Ground Meats
$1.25per plate
Prep
15 min
Ground Meats · Ground Turkey
Ground Turkey Meatballs
Ground turkey makes tender, budget-friendly meatballs, as long as you keep them moist. A little breadcrumb, an egg, and a handful of Parmesan bind the lean meat and keep it juicy, and baking them on a sheet pan means no standing over a splattering skillet. A quick marinara from a can of crushed tomatoes finishes them off. One and a half pounds of turkey makes about two dozen meatballs, enough to feed six over pasta, in a sub, or straight off the plate for around a dollar fifty each. It joins the rest of our ground turkey recipes, all cheap dinners built on the same lean pound. At 13g of carbs a serving they also sit with our affordable low-carb meals.
$1.50per plate
Estimated recipe total
$8.99 · serves 6
Cook
25 min
Total
40 min
Serves
6
Recipe from Budget Plates · https://www.budgetplates.com/ground-turkey-meatballs
Equipment
- Rimmed baking sheet
- Saucepan for the marinara
Variations
- Use a 24 oz jar of marinara instead of the from-scratch sauce.
- Swap in crushed crackers or oats for the breadcrumbs.
- Pan-fry instead of baking, then finish the meatballs in the simmering sauce.
- Pile them into a sub roll with melted cheese, or serve with mashed potatoes or rice.
1 How to make it
1
Heat the oven and mix the meatballs
Heat the oven to 400 F and lightly grease a rimmed baking sheet. In a bowl, combine the ground turkey, breadcrumbs, egg, half the Parmesan, half the garlic, half the parsley, the Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Mix with your hands just until it comes together; overworking it makes the meatballs dense.
2
Roll and bake
Roll the mixture into about 24 golf-ball-sized meatballs and space them out on the sheet. Bake 18 to 20 minutes, until browned and cooked through to 165 F. Lean turkey has no pink left when done.
3
Start the marinara
While the meatballs bake, warm the oil in a saucepan over medium heat and cook the rest of the garlic for a minute. Stir in the tomato paste, then the crushed tomatoes and a little salt and pepper, and simmer for about 10 minutes to thicken.
4
Simmer together
Slide the baked meatballs into the sauce and simmer gently for 5 minutes so they soak up the flavor. Everything is already cooked, so this is just to bring it together.
5
Finish
Stir in most of the remaining parsley. Taste the sauce and adjust the salt.
6
Serve
Spoon the meatballs and sauce onto plates, over pasta, or into sub rolls. Top with the rest of the Parmesan and parsley.
2 Cheaper ingredient swaps
- A 24 oz jar of marinara for the from-scratch sauce. One jar stands in for the crushed tomatoes and paste if you keep it on hand. The homemade sauce is cheaper and lower in salt.
- Crushed crackers or oats for the breadcrumbs. About half a cup of either binds the meatballs the same way. Use whatever is already in the cupboard.
- Pan-fry instead of baking. Brown the meatballs in a skillet in a little oil, turning to crisp all sides, then finish them in the simmering sauce. More crust, a little more hands-on.
- Serve it your way. Pile them over spaghetti, tuck them into a sub roll with melted cheese, or serve with mashed potatoes or rice.
3 Budget tips
- Ground turkey is lean and cheap, and a pound and a half makes about two dozen meatballs, enough to feed six.
- Breadcrumbs and an egg stretch the meat and keep lean turkey from drying out, so a little goes further.
- Make the marinara from a can of crushed tomatoes instead of a jar; it costs less and you control the salt.
- Meatballs freeze beautifully. Make a double batch and stash half for a fast dinner another night.
- See more recipes priced per serving in the Budget Plates Index.
4 Storage, freezing & reheating
Fridge
Refrigerate leftover meatballs and sauce in an airtight container for up to 4 days. They reheat well and the flavor settles overnight.
Freezer
Freeze cooked meatballs, with or without sauce, for up to 3 months. Cool completely first, then thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Reheating
Reheat gently in the sauce on the stovetop or in the microwave until hot through. A splash of water loosens the sauce if it has thickened.
5 Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
295
Protein
27g
Fat
15g
Carbs
13g
Estimates per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not a substitute for medical advice.
6 Frequently asked questions
How do I keep ground turkey meatballs from being dry?
Do not overmix, and do not skip the egg, breadcrumbs, and Parmesan; they hold moisture in the lean meat. Simmering the baked meatballs in the sauce for a few minutes at the end keeps them tender.
Should I bake or fry them?
Baking is hands-off and less greasy, and it is what this recipe uses. Pan-frying gives a crustier outside if you do not mind the extra step and splatter. Both finish in the sauce.
Can I freeze the meatballs?
Yes. Cooked meatballs freeze well for up to 3 months, with or without sauce. Cool them first, then reheat from thawed in a little sauce.
How is $1.50 a plate figured?
About $8.99 for the whole batch of meatballs and sauce, six servings, so roughly $1.50 each. The pound and a half of turkey is the biggest cost. Pasta or bread to serve is extra.
Helpful Tools for This Recipe
As an Amazon Associate, Budget Plates may earn from qualifying purchases.
- 9x13 baking dish. A 9x13 dish is the standard size for casseroles and baked pasta, so one dish feeds the whole table. Best for casseroles, baked pasta, stuffed peppers, and baked oatmeal.
- Mixing bowls set. A set of nesting bowls handles prep, mixing, and marinades without dirtying every dish in the house. Best for mixing meatball and patty mixtures, tossing ingredients, and holding prepped components.
- Measuring cups and spoons set. A basic set of measuring cups and spoons keeps amounts consistent, which keeps budget recipes reliable. Best for rice, liquids, and any recipe where the ratio matters.
- Instant-read meat thermometer. An instant-read thermometer takes the guesswork out of doneness, so lean or cheap cuts stay juicy instead of overcooking. Best for chicken, pork, and meatloaf, where a few degrees decides juicy or dry.
Feeding a crowd tonight? This one is also part of our Easy Family Dinner Recipes collection.
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