Turkey, Spinach & Cheese Meatballs
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The addition of turkey sausage and cheese makes these meatballs tender and flavorful.
Photo by Johnny Miller, Clarkson Potter 2021
I used to be one of those opinionated people who felt you shouldn’t sneak vegetables into your children’s food, but then I gave birth to a picky eater and all that righteousness went right out the window. Parenting is nothing if not humbling, right? These meatballs are a great way to sneak in some spinach, but what makes them really special is the addition of turkey sausage. Not only does the sausage make the meatballs tender, but it also adds great flavor without the need for a ton of other ingredients. Serve the meatballs with pasta, Parmesan smashed potatoes, or polenta and a big Italian salad, and dinner is served!
Table of Contents
“DELICIOUS!!!! I make a full batch and freeze for individual dinners. We serve it with zucchini noodles—really great twist on meatballs.”
What You’ll Need To Make Turkey Meatballs
Step-by-Step Instructions
To begin, mix the egg with chopped spinach, scallions, and garlic.
Add the ground turkey, turkey sausage, bread crumbs, mozzarella cheese and Parmigiano Reggiano.
Mix until evenly combined.
Form the mixture into 1-1/2 inch balls.
Broil the turkey meatballs until golden, about 10 minutes.
Then simmer in the sauce for 10 minutes more.
That’s all there is to it. Enjoy!
Video Tutorial
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Turkey, Spinach & Cheese Meatballs
The addition of turkey sausage and cheese makes these meatballs tender and flavorful.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large egg
- 3 ounces baby spinach, chopped (3½ cups whole; 1½ cups chopped)
- 3 scallions, white and green parts, finely sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1.25 pounds 93/7 ground turkey (I use Shady Brook Farms)
- 1.25 pounds Italian turkey sausage, removed from the casings (I use Shady Brook Farms)
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella (preferably whole milk but low-fat will work)
- ⅓ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano, plus more for serving
- ½ cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
- 1 (24 oz) jar marinara sauce, homemade or good quality store-bought
Instructions
- Preheat the broiler and set an oven rack on the second-highest rack. Line a baking sheet with heavy duty aluminum foil and grease with the olive oil.
- In a bowl large enough to hold all of the ingredients, beat the egg. Add the chopped spinach, scallions, and garlic and stir until evenly combined. Add the ground turkey, turkey sausage, mozzarella, Parmigiano-Reggiano and bread crumbs. Using your hands, mix until evenly combined. Shape the mixture into 1½ inch balls and place on the prepared baking sheet.
- Broil the meatballs until golden brown on top, about 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat the tomato sauce in a large pan on the stovetop. Add the broiled meatballs and simmer over low heat for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the meatballs are fully cooked.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: These can be frozen in their sauce for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, reheat the meatballs in their sauce on the stovetop over medium heat until hot in the center.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 509
- Fat: 27g
- Saturated fat: 8g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Sugar: 7g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 49g
- Sodium: 1409mg
- Cholesterol: 194mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Made this tonight for me and the kiddos. Wow! The meatballs are so tender and moist, and the garlic, cheese and spinach really made these delish!
These meatballs are something special. They will be regulars at our house. Thank you!
If I don’t want to cook in the sauce (keeping plain for the kids), do I need to adjust the time in the oven or are they fully cooked after the oven step? Thanks!
Hi Erin, Great question. They’ll be almost done so I’d give them an additional 10 minutes in a 350° oven. Hope they like them!
I made these a few weeks ago and they were delicious. The only problem I had when mixing all the ingredients together is that the spinach made it difficult to keep the meatballs together. Is there a trick to either cutting the spinach into smaller pieces or maybe using frozen spinach so the meatballs don’t fall apart?
Hi Ashley, Did you chop the spinach at all? If not, you should definitely chop it. If you did, I would chop it into smaller pieces. Although I haven’t made these with frozen spinach, I think you could – I’d use about 1/3 cup, well drained. Hope that helps!
Absolutely delish!!! My entire family loved this – including my picky youngster and hubby!!! I used plain gluten free bread crumbs and these turned out fantastic. I froze the remainder and just heated a couple up for a quick dinner tonight. Definitely freezer friendly. Recipes are always a hit. Thank you!
These meatballs were a home run! My husband is a meatball snob, not anymore!!
LOVED THIS! first time cooking with ground turkey (I have always been weary of turkey meat). Tastes just as good as beef meatballs. SO MUCH FLAVOR. great idea to add the sausage !!!! big hit with my family too!!!
Made these for dinner as I have been reading the recipe and reviews all week.
My husband, a big meat lover said, we do not need any other meatball recipe, they were that delish. Jenn, I always loved your site and never review recipes, but these Meatballs over the top, and you never fail me and everyone I cook for.
😊
I made this today. I used nice chicken instead of turkey and came out super delicious. First batch I broiled according to time mentioned and they came out super moist and delicious. 2nd batch I overcooked a latte bit and they became dry.
So, please follow the instructions, they are super easy to make and delicious.
So many people have already commented on how amazing this recipe so I won’t be saying anything new, but I have to say that this recipe is FANTASTIC! We are not big meat eaters in our household but every so often I allow us a high quality, healthy option and this is DEFINITELY A KEEPER!!! Great flavor, texture, and filling. Like others, I really like the broiler method.
Hi, Jenn,
These meatballs are the best I have ever tasted, and I am a meatball afficionado (I dream about them :). I tried five Italian restaurants within a 30-mile radius of where I live. I always ask if the meatballs are homemade. Most are store bought/frozen or over-seasoned. I gave up, as none compare to your recipe. I plan to make it often and love that it makes a generous amount of meatballs. Thank you for another five-star recipe.