World’s Best Turkey Meatballs

by Dorothy Reinhold on January 28, 2021


Print This Post Print This Post World's Best Turkey Meatballs: Healthy turkey meatballs with spinach in a 2-ingredient sweet-sour sauce is a kid-pleaser that makes the adults smile, too.

World’s Best Turkey Meatballs in a 2-ingredient sweet-sour sauce is a kid-friendly meal that makes the adults smile, too.

My son wangles a dinner invitation at his friend Hannah’s house as often as possible. It’s just plain fun to eat over at a friend’s house, isn’t it? They set the table differently, they have different eating rituals, serve different food on different plates, with different forks, and they talk about different things than your own family does. It’s exotic!

But no small part of the draw, I have learned, is the world’s best meatballs, prepared by Hannah’s mom Michelle.

“Mom,” he shouts to me when he blows back home after the meal. “We had those meatballs!” as his eyes roll back in his head and he gets a dreamy look on his face. This delight has been going on for years. What can be in those meatballs, I wonder, but like most 12-year-old boys, he has absolutely no clue.

So I finally got up the courage to ask Michelle what the secret of her meatballs is. This, despite the fact that my son assured me she would never, ever tell me. “Oh, it’s a secret recipe?” I asked him. “Yes,” he said with some conspiratorial undertones. (Note to self: This kid has been watching too much “CSI.”) “It’s only for their family to know. Michelle will teach Hannah, and then she’ll teach Judah (her son) and then she’ll teach Leila (her younger daughter), and it will just be their family meatballs,” he told me.

Hmmmm…well, Michelle revealed that it IS a family recipe, gleaned from her mother-in-law, and much beloved at their house.

How to make World’s Best Turkey Meatballs

Chop the spinach for turkey meatballsChop your spinach (or chard). You want it to be in fairly small pieces so they don’t stick out of the meatballs in an ungainly fashion.

Shape the turkey meatballs with your handsIn a bowl, mix the turkey, egg, flax, onion, spinach and seasonings and shape using your hands into meatballs. You’ll make 18-20 or so.

Simmer turkey meatballs in ketchup and beerPlace them in the simmering sauce, spoon some sauce over them and put the lid on for 30 minutes. 

4 World’s Best Turkey Meatballs on a white plate on a red napkinYou can serve them as-is, over wide noodles, mashed potatoes, rice, another grain or with crusty bread to soak up the sauce.

Michelle notes that when she invites my son to stay for dinner, he always, ALWAYS asks if she’s serving “the meatballs,” and on those nights she isn’t, he might reflect a flicker of disappointment across his face, but then gobbles up everything on the plate. That’s my boy!

World's Best Turkey Meatballs recipe on ShockinglyDelicious.comThe meatball recipe DOES have a secret, which Michelle laughed about and so will you.

Read the “gourmet” sauce ingredients!

World’s Best Turkey Meatballs

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Yield: Serves 4

World’s Best Turkey Meatballs

World's Best Turkey Meatballs: Healthy turkey meatballs with spinach in a 2-ingredient sweet-sour sauce is a kid-pleaser that makes the adults smile, too.

Ingredients

  • Sauce
  • 1 (12-ounce) beer
  • 1 (20-ounce) bottle Heinz ketchup
  • Meatballs
  • 1 (16- or 20-ounce) package ground turkey (7% fat version preferred)
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tablespoons ground flax
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 1 cup chopped fresh spinach (or use chard as Michelle does)
  • Pinch kosher salt
  • Black pepper
  • Squirt of hot sauce such as Sriracha (entirely optional!)
  • For Serving
  • Cooked wide egg noodles, mashed potatoes, rice or loaf of French bread

Directions

  1. Add beer and ketchup to a large lidded pot, and turn heat on to simmer. Stir to combine (beer will foam).
  2. Make meatballs: In a large bowl, add turkey, egg, flax, onion, spinach and seasonings. Mix with hands until well combined. Shape into meatballs (you will make about 18-20), and as they are shaped, place them into the now-simmering sauce. When all meatballs are in the pot, spoon some sauce over them, put the lid on, make sure the heat is turned to a low simmer, and cook for about 30 minutes.
  3. While meatballs are simmering, cook pasta in boiling water until al dente (follow package timing for your pasta). Set pasta aside.
  4. When meatballs are ready, portion pasta into wide, shallow bowls and top with meatballs and sauce. Enjoy!
  5. Serves 4.

