I’m not really a big meat-eating person but I do love a turkey burger or turkey meatballs sometimes.  These Italian Meatballs with Smoky Tomato Sauce not only have ground turkey but they also have turkey sausage to add a little flavor.  Mixed with egg, garlic, and parmesan cheese, these meatballs can be made quickly and include one of my favorite spices – smoked paprika!  Personally, I would have preferred if there was a little more sausage in the mix but overall, I thought these meatballs were very tasty.  The tomato sauce also has smoked paprika and was a hearty, albeit garlicky, sauce.  I cut this recipe in half because I wasn’t looking to feed an army here and I still didn’t put in as much garlic as the recipe calls for.  These meatballs would make great appetizers for your next get-together – or maybe a nice topping to some whole wheat pasta!

The meatball ingredients:

In a bowl, mix together egg, garlic, bread crumbs, cheese, salt, and pepper.

Add in ground turkey and sweet turkey sausage.  Mix until just combined.

Roll mixture into balls and lay on a baking sheet.  Combine olive oil and smoked paprika and brush on each meatball.  Bake at 400°F for 25 minutes.

The sauce ingredients:

In a large saucepan, heat onion, garlic, basil, and oregano in olive oil until onion is tender.

Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, smoked paprika, salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil and reduce heat.  Cover and allow sauce to simmer for 20 minutes.

Top meatballs with sauce or serve it on the side.  Add more grated parmesan if you desire.

Additions:  None

Omissions:  None

Substitutions:  None

Overall Rating:  Like It

Source:  Better Homes & Gardens Magazine