Turkey Meatballs with Rice and Tomato Sauce
Sixteen lean turkey meatballs simmered in a simple tomato sauce and served over rice.
45 min
4 servings
Difficulty 2/5
Lunch · Dinner
Prep 20 min · Cook 25 min
Ground turkey is leaner than beef and dries out easily, so the mix carries grated onion and one egg to hold moisture. The meatballs are browned first, then finished in passata, which keeps them soft and gives the sauce something to cook into.
Per serving
520
kcal / serving
Ingredients
Written for 4 servings. Change the servings to rescale every amount.
Parsley · Garnish
1 handful (15 grams)
Meatballs
Ground Turkey
500 grams
Chicken Egg, whole
1 medium (51 grams)
Onion
60 grams
Garlic
2 cloves (6 grams)
Oregano, dried
1 teaspoon (1 gram)
Olive Oil
1 tablespoon (14 grams)
Salt
to taste
Black Pepper
to taste
Tomato sauce
Tomato Passata
500 grams
Tomato Paste
1 tablespoon (16 grams)
Garlic
2 cloves (6 grams)
Oregano, dried
1 teaspoon (1 gram)
Olive Oil
1 tablespoon (14 grams)
Salt
to taste
To serve
White Rice, cooked
600 grams
Steps
Grate the onion and crush the garlic. Mix them into the turkey with the egg, oregano, salt and pepper, then roll 16 balls of about 35 g. Grated onion keeps lean turkey from drying out.
8 min
Brown the meatballs in olive oil in a wide pan over medium-high heat, turning them once. They do not have to be cooked through at this point.
8 min
Lift the meatballs out. In the same pan, fry the crushed garlic and the tomato paste for a minute — frying the paste takes the tinned edge off it.
3 min
Pour in the passata, add the oregano and salt, return the meatballs and simmer covered over low heat for about 15 minutes, until the sauce is thick and the meatballs are firm.
14 min
Serve over hot rice with the sauce spooned over and parsley on top.
2 min
Serving suggestion
Pasta or mashed potato work as well as rice.
Storage
Keeps three days in the fridge and freezes well in the sauce. Reheat gently with a splash of water.
Notes
The egg is ours — it is not optional with meat this lean, or the balls fall apart in the sauce.
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