Baked turkey meatballs studded with a mix of cinnamon, curry and golden raisins and covered in a sweet glaze. The perfect 30 minute dinner for busy nights.
If you’re looking for an easy meatball recipe, this is it! Ground turkey dishes are usually a little dry because the meat is lean but these baked turkey meatballs are as moist as any beef/pork/veal combo. The secret is that these babies don’t need breadcrumbs AND they’re baked in the oven. The baking definitely locks in all the moisture.
Even picky eaters love these meatballs! Hidden veggies enhance the flavor and health factor. I love adding grated veggies to meatballs because they stretch the meat. Until our student loans finally disappear, we eat any meal that stretches the budget!
You really want the ground turkey and grated veggies to blend into a uniform texture, so I recommend using a microplane for fine grating. I use carrots in this recipe but you could also use squash if you prefer.
Tip: If you want to sneak veggies into ground beef, I recommend mushrooms or eggplant. And if you need other meat and veggie combo recommendations, let me know in the comments below…I love a challenge!
P.S. Check out How to eat more vegetables: A picky eater’s guide to learn how to sneak more veggies in your meals!
These meatballs are in the weekly rotation. I like to eat them in whole wheat pitas with hummus and a quick slaw; makes a great weekend lunch.
They’re also great with Israeli couscous as a weeknight dinner. The best thing about these meatballs though are the sweet and spicy thing they have going on. Moroccan flavors are the inspiration for this dish, so cinnamon and golden raisins get real chummy in the meat. I throw in a dash of curry for heat and well because curry is delicious!
I also make a quick, sweet and tangy glaze for the meatballs. When I say quick, I really mean it! The sauce is literally made in the microwave with mango chutney, tomato sauce and pan drippings.
Pin this recipe on Pinterest, share it on Instagram and let me know what you think in the comments!
Spiced Baked Turkey Meatballs
Rate this Recipe:Ingredients
Turkey Meatballs
- 16 oz ground turkey
- 1 sweet onion small, finely chopped
- 3 carrots finely grated
- 1/4 cup canned tomato sauce unflavored
- 1/8 cup golden raisins chopped
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Meatball glaze
- 1/3 cup mango chutney or jam
- 2 tbsp canned tomato sauce unflavored
Cabbage Slaw
- 2 cups cabbage blend pre-chopped
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lemon juice only
- 1 tsp honey
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Heat a skillet to medium high heat. Add 1 tbsp olive oil, chopped onion and grated carrots to skillet. cook 3-5 minutes until onions are tender and carrots have softened.
- In a large bowl mix together ground turkey, tomato sauce, raisins, cinnamon, ginger, curry, salt and pepper. Add in onion and carrot mixture and stir together until evenly mixed. Form 18-20 meatballs and place them on a lined baking sheet. Tip: If your hands get sticky from the meat mixture, wash them and keep them slightly wet. If your hands are wet, you'll get mess-free, perfectly round meatballs.
- Bake meatballs 8-10 minutes. Tip: Cut a meatball open to ensure that it's not raw in the middle. If it's slightly under cooked bake an extra 1-2 minutes until fully cooked through.
- Put meatballs in a bowl and pour meatball drippings into a separate small bowl. Stir in mango chutney and 2 tbsp of tomato sauce. Microwave for 1 minute. Toss meatballs in sauce.
- Optional Slaw: Combine cabbage, olive oil, lemon juice, honey, salt and pepper in bowl. Toss together until evenly blended. If you are making pitas, smear the inside with your favorite hummus, then fill with slaw and meatballs.
Did you try this recipe? I’d love to see how it turned out! Snap a picture and tag @brightrootskitchen or use #brightrootskitchen on Insta.
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