Turkey Meatballs

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Step 2

Heat butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook for 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Set aside and let cool. (This is optional but creates a more subtle flavor and texture.)

Step 3

Crack the egg in a large bowl and whisk. Add 1/3 cup half and half, 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, ½ tsp oregano, ¾ tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper, and ½ tsp red pepper flakes. Stir to combine.

Step 4

Add1/3 cup Italian breadcrumbs, 1/3 cup grated Parmesan, 2 TBS parsley, and cooled onions/garlic. Stir to combine. The consistency will resemble a wet paste, this is called a ‘panade’ and it makes the meatballs flavorful and juicy.

Step 5

Add the meat to the bowl and use a silicone spatula to gently mix until just combined. Don’t overwork the meat or the meatballs will be tough.

Step 6

Roll into 20 (1 ½ inch) meatballs. Due to the nature of turkey meat, the mixture may be very sticky. I like to give them a gentle roll and flash freeze them for 3-5 minutes to let them firm up. Then I gently roll again until nice and smooth.

Step 7

Cover a light 18 x 13 baking sheet with parchment paper or with a silicone baking sheet. If you don’t have either, you can lightly spray it with nonstick spray. Note that dark baking sheets attract more heat which could burn the bottom of the meatballs.

Step 8

Place the meatballs on the baking sheet and bake for 22 minutes.

Step 9

Remove them from the oven and increase heat to Bake for 5 more minutes once the oven is up to temperature. This creates a little bit of color and texture on the outside.

Step 10

Let them rest for 5 minutes prior to serving. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with marinara sauce or with mashed potatoes and my easy brown gravy.