Pasta with turkey meatballs is a comforting, satisfying meal that combines tender, flavorful meatballs with perfectly cooked pasta and rich tomato sauce. It’s a lighter twist on a classic Italian-American favorite, offering all the cozy, hearty goodness with lean ground turkey as the star.
The turkey meatballs are seasoned with a simple yet delicious blend of garlic, parsley, Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, and a touch of oregano or basil. A bit of milk and egg helps bind everything together while keeping the meatballs tender and juicy. Once shaped, the meatballs can be baked, pan-fried, or even simmered directly in the sauce for extra flavor.
The tomato sauce is typically a classic marinara made from crushed tomatoes, garlic, onions, olive oil, and herbs like basil and oregano. Simmering the meatballs in the sauce allows the flavors to meld beautifully, infusing the sauce with savory richness while keeping the meatballs moist and tender.
Serve the meatballs over your favorite pasta like spaghetti, fettuccine, penne, or even whole wheat or gluten-free options, and top it all with freshly grated Parmesan and a sprinkle of fresh basil or parsley. A drizzle of olive oil or a pinch of red pepper flakes can add an extra layer of flavor.
This dish is as versatile as it is comforting. Pair it with a simple green salad, garlic bread, or roasted vegetables for a complete meal. It’s family-friendly, great for meal prep, and freezes beautifully for future dinners.
For drinks, pasta with turkey meatballs pairs perfectly with a glass of Chianti, Pinot Noir, or a crisp sparkling water with lemon.
Pasta with turkey meatballs delivers everything you love about classic spaghetti and meatballs – cozy, saucy, and cheesy with a lighter twist that doesn’t sacrifice flavor or comfort.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground turkey lean
- 1 cup breadcrumbs Italian seasoned
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese grated
- 1 egg beaten
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 12 ounces pasta your choice
- 2 cups marinara sauce store-bought or homemade
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 cup fresh basil chopped
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, egg, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Mix until well combined.
- Form the mixture into small meatballs, about 1 inch in diameter.
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add meatballs and cook until browned on all sides, about 7-8 minutes.
- While the meatballs are cooking, cook the pasta according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- Once meatballs are browned, add marinara sauce to the skillet. Simmer for 10-15 minutes until meatballs are cooked through.
- Toss the cooked pasta with the meatballs and sauce. Serve hot, garnished with fresh basil.
Nutrition
This recipe is a lifesaver! Super easy and my kids loved it! Definitely making it again.
Why use turkey? Beef is way better for meatballs. I’m skeptical about turkey… but my friend said it’s healthier.
I dunno man, beef is the classic for meatballs. Might be worth a try but I’m stickin’ to beef, it’s just better.
I get where you’re coming from, but turkey is leaner and can be super flavorful if cooked right! Plus, you can always spice it up a bit more.
I tried this but substituted beef for the turkey. It didn’t turn out as expected. Still kind of tasty but not great…
Easy and tasty but why do u have to mix eggs with meat? It’s weird man.
Omg, this is a GAME CHANGER. My kids devoured every bite! Definitely making this again!
Made this but forgot the basil. Still tasted fine. Just a tip, don’t forget stuff!
It’s pasta, how can you mess it up? LOL. This was alright, wouldn’t say it’s anything special.
I totally get what you’re saying. Pasta isn’t rocket science, but sometimes it’s just missing that extra something, you know?
LOL, it’s just pasta! Were the meatballs even good? I would of added more spices!!!
I don’t know, guys. Aren’t turkey meatballs supposed to be dry? These weren’t dry at all!
Meatballs made of turkey? I dunno about that. Seems like it would be dry.
I was skeptical about using breadcrumbs instead of like soaking bread, but wow—texture was great. The flavor was spot on with garlic/onion powder.
Same! I always thought you had to soak bread too, but the breadcrumbs really do the job. Glad the garlic/onion powder hit for you—easy and flavorful.
The timing feels off to me. 7-8 minutes browning then 10-15 minutes simmer—my turkey meatballs were already done and the sauce got too thick. I’d adjust next time.
That totally makes sense—if the meatballs were already cooked, the extra simmer would just reduce the sauce too much. Next time I’d simmer only long enough to heat the sauce (like 5–8 minutes) or add a splash of water/marinara to keep it looser.
Success! Cooked this for my wife and she loved it! Thanks a lot for sharing!
Why no salt amount? It just says salt and pepper in step 1, but salt isn’t listed in ingredients. I had to guess and it came out under-seasoned.
Made this tonight and it was seriously easy. The meatballs stayed juicy and the basil on top was the perfect finishing touch. Will 100% repeat.
Meatballs and pasta? Can’t go wrong! So delicious! 🍝👌
I added some spinach to the pasta for extra healthiness! Looks good and tastes better!
Spinach? That’s an interesting twist! But isn’t pasta unhealthy on its own? I doubt it makes a huge difference.
Made this tonight and it was seriously comforting. The meatballs browned nicely and the basil at the end really lifted it. I used whole wheat pasta and it still worked great.
Meatballs are like, kinda just balls of meat? These look good tho!
Lol, true! Just balls of meat! But this recipe looks yum, I gotta try it! 🍝
I tried this but it was too bland for me. Maybe add more spices or something?
Super easy recipe, but I feel like the meatballs fell apart. Maybe I mixed it too much? Anyone else have this issue?
Easy peasy! Can’t believe how quick it was to make. Perfect for busy weeknights.
The meatballs were a bit dry for me. I think I might add some extra sauce next time.
This was so easy to make! My kids loved it. Definitely a keeper!
Eh, not great. My meatballs fell apart. What did I do wrong? I think I skipped the egg or something.
You might need the egg to help bind them! Also, try not to overmix. That could be why they fell apart.
