Gluten Free Ground Turkey Meatballs with Marinara
These tender turkey meatballs simmered in a garlicky, from-scratch marinara are the kind of comfort food that makes you forget you're eating anything other than a classic Italian-American dinner. The swap to gluten free breadcrumbs is seamless — they bind the mixture just as well as traditional ones, keeping each meatball juicy and holding its shape through the whole cooking process. A two-step method of oven-baking first, then finishing in the sauce, means the meatballs absorb all that rich tomato flavor without drying out. The marinara itself comes together in minutes with crushed tomatoes, sliced garlic, a pinch of red pepper flakes, and dried oregano — no jarred sauce needed, so you stay in full control of every ingredient. Finely grated Parmesan folded right into the meat mixture adds a savory depth that makes these taste like they took far more effort than they actually did. This recipe serves four and is equally at home over gluten free pasta, tucked into a bowl with crusty bread on the side for those who can have it, or just eaten straight from the skillet with a fork.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the meatballs
- 1 lb ground turkey
- ⅓ cup gluten free breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese, finely grated
- 1 large egg
- 2 tbsp milk
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp dried basil
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
For the marinara
- 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- ½ tsp salt
For serving
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, torn (optional)
- parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- 2
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground turkey, gluten free breadcrumbs, Parmesan, egg, milk, minced garlic, dried oregano, dried basil, salt, and black pepper. Mix with your hands until just combined — do not overwork the mixture or the meatballs will be dense.
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