Turkey Meatballs Baked in Tomato Sauce

Recipe:

Ingredient Notes

• Ground Meat. The original recipe features ground turkey, and it’s equally delicious with ground chicken. For a richer, though less diet-friendly option, ground pork also works wonderfully.
• Onions. Regular yellow onions are ideal here, but shallots or white salad onions can be used as well. For a milder flavor and softer texture in your meatballs, I highly recommend sautéing the onions beforehand, as outlined in the recipe. If you prefer more pungency and a bit of textural bite, simply finely chop the onions and mix them directly into the ground meat without pre-cooking.
• Eggs. You’ll need medium-sized eggs, which typically weigh around 50-55 grams each without the shell.
• Rolled Oats. In this recipe, quick-cooking (быстрорастворимые) rolled oats are preferable as they help to retain moisture and create a wonderfully tender texture in the meatballs. As an alternative, you can use a similar amount by weight of breadcrumbs.
• Tomatoes. The simplest way to prepare the sauce is by using canned tomatoes in their own juice. Be sure to choose cans that list only tomatoes, tomato juice, citric acid, and possibly salt in the ingredients. Tomatoes pickled in vinegar, sugar, or a seasoned marinade are not suitable for this sauce. During fresh tomato season, you can elevate the flavor by using 350 grams of fresh tomatoes (blanching them if desired) blended with some tomato paste for a richer, more vibrant sauce.
• Herbes de Provence. Feel free to use any dried herb blend you enjoy. If you don’t have a specific Provençal mix, dried basil or oregano alone will also create a tasty and aromatic dish.

Let’s start cooking!

Make the sauce. Finely chop the onion and garlic. Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, for 3-4 minutes.

Add the garlic and Herbes de Provence, cooking for another minute. Add the crushed tomatoes and their juice. Bring to a boil, then simmer for a couple of minutes. Add salt and sugar to taste. Transfer the sauce to a baking dish.

To make the meatballs, combine the ground turkey, egg, dried garlic, and rolled oats. Mix well.

Form the meatballs and place them in the sauce.

Bake in an oven preheated to 180°C (355°F) until done, about 30 minutes.

Serve with pasta, potatoes, or rice.

Enjoy!

This Turkey Meatballs Baked in Tomato Sauce recipe was checked, prepared and approved by Chef Tatyana Nazaruk - author of FlavorIt.com.
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