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’ve tried lots of turkey meatball recipes and this one is the best, by far!
We loved this dish. I used a little less of ground turkey and turkey sausage, adding more chopped spinach. I also added some red pepper flakes and italian seasoning. It makes a lot for the amount of marinara sauce so next time I may add more sauce.
I’ve experimented and made different meatball recipes but this was my favourite! This was super-easy to make and super-tasty! I couldn’t find turkey sausage at the grocery store so substituted it for mild Italian pork sausage. I also had huge garlic cloves (I love garlic!). I used a touch of olive oil on my hands to help keep the mixture from sticking to my hands when I formed the meatballs. The scallions and spinach was a really nice touch and the Parmesan cheese really helped build the flavour too! Will definitely make this again!!!
I should also add that I really liked the cooking method: broiling the meatballs was quick and less mess than frying them in a pan on the stovetop with oil spatters.
The turkey sausage must be seasoned like a breakfast sausage, or do you use a turkey Italian sausage? To me, the turkey Italian sausage sounds better, but I thought it would be specified if that was the right one. I want to try this soon, as we always love your recipes!
Hi Judy, You’re correct, it’s Italian turkey sausage. Have updated the recipe. Thank you–and so glad you’re enjoying the recipes!
Excellent recipe. Very similar to a meatloaf recipe I do. If you want it to be even healthier I lessen the bread crumbs, add chopped carrots and quinoa. My kids love it.
I took half of the meatball mixture and froze it in a casserole dish to use for meatloaf another time.
I have struggled with making homemade meatballs for decades, but have finally found my go to meatball recipe! My husband refuses to eat spinach , but managed to gobble down a half dozen of these fabulous meatballs and also raved about how good they were. He asked me where I bought them! I told them I made them and found the recipe on your site. I just love that I can use any of your recipes with complete confidence and know that they will be delicious. Thank you so much for sharing your talent! I wished I had discovered it earlier.
Hi Jen, will this still be ok if I only have ground turkey and no sausage (can’t find turkey sausage!) thanks! And btw love all your recipes!
Hi Aggie, I’m afraid it will be a little bland and dry. You could use any type of sausage if that helps!
P.S. Husband served up his experimental turkey burgers out of the two patties he made last night. Awesome! Not surprised.
We had just a little bit left over of the mixture as we ran out of room on the baking sheet. We debated what to do with it and, ultimately, tossed it. After we had dinner last night we were REALLLLY regretting not making a turkey burger out of it instead!!
These are so much better than the meatball recipe I have been using for years! I love the addition of so many veggies for both flavor and nutritional value. The cheeses really create a beautiful texture. I served with store-bought sauce and jerusalem artichoke flour spaghetti (organic from Giant). The only change I think I will make next time is to add a little kosher salt and pepper.
You did it again! These are amazing – one of the tasters here at work is Italian and said some of the best he’s eaten – couldn’t tell it was turkey.
Thank you and keep ’em coming!