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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I modified the recipe slightly based on ingredients I had available. I do not always have good luck with meatballs, but these turned out really good and super easy. I whipped them up in between class and work. I plan to use them for meal prepping.
WOW – these are amazing! Thanks for such a fab recipe!!! Delicious
These were a real hit with my grandchildren ages 1 yr to 4 yrs. I ended freezing a batch and they come in handy when I need something quick to feed the little ones. Will definitely make again.
These were very tasty. My family loved them. Personally I will likely amp up the spices and seasonings next time to give the turkey more flavor.
Simply delicious! It’s the little details that make this recipe stand apart from all the rest: adding fresh spinach, shredded mozzarella, and broiling to give the meatballs a lovely crust and a head start on cooking. Leftovers make terrific meatball sub sandwiches using good, crusty rolls.
Jenn, thanks for a truly wonderful recipe that is a family fav (high compliment from my extraordinarily picky family)
My three grandchildren spend a month every summer with us and I made this recipe while there were here. I made it exactly as the recipe called for except that I made my own marinara sauce and doubled it. The kids loved it so much I made it three times while they were staying with us!
Absolutely delicious.
Thanks Jenn, this is a keeper for sure. We love these! Make them just like you say and they are delicious!! They freeze beautifully….there’s just 2 of us, so they last a few meals. A must try for the chefs of the family and one not to lose track of!!
Hello Jenn! I love your blog! Quick question; one portion is 6 meatballs as shown in the last picture of the recipe? I am about to make it and I can’t wait to taste it! I already made the sweet chilli chicken and I absolutely loved it!
Glad you liked the chicken, Eva! The serving size for this varies a little based on the number of total meatballs you make (this makes around 30), so a serving would be 5 – 6 meatballs. Hope you enjoy!
I made these exactly as written. They were flavorful and surprisingly moist for turkey.
My husband loves meatball subs and these were perfect.
Delicious and easy.