This Creamy Spinach Turkey Meatballs dish seamlessly marries the wholesome goodness of lean protein with the earthy notes of fresh spinach, creating tender meatballs that are as nutritious as they are flavorful. Get ready to savor each bite of these succulent turkey meatballs enveloped in a creamy spinach-infused embrace, a perfect fusion of health and indulgence in every mouthful.
I love a good oven-baked turkey meatball like I make for my Italian Meatball Soup or my Jalapeño Cranberry Meatballs. Always great to serve with my Cottage Cheese Mashed Potatoes or a rice dish like my Cheesy Rice or Buttered Garlic Rice.
Ingredients
- Ground Turkey
- Parmesan Cheese
- Panko Crumbs
- Egg
- Garlic
- Onion
- Chicken Broth
- Sundried Tomatoes
- Fresh Spinach
- Heavy Cream
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Making meatballs in the oven is a convenient way to get dinner on the table faster. While they are baking, you can prepare any sauces, sides or starches, and next thing you know, you're enjoying a great meal!
Place all of the meatball ingredients in a large bowl. Stir everything together until the mixture is smooth.
Preheat the oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Shape between 24 and 27 meatballs of 1-inch in diameter. Bake for 18 minutes.
In a large skillet on medium heat, cook the garlic, onion and sundried tomatoes.
Deglaze the pan with the chicken broth and add in the fresh spinach. Bring to a simmer and cook down the spinach.
Add the heavy cream to the pan. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5-10 minutes to reduce and thicken up the sauce.
Add the cooked meatballs into the sauce and toss them to coat evenly.
Serve on top of rice or a short pasta like orzo. Cover with freshly grated parmesan and chopped fresh parsley. Enjoy!
Substitutions
- Ground Meat - As long as you are using 1 pound of ground meat, you can replace the ground turkey with either 1 pound of ground pork, or a blend of pork and beef.
- Bread Crumbs - Replace the panko crumbs with bread crumbs
- Cream Cheese - If you have cream cheese on hand you can use it instead of the heavy cream. Replace the heavy cream with more chicken broth, and add in ¼ cup of cream cheese into the broth and whisk it in to melt.
Storage
Store any leftover meatballs in an airtight container. Place in the refrigerator for 2-3 days or in the freezer for up to a month.
TIP: When taking out of the refrigerator to warm up, I recommend adding a splash of water in the meatballs to bring the sauce back to life and create extra steam to help warm up the meatballs.
Recipe
Creamy Spinach Turkey Meatballs
Ingredients
Meatball Ingredients
- 1 pound Ground Turkey
- ½ cup Panko Crumbs
- ½ cup Powdered Parmesan
- 1 large Egg
- 2 cloves Garlic pressed or pureed
- ¼ cup Fresh Chives , finely chopped
Sauce Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 3 cloves Garlic minced
- ½ large White Onion , finely diced
- ? cup Sundried Tomatoes , drained
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ cup Chicken Broth
- 4 cups Baby Spinach loose
- 1½ cup Heavy Cream
Instructions
Making the Meatballs
- Preheat your oven to 350F with a rack in the middle position. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Fill a small bowl with water and set aside.
- Place all of the meatball ingredients in a large bowl and mix until smooth.
- To shape the meatballs, dip your fingers in the bowl of water and proceed with taking a piece of the meatball mixture. Make a 1-inch meatball and repeat until you have 24 meatballs, or you have used up the mixture.
- Place the shaped meatballs on the lined baking tray. Bake them in the preheated oven for 16-18 minutes. You should have a minimum internal temperature of 165F. When ready, take out of the oven.
Making the Sauce
- In a large non-stick skillet on medium heat, drizzle in your olive oil. Add in your prepared garlic and onion. Cook for 2 minutes.
- Add in your sundried tomatoes and salt, and let sizzle for a couple minutes. Slowly pour the chicken broth into the pan to release all the flavors.
- Add the spinach to the skillet and cook it down completely. Once cooked, add in the heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Cook for 5-10 minutes to reduce and thicken the sauce.
- At this point your meatballs should be cooked. Add them into the sauce. Toss them around to coat evenly.
- Serve on top of rice, mashed potatoes, or even your favorite pasta. Enjoy!
