Name: Spaghetti and Turkey Meatballs
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 70 min
Ingredients: 1 lb. whole grain spaghetti; 2 slices whole wheat bread, (crusts cut off); ½ cup milk; 1 pound 93% lean ground turkey; 2 cloves garlic, (minced); 1/3 cup grated yellow onion ((about 1 small onion)); 2 tablespoons chopped parsley; 1 egg; 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; ½ teaspoon black pepper; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 medium yellow onion, (minced); 4 cloves garlic, (minced); 2 tablespoons tomato paste; 2 (28-oz) cans crushed San Marzano tomatoes; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; ½ teaspoon black pepper; ½ teaspoon sugar; ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes; ½ teaspoon dried oregano; ½ cup fresh basil, (chopped)

Published: Feb 7, 2010 · Last Updated: Mar 20, 2023 by Dr. Sonali Ruder · This post may contain affiliate links · 10 Comments

Why these meatballs are lighter than traditional meatballs

Traditionally, Italian meatballs are made using a combination of beef, pork, and veal and most often they're shallow fried before being simmered in tomato sauce.

In my Spaghetti and Turkey Meatballs, I use ground turkey instead, which is lower in calories and fat. I use ground turkey in a lot of my recipes, like my Turkey Taco Skillet, Healthy Turkey Bolognese Sauce, and Juicy Air Fryer Turkey Burgers.

I also bake my meatballs in the oven instead of frying them oil, thus lightening them up even more.

Then I finish the meatballs by simmering them in my quick homemade tomato sauce. To save time, you can use store-bought marinara sauce.

Recipe Resuscitation: A Healthier Spaghetti & Meatballs | @foodiephysician

How to make moist and flavorful turkey meatballs

The key to using ground turkey is to infuse it with ingredients that add a lot of flavor and moisture to the meat. I have two secrets to ensuring a delicate, moist meatball.

First, using a box grater, I add grated onion to the meat. Second, I incorporate bread that's soaked in milk. This mixure is called a panade in Italian cooking.

Both add moisture to the meatballs, and the bread also acts as a binder to hold them together. Be careful not to overwork the meat when you're mixing all of the ingredients together otherwise the finished product will become tough.

Whole grain pasta

Instead of regular pasta I like to use multigrain pasta like Barilla Protein Plus, which is made with ingredients like flaxseed, barley and oats along plus protein-rich chickpeas, lentils, and egg whites. I also like to make this dish with quinoa spaghetti, which is a whole grain pasta.

Whole grains are packed with fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. To learn more about the health benefits of whole grains, read my post Everything You Need to Know About Whole Grains.

So the next time you're looking to make a hearty, comforting Sunday dinner without feeling guilty about the calories, try out this recipe!