This delicious and easy recipe for Ina Garten’s Spicy Turkey Meatballs & Spaghetti is a comforting, crowd-pleasing meal perfect for any night of the week. Made with tender turkey, flavorful prosciutto, and a hint of spice, it’s paired with a rich marinara sauce and spaghetti. Best of all, it uses everyday ingredients for a quick, satisfying dinner!
Recipe Ingredients:
- 3 c (1-inch-diced) bread cubes from a round rustic bread, crusts removed
- ⅔ c whole milk
- 2 lb ground turkey (85% to 92% lean)
- ½ lb sweet Italian pork sausage, casings removed
- 4 oz thinly sliced prosciutto, finely chopped
- 1 c freshly grated aged Asiago cheese
- ½ c minced fresh parsley
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tbsp good olive oil, plus extra for brushing the meatballs
- 2 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
- 3 (24-oz) jars good marinara sauce, such as Rao’s
- 2 lb dried spaghetti, such as De Cecco
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
How To Make Spicy Turkey Meatballs & Spaghetti?
- Preheat the oven and prepare pans: Preheat to 200°C / 400°F and line 2 baking trays with parchment paper.
- Prepare the bread mixture: Blitz the bread cubes in a food processor until medium crumbs. Place in a bowl, pour over the milk, and set aside for 5 minutes.
- Mix the meatball ingredients: In a large bowl, combine turkey, sausage, prosciutto, bread mixture, Asiago, parsley, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Gently mix by hand, then stir in olive oil and eggs using a fork.
- Shape and bake the meatballs: Form 2-inch (5 cm) meatballs with your hands and place them on the prepared trays. Brush lightly with olive oil. Bake for 35–40 minutes, until browned and fully cooked.
- Heat the marinara sauce: Pour marinara sauce into a large, shallow pot and bring to a simmer. Add the baked meatballs and simmer gently.
- Cook the spaghetti: Boil a large pot of salted water. Cook the spaghetti according to the package instructions, then drain.
- Assemble and serve: Serve the spaghetti in bowls, topped with 3 meatballs, marinara sauce, and freshly grated Parmesan on the side.
Recipe Tips:
- Use fresh bread for better meatballs: Fresh bread crumbs soaked in milk create softer, more tender meatballs than store-bought crumbs. Don’t skip this step!
- Don’t overmix the meat: Gently combine the ingredients with your hands to keep the meatballs light. Overmixing can make them dense and tough.
- Brush with olive oil before baking: Brushing the meatballs with olive oil ensures a golden, crispy outside while keeping the inside juicy.
- Simmer in marinara sauce: After baking, let the meatballs simmer in the sauce to absorb the flavors and stay moist.
- Salt your pasta water generously: Pasta absorbs the salt while cooking, enhancing its flavor. Your spaghetti will taste much better!
How To Store & Reheat Leftovers?
- Refrigerate: First, let the leftover Spicy Turkey Meatballs & Spaghetti cool to room temperature. Store the meatballs and sauce together in an airtight container, and the spaghetti separately, if possible. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: Cool the meatballs and sauce completely, then transfer them to a freezer-safe container or bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheat: Place the meatballs and sauce in a microwave-safe dish, cover loosely, and heat on medium power for 2–3 minutes, stirring halfway through, until hot.
Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 900 kcal
- Total Fat: 33.3 g
- Saturated Fat: 11.2 g
- Cholesterol: 180 mg
- Sodium: 1,270 mg
- Potassium: 784 mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 88.5 g
- Dietary Fiber: 3.8 g
- Sugars: 5.4 g
- Protein: 60.7 g
Check out More Recipes:
Ina Garten Spicy Turkey Meatballs & Spaghetti
Description
This delicious and easy recipe for Ina Garten’s Spicy Turkey Meatballs & Spaghetti is a comforting, crowd-pleasing meal perfect for any night of the week. Made with tender turkey, flavorful prosciutto, and a hint of spice, it’s paired with a rich marinara sauce and spaghetti. Best of all, it uses everyday ingredients for a quick, satisfying dinner!
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven and prepare pans: Preheat to 200°C / 400°F and line 2 baking trays with parchment paper.
- Prepare the bread mixture: Blitz the bread cubes in a food processor until medium crumbs. Place in a bowl, pour over the milk, and set aside for 5 minutes.
- Mix the meatball ingredients: In a large bowl, combine turkey, sausage, prosciutto, bread mixture, Asiago, parsley, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Gently mix by hand, then stir in olive oil and eggs using a fork.
- Shape and bake the meatballs: Form 2-inch (5 cm) meatballs with your hands and place them on the prepared trays. Brush lightly with olive oil. Bake for 35–40 minutes, until browned and fully cooked.
- Heat the marinara sauce: Pour marinara sauce into a large, shallow pot and bring to a simmer. Add the baked meatballs and simmer gently.
- Cook the spaghetti: Boil a large pot of salted water. Cook the spaghetti according to the package instructions, then drain.
- Assemble and serve: Serve the spaghetti in bowls, topped with 3 meatballs, marinara sauce, and freshly grated Parmesan on the side.
Notes
- Use fresh bread for better meatballs: Fresh bread crumbs soaked in milk create softer, more tender meatballs than store-bought crumbs. Don’t skip this step!
- Don’t overmix the meat: Gently combine the ingredients with your hands to keep the meatballs light. Overmixing can make them dense and tough.
- Brush with olive oil before baking: Brushing the meatballs with olive oil ensures a golden, crispy outside while keeping the inside juicy.
- Simmer in marinara sauce: After baking, let the meatballs simmer in the sauce to absorb the flavors and stay moist.
- Salt your pasta water generously: Pasta absorbs the salt while cooking, enhancing its flavor. Your spaghetti will taste much better!
Ina Garten Spicy Turkey Meatballs & Spaghetti