Turkey, Spinach & Cheese Meatballs
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
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
You May Also Like
- Spaghetti and Meatballs
- Gail Simmons’ Epic Spaghetti Pie
- Chicken Meatballs with Tomato-Balsamic Glaze
- Italian Wedding Soup
- Turkey Meatballs
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
Powered by 
- 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.
See more recipes:
Comments
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
The texture of these came out great! my family loved the “herbaceous-ness”
element the spinach and scallions added; their words, not mine. I had to substitute turkey sausage with pork sausage. Something I would not do again because the flavor of the pork sausage overwhelmed the meatball. Or if I had to use pork sausage again I would probably only use half the amount of pork sausage and make it up the difference with more ground turkey.
These are perfect meatballs, delicious, nutritious and enough for 2 meals for my small family. You are the only chef I “follow” on social media for good reason. Your recipes are wonderful, and the ingredients are foods that I enjoy, have in my pantry and feel are most healthy for my family. Your hard work makes me look like a star! Thank you.
I want to serve these cocktail style size would that work ? If so how big should I roll them and how will it change baking and cooking
Time ?
Sure, that should work. I’d broil them for 6 to 8 minutes and then simmer in the sauce until they’re fully cooked.
I don’t like sausage of any kind. When I make my beef meatball recipe, I substitute veal for the sausages called for to make them more tender. Do you think substituting a milk and bread parade seasoned with oregano, basil and crushed red pepper would work to make these more tender? If so, how much milk and bread do you recommend for 2.5 lbs of turkey?
Wonderful tasting, love that there is added spinach, easy and great for meal prep! My son helped me make these – he loved them!
Wow! These were the best meatballs I’ve ever had! Usually, turkey meatballs are kinda dry, but these were soft, juicy, and flavorful! It makes a huge amount, so I was able to freeze the leftovers. We could have used more sauce—maybe double since we were eating with pasta. It’s enough sauce if you’re serving with mashed potatoes. This is definitely a keeper! Your recipes never disappoint.
I forgot to mention that I only had one pound each of the ground turkey and sausage. I didn’t alter the rest of the ingredients. It worked out great, and I will do that when I make these again.
Made these many times – they’re great!
Jenn,
I can’t seem to find any scallions at my closest grocery store. Any good substitute ?
Hi Staci, you could substitute with chives or shallots. 🙂
These are my family’s favorite meatballs! I am so thankful to have found this recipe!
Jenn,
Any suggestions as to what type of rice you would suggest pair with this?
Thanks, Staci
Hi Staci, I don’t often serve meatballs over rice, but I think you could just use a basic steamed white or brown rice. If you wanted to go with something more Italian, you could make something like the rice portion in this recipe. Please keep in mind I haven’t tried it myself.