Notes

Recipe source: Michelle Taub's family recipe

Variations: -- You may add to or omit from the meatballs whatever you like. These additions above are suggestions. Feel free to sub something else, and make your meatballs however you like. You have Michelle’s permission! --Don’t tell Michelle’s kids, but on occasion she will chop up chard and put that in the meatballs! “They never know,” she says with a slight wicked mom-smile on her face. Simply remove leaves from stem and chop leaves using a knife or in the food processor. --Michelle serves the meatballs over wide pasta. I served them with French bread to soak up the sauce. They would also be great over mashed potatoes, brown rice or another cooked grain such as spelt or farro. --Instead of putting the greens inside the meatballs, try putting fresh greens such as baby spinach or arugula in the bowl first, then top with the hot pasta and then the hot meatballs and sauce. The heat from the pasta and sauce will wilt the greens just enough.

https://www.shockinglydelicious.com/worlds-best-turkey-meatballs/

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World's Best Turkey Meatballs photo collage with the recipe on ShockinglyDelicious.comThis post was originally published March 23, 2014 and has been refreshed and republished today.

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{ 42 comments… read them below or add one }

Hezzi-D March 25, 2014 at 6:21 pm

These look delicious! I love meatballs and the special sauce sounds perfect!

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold March 27, 2014 at 2:03 pm

Heather,
We truly loved them, and they reheat well so would be great for weeknight meals as well.

Reply

Alida March 24, 2014 at 7:53 pm

With flax, Srirarcha and spinach, you have definitely created the World’s Best Turkey Meatballs! YUM!!

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold March 25, 2014 at 8:29 am

Alida,
The best part is the spinach makes them look great but they aren’t “spinachy,” and you wouldn’t know the flax was even in there. Score!

Reply

Sarah | Curious Cuisiniere March 24, 2014 at 9:24 am

Love this! Sometimes the best things are more simple than we could ever imagine!

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold March 24, 2014 at 11:31 am

Sarah,
I agree completely!

Reply

FoodieArmyWife March 24, 2014 at 5:29 am

These look fantastic and I love that they are made out of turkey!

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold March 24, 2014 at 11:32 am

FoodieArmy,
Yeah, sometimes you just need a turkey meatball. Actually, at our house, MANY time you need a turkey meatball!

Reply

Shaina March 23, 2014 at 8:11 pm

LOL beer and ketchup….your son certainly has gourmet taste buds 🙂 Sounds delish!

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold March 24, 2014 at 11:33 am

Shaina,
Yeah, put that way, these are really manly meatballs, aren’t they? My daughter and I loved them, too.

Reply

Courtney @ Neighborfood March 23, 2014 at 6:20 pm

Oh my goodness! What a great “secret” ingredient! These must be some dang good meatballs!

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold March 24, 2014 at 11:33 am

Courtney,
Dang good is a perfect description!

Reply

Melanie | Melanie Makes March 23, 2014 at 6:13 pm

LOVE the secret sauce ingredients! And the story of your son is down right comical. 🙂

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold March 24, 2014 at 11:34 am

Melanie,
Thanks! He’s a funny kid!

Reply

Brianne @ Cupcakes & Kale Chips March 23, 2014 at 5:35 pm

Gotta love when kids are gobbling up greens and then proclaim it “the best”!

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold March 24, 2014 at 11:35 am

Brianne,
I completely agree!

Reply

Bobbi's Kozy Kitchen (@BobbisKozyKtchn) March 23, 2014 at 12:11 pm

I had to giggle at the too much CSI comment. They can be so dramatic can’t they? These meatballs look fantastic, pinned them for later. I know my kids will love them too!!

