This is sort of how my dad is with meatballs. All I have to do is say, “Dad, I’m making meatballs,” and he’s halfway out the door on the way over. He loves these turkey meatballs. It’s hard to go wrong with meatballs. You just need to make sure you don’t over-mix them, and you brown them slowly enough, and in enough fat, so that flavor develops and the meatballs cook through.
How to Make Moist Turkey Meatballs
That said, meatballs made with ground turkey can tend to be on the dry side. To counter that for our turkey meatballs we add some sour cream to the mix, in addition to breadcrumbs. It works! We also use ground turkey thigh meat, which we are able to get at our local butcher. If you can get ground thighs, I recommend it. Not only will they be more moist because thigh meat is fattier than breast meat, but also more flavorful.
1 1/2 pounds ground turkey (thigh meat if available) 1/2 cup sour cream 1 egg 1/2 cup breadcrumbs 2 tablespoons fresh basil, minced 2 teaspoons kosher salt 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, minced 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1 teaspoon fennel seeds 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1/3 cup flour, for dredging 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
For the sauce
1/2 jalapeño chile, seeded, minced 2 large cloves garlic, minced 3 tablespoons white wine or chicken stock 1 1/2 pounds fresh tomatoes, roughly chopped (can substitute a 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes) 1/4 cup fresh basil, thinly sliced Freshly grated mozzarella or Parmesan cheese, for serving
Roll the meatballs in the dredging flour and set them on a plate or tray. You should have about 18 to 22 meatballs. Once the meatballs are sizzling, reduce the heat to medium-low and gently cook them on at least 3 sides, so that they get browned pretty much all over and cooked through. Use a fork to nudge the meatballs in the pan. Cooking the meatballs should take about 10 minutes per batch. A gentle heat will ensure that the browned meatballs get cooked through. Use a slotted spoon to remove the meatballs from the pan to a bowl and set aside. Add the fresh tomatoes and toss to coat. Cook until the tomatoes just begin to break down, about 4 minutes. Do not overcook the tomatoes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the fresh basil.
