This rustic, somewhat humble recipe, is comforting, so delicious & one you’re going to want to make over & over again. Spinach Turkey Balls use easy-to -find ingredients, they’re popular with both adults & kids & both the balls & the chunky tomato sauce they’re served with can be made & frozen for those nights when you’re just too damn busy (or exhausted) to cook. It happens. Right?
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Although there’s three cups of chopped spinach in these delectable little morsels, kids will be clueless they’re eating spinach. Nestled in a chunky tomato sauce that’s so simple to make, the turkey balls are topped with mozzarella that’s melted to molten gooiness.
Although we used turkey, feel free to change it up & use ground pork, beef or chicken. Make sure you use the turkey with the higher fat percentage – we used 80/20. This ensures the meatballs hold together & also adds flavor. Serve this dish with a simple salad & some crusty artisan bread for supping-up the sauce.
Love meatballs as much as we do? Then try Hoisin & Water Chestnut Meatballs, Beef, Pinenut & Raisin Meatballs or Stick Honey Soy Meatballs. You can’t go wrong with any of them. Cheers, Lovoni.
Spinach Turkey Balls
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup diced onion
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 cups coarsely chopped fresh spinach leaves
- 20 oz ground turkey (80/20 is best for meatballs to help them hold together)
- 1 1/2 cups finely grated parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1/2 teaspoon both salt & freshly ground pepper
- 8 oz fresh mozzarella, sliced
CHUNKY TOMATO SAUCE
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 2 teaspoons teaspoons crushed red peppers (chili flakes)
- 2 14 oz (398ml) can whole peeled tomatoes, not drained
- generous pinch of sugar
- generous pinch salt & freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Heat the oil, onion & garlic in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until onion is softened. Add spinach & stir for 1 minute or until spinach is just wilted; remove from the heat; let cool for 5 minutes.
- Combine the spinach mixture, turkey, parmesan, breadcrumbs, parsley, egg, salt & pepper. Mix thoroughly until well combined – the easiest way is to use your hands & really squeeze all the ingredients together.
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment. Drop 2 tablespoons each of the mixture onto the baking sheet; roll into balls. Lightly wet your hands or use surgical gloves to prevent the mixture sticking to your hands. Just note, the mixture is quite a wet mixture. Spray the balls with cooking spray & bake for 30 to 35 minutes, turning once during cooking, until meatballs are golden & thoroughly cooked – a thermometer when inserted into a meatball reaches 165°F.
To make the sauce:
- While the meatballs are cooking, wipe the frying pan out. Heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add onion & cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened. Add garlic & cook 1 to 2 minutes until garlic is fragrant. Add tomato paste & wine. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the wine is reduce by about half. Add red pepper, tomatoes with their juice, sugar, salt & pepper. Break the tomatoes into chunks using the side of a spoon. Bring the sauce to a boil then reduce the heat to medium. Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until sauce is thickened.
- Place meatballs into sauce & top each with some mozzarella. Place under hot broiler, about 6 inches from heat source, for 1 to 2 minutes or until cheese is melted.
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