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold March 23, 2014 at 2:40 pm

Bobbi,
Drama king, he is!

Reply

Cindys Recipes and Writings March 23, 2014 at 11:12 am

Meatballs rock!

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold March 23, 2014 at 2:41 pm

Cindy,
They DO!

Reply

MealDiva March 23, 2014 at 10:41 am

I have a craving for meatballs now! Yummy recipe!

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold March 23, 2014 at 2:41 pm

MealDiva,
Sunday Supper will do that to ya, eh?

Reply

Samantha @FerraroKitchen March 23, 2014 at 9:46 am

LOVE meatballs…we’re actually making them tonight! And now that you make them, your son will probably ask you for them now..hahaha Happy #SundaySupper 🙂

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold March 23, 2014 at 9:59 am

Samantha,
Meatballs are underrated, imho. Much more fun to eat than a big hunk of meat.

Reply

Arun November 30, 2015 at 9:30 am

I am making these tomorrow. Can you suggest to me a risotto recipe that will be good with these? I am also making some baked potatoes but I wanted some rice too for variety at the table.

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold December 1, 2015 at 3:05 pm

Arun,
This is my favorite risotto of all time! https://www.shockinglydelicious.com/red-wine-risotto-for-sundaysupper-and-christmas-dinner/ Since it is a red, and the meatballs are red, I’m not sure it is what you need, but I love it so much.

Reply

Lori @ Foxes Love Lemons March 23, 2014 at 9:35 am

Hahaha, ketchup and beer! I love it, and I’m SURE it’s delicious. Just think how popular your son will be when he gets to college and can cook this for his roommates!

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold March 23, 2014 at 10:00 am

Lori,
You are so right! Didn’t think of that!

Reply

Shannon @VillageGirlBlog March 23, 2014 at 7:19 am

What a great meatball! I don’t blame your son for wanting to gobble them up. I bet the beer in the sauce gives a great flavor and tenderizer. Mmmm!

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold March 23, 2014 at 7:25 am

Shannon,
It’s funny how actually gourmet these taste! That tangy sauce is divine.

Reply

Wendy (The Weekend Gourmet) March 23, 2014 at 7:05 am

I love making meatballs, and these look right up our alley!!!

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold March 23, 2014 at 7:26 am

Wendy,
Somehow, it’s more fun to eat a meatball than a big slab of meat, eh?

Reply

Katie March 23, 2014 at 7:00 am

Oh my gosh, your son is too cute! And sometimes getting those “special” recipes from others is so fun! How nice that she shared her family’s recipe with you (and the world, now!).

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold March 23, 2014 at 7:27 am

Katie,
I agree. It was nice of her to share this heirloom recipe. We have made it several times since getting it, and the kids know exactly what is cooking by the great smell!

Reply

Alice // Hip Foodie Mom March 23, 2014 at 6:12 am

that was so sweet of Michelle to share her recipe!!! I love your son’s enthusiasm! 🙂 so cute!!! can’t wait to try these meatballs!!! yum!!

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold March 23, 2014 at 6:26 am

Alice,
I know, I was quite trepidatious when I asked her!

Reply

Family Foodie March 23, 2014 at 5:16 am

I love getting recipes from my kids friends mom’s. This is a great one!

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold March 23, 2014 at 6:26 am

Isabel/Family Foodie,
Kids’ friends’ moms are an untapped resource!

Reply

Liz March 23, 2014 at 4:23 am

LOL at the secret sauce…two of my hubby’s favorite ingredients!!! I need to make these ASAP 🙂

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold March 23, 2014 at 6:28 am

Liz,
If he’s a beer and ketchup guy, then yes! But seriously, you probably wouldn’t know there was beer in the sauce, or ketchup for that matter. It just tastes like sweet and tangy!

Reply

Renee March 23, 2014 at 3:33 am

What a “gourmet sauce”. Sometimes it is the simplest things that can taste the best and so I’m going to have to try making these “World’s Best” meatballs and see just how good they are.

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold March 23, 2014 at 6:28 am

Renee,
Report back!

Reply

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