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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Comments
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I have been making Italian meatballs for over 55 years. I learned the recipe as a young bride from my Italian mother-in-law (who was born in Italy and was a great cook!) Everyone loved my meatballs and always said they were the best they ever tasted. However, after trying Jenn’s recipe for Spinach, Sausage and Turkey meatballs, I never looked back. I just LOVE these meatballs and will be making them from now on!
Another yummy dish! Usually, anything with turkey is dry and tasteless. NOT this. Lots of flavor and very moist. I would recommend this recipe. Thank you Jenn for these great ideas. During our time at home, I have been trying lots of new stuff and your site is my favorite.
Delicious recipe as expected from jenn!
Can you freeze the meatballs after being in the fridge for 2 days? Btw, absolutely delicious! I used chicken italian sausage because I couldn’t find turkey.
I’ve been using your recipes since the lockdown began and I must say our family has loved EVERY one!!! Such a life saver during a difficult time.
Thank you@
Glad you’re enjoying the recipes, Alyssa! It’s fine to freeze after two days.
This recipe was fabulous! I made the parmesan smashed potatoes also. I highly recommend 👌
Hi Jenn,
I would love to make these today for this coming weekend as they are soo good! I know you said these freeze and reheat well but just wondering should I defrost and then reheat or can you do it from a frozen state?
Many thanks!
Kristen Berry
Hi Kristen, While you can get away going either way, I’d recommend defrosting them in the fridge first. Hope you enjoy!
Hello, I couldn’t find Italian turkey sausage at the store, so I bought 2 lb. plain ground turkey instead. Would you recommend adding Italian seasoning in this case? If so, how much?
Hi Leah, I’d guesstimate you’d need a heaping tablespoon. You’ll also need to add salt if the Italian seasoning doesn’t include it. Also, keep in mind that due to using all turkey instead of the combo of turkey and turkey sausage, the meatballs may not be as tender and juicy. Hope that helps and that you enjoy!
Do you think I could substitute chopped frozen spinach for the fresh? Or perhaps parsley?
Sure, frozen spinach will work here. Just make sure you squeeze it very dry. Hope you enjoy!
Was super yummy 😋 Followed the instructions exactly and turned out so good! Another winner from this excellent chef! Thank you Jenn!
These are on the menu for the week dinners. It will be my 3rd time making them. Best part to me is that both my 6 and 8 year old happily ate them and didn’t even ask what the “green stuff” was in them.
🙂
I have a really hard time eating other meatballs after these. They really are just so so good!