I came up with this recipe for a recipe contest, and it’s been a family favorite ever since. For a lighter version, omit stuffing the meatballs with mozzarella cheese. Serve with your choice of pasta.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds ground turkey
- 1 cup finely chopped onion
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 egg
- 1 cup Italian-style bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1/4 cup prepared pesto
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
- 1 pound fresh mozzarella, cut into small cubes
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 (24 ounce) jars marinara sauce
Directions
Prep: 35 minutes | Cook: 35 minutes | Ready In: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
- Place the ground turkey, onion, garlic, egg, bread crumbs, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, parsley, pesto, milk, salt, and black pepper in a bowl. Mix until evenly blended, then form into 1 3/4-inch meatballs. Make a hole in the meatball with your finger and place a cheese cube in the hole. Seal the meatball around the cheese and place on a nonstick baking sheet. Drizzle the olive oil over the meatballs.
- Bake in the preheated oven until the meatballs are no longer pink in the center, about 30 minutes. Heat the marinara sauce in a saucepan over low heat. Bring to a simmer, and place the baked meatballs in the marinara sauce for about 2 minutes.
This article was originally posted on allrecipes.com by Foodie77