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’ll start by saying that I really don’t like turkey, but I LOVE these meatballs! Since they’re a bit time consuming to make, I usually double the recipe and freeze a bunch of them. They freeze wonderfully and are great to have on hand for a quick meal. And they are kid-approved which makes me like them even more!
This is my go to recipe for meatballs. I love that it’s made with turkey and the spinach is a really nice addition. Served with pasta and Italian Salad for a perfect Italian dinner.
These meatballs are yummy and I love that they are baked. My husband asks me to make them constantly, help!!
Made these meatballs last night and they were amazing! We have a garlic allergy so I left that out and they were still so tasty. It will be one of our new favourite meals. Thanks again Jen for making me look like a good cook!!
I make this recipe often. Why do I like it? I make a double batch and freeze the extra. I cook them first, top with a lil sauce, place single layer on wax or parchment paper and let them individually freeze before I put them in a ziploc bag. That way they you can take out just the right amount for a meatball sandwich, snack on a few, or of course top pasta. The spinach adds a vege to something not typically made with veges in it and the feta cheese has a more intense flavor than other cheeses so need less of it – saving fat calories over using other types of hard cheese.
These are absolutely delicious! Everyone loved them and I love how easy and how many this recipe makes!
So many of my favorite recipes come from Jenn Segal
These turkey meatballs are in my regular rotation. They are delicious and make your house smell amazing! Also, I go on cooking frenzies and freeze what I make for quick meals on busy nights. I have two homes and always have these meatballs in both freezers! Being on this website is a blessing … Jenn’s food is so good.
Try this recipe. You won’t be disappointed! Texture and flavor are great. Good as “leftovers”, too.
These meatballs are perfect as stated! I’ve even been able to convince a few ground turkey nay-sayers with this one. Nice and tender, not dry at all. They’re absolutely delicious with a good marinara sauce, even served over spaghetti squash for a nice, light weeknight meal.
This is one of my picky grandchildren’s favorite recipes! Easy to make, health, and delicious.