Meatballs are tough sometimes. Just make sure you follow the steps! You can’t skip the egg; that’s like making a cake without flour 🤷♂️.
1/2 cup Parmesan seems like a lot, but I guess it balances the turkey. My partner says it tastes like restaurant food. I’m jealous I didn’t think of it.
I liked the idea, but I think it could use some chili flakes for a kick!
Pasta and balls sounds weird but I tried it anyway. Not bad, just your average dinner.
Wow, this is easy! I added some red pepper flakes for a kick. Yum!
Easy to make, but I used chicken instead of turkey. Still turned out good!
Glad to hear it worked out for you! Chicken is a great substitute. 🙌
2 cups of sauce? That’s a lot! I just used one and it was fine.
I think 2 cups of sauce is perfect! It keeps the pasta nice and moist. 😋
Not sure how to feel about this. My grandmother makes meatballs differently. Yours look nice tho.
Thanks! My grandma’s are super secret too, but I think variety is nice. Have you tried turkey before? It’s leaner!
I didn’t have turkey, so I used ground beef. It still tasted good, but idk if it counts as the same.
This recipe is fantastic! The meatballs were juicy and flavorful. My family loved it!
I’m so glad to hear you loved it! We had it last week, and the meatballs were a hit with my kids too!
I dunno, I tried this recipe and my meatballs fell apart. Maybe I did somethin’ wrong?
This was a hit in my house! The kids loved the meatballs. I added some extra spices and it turned out great!
Pasta good. Meatball meh. I like the spaghetti better tho.
I totally get what you mean! The meatballs can be hit or miss sometimes. Glad you liked the spaghetti tho!
Pasta is life! But yeah, turkey meatballs might not be everyone’s fave. You should try beef next time, way better!
Good flavor, but my meatballs were a little dry. Next time I’ll try mixing in a splash of marinara or using slightly larger meatballs. Still tasty though!
Absolutely delicious! Used whole wheat pasta and it was great! 💖
Absolutely delicious! This is my go-to recipe for family dinners. The meatballs are so juicy!
I tried it but the meatballs fell apart. How do you keep them together?
I thought the meatballs were a bit dry. Maybe more sauce next time? 🤔
Pretty solid for a weeknight meal. I did add a pinch of red pepper flakes because I like it spicy, but otherwise followed the recipe. Family went back for seconds.
Meh, the meatballs were a bit dry. I think I needed more spices or something.
This is a great meal for a busy weeknight. Quick and tasty! 🌟
I totally agree! It’s so easy to make and perfect for those hectic nights. 😊
Really? It looks kinda basic to me. I thought turkey would be dry. Just stick to beef, right?
YUM! I added some extra spices and it turned out amazing, thanks!
Not bad. But 2 cups sauce feels like not enough for 12 oz pasta? I ended up stretching it with extra sauce and then it was perfect. Also, where’s the salt measurement?
Recipe says 1/4 cup basil, but where I come from, that’s a LOT of basil! I just sprinkled a little.
Really? I’ve never heard of less basil being better. Seems wrong but you do you I guess.
I totally get you! 1/4 cup seems like a lot. I usually do less too. Taste is all that matters, right?
Not bad for a quick meal, but my sauce was too sweet. Anyone else have that issue?
I don’t know, the meatballs were too dry for me. I think I might stick to beef next time. 🤷♂️
Not bad, but it felt a little bland? I followed it exactly and added more black pepper at the end. Would be better with salt listed—unless I missed where it goes.
I dunno… I make meatballs all the time and you *need* more than pepper. Also the recipe says add salt in step 1 but salt isn’t in the ingredients list (so it’s confusing). If you’re following exactly, bland is kinda guaranteed unless your marinara is salty.
Thanks for the feedback! I agree—store-bought marinara can be hit or miss. I’m glad pepper helped, and yeah, it’s a little weird salt isn’t listed even though the instructions say to add it. I’ll try adjusting the wording/ingredients.
The marinara simmer time (10-15 minutes) felt long—mine reduced too much. I added sauce just to warm it and finish cooking instead. Still tasty!
Delicious!! 🍝 I’m so glad I tried this. Will be making again for sure!
I don’t know… it seems too easy! Are the meatballs really that good?
Yum! I love turkey meatballs! They’re way healthier than beef.
Where’s the salt in the recipe? I missed it and they turned out bland. 🙁
I think there might be a typo. It says ‘salt’ in the instructions but not in the ingredients. That’s a bummer! I always add extra salt anyway. 🌟
Salt’s important! You could just add it while cooking. Not sure why they’d leave it out. 😕
Honestly, the ingredient list says to add salt but it’s not listed in the ingredients… I just guessed and added some. Might be my bad reading, but it turned out fine.
I always thought meatballs had to be beef. This was a nice surprise, but still prefer beef.
Can I use beef instead? Don’t have turkey and I’m not a fan of it anyway.
This is the kind of recipe that saves weeknights. Minimal fuss, lots of flavor, and my kid actually ate it without complaining. Will repeat.
I’m not convinced turkey meatballs are better than beef. Tried it, still prefer my beef.
This recipe sounds easy, but turkeys don’t have meatballs! I think they mean chicken? Anyway, I might try it.
The steps are clear, but I think 7-8 minutes for browning might not be enough depending on meatball size. I simmered longer and it was perfect after that.
Totally agree—7-8 minutes depends a lot on how big you make them. I do closer to 10 just to be safe, then simmer in the sauce until they’re cooked through. Glad you nailed it!
Hmm I followed it and my meatballs were small, so 7-8 min worked fine for me. Maybe if someone makes giant ones they need longer though. The 10-15 simmer should cook them too, right?
I made this but forgot the basil. It still tasted good, but I think the basil is important! 🤔
I think basil adds a lot of flavor, but I’m glad it still turned out well! 😊