
  • 1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
  • 1/2 cup pesto sauce
  • 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 egg whites

For The Red Sauce And Spaghetti:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 onions diced
  • 2 carrots chopped
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 cans crushed San Marzano tomatoes (28 ounces each)
  • 16 ounces dried spaghetti

Instructions
 

To Make The Meatballs:

  • Mix all meatball ingredients in a bowl and combine well. Roll mixture into evenly sized balls.
  • Preheat the oven to 375°F. I prefer baking these on a greased metal cooling rack placed on top of a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

To Make The Red Sauce And Finish The Dish:

  • While the meatballs are baking, make the homemade sauce. Heat the olive oil in a pan and sauté the onions and carrots over medium heat until tender, about 10 minutes.
  • Add the tomato paste, bay leaves, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
  • Add the crushed tomatoes and let simmer over low heat for about 1 hour. The sauce should thicken a bit.
  • Towards the end of the sauce's cook time, cook the spaghetti according to package instructions.
  • Add the meatballs to the sauce to heat through. Stir the drained and cooked pasta through the sauce and meatballs and serve.
    two bowls of turkey meatballs

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 548kcalCarbohydrates: 64gProtein: 41gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 922mgFiber: 4g
Keyword homemade turkey meatballs, how to make turkey meatballs, lighter italian recipes., pesto meatballs, pesto recipes, Turkey Pesto Meatballs
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!