Turkey Meatballs…and my obsession with cauliflower rice

I feel like meatballs are the Italian version of the American hamburger. It’s an Italian classic, everyone loves them (kids and adults alike), they are easy to make, and have a million varieties. You can make them with beef, turkey, or lamb; stuff them with cheese; eat them on a bun. They can be light and healthy, or you can really fatten them up and go all in. They are always comforting and a perfect filling dinner for everyone.

There is one more similarity – they can easily go wrong. There a few simple steps to follow to ensure a juicy and delicious meatball (or burger), but ignore these steps and you can end up with golf balls (or hockey pucks). I don’t meant to scare you off from making meatballs, because really anyone can do it, and you can do it easily in so many ways – in the oven, in the slow cooker, on the stove, even in the air fryer! So don’t be scared, just remember the key tips below and you will be well on your way to a plate of meatballs that Mario and Luigi would be proud of!

For a healthier option, I opted for turkey meatballs this week, and kept it simple – lean ground turkey, whole wheat bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, egg, garlic, oregano, parsley, salt, pepper. Put all the ingredients together in a bowl and mix. Tip #1: do not overmix. You want the ingredients to be well incorporated, but you don’t want to mix any more than necessary. I recommend mixing with a fork and sort of “fluffing” while you mix. Allow the mixture to stay light.

Next step is to make the meat into balls – meatballs! I use a small ice cream scoop to scoop out the meat mixture so we get equal size meatballs. Scoop the mixture in your hand, or your sous chef’s hands (isn’t she cute!), and roll the meat into the ball shape – about the size of a golfball. Tip #2: Roll gently. Do not pack the meat together into a super tight ball. Pack it just enough to have it stay together and hold it’s shape.

Place the rolled meatballs onto a sheet pan lined with foil and sprayed.

How you cook the meatballs is the next tip to keeping them juicy. Tip #3: do not overcook. I prefer to sear the outside and then allow them to finish cooking slowly in the sauce. There are many ways to go about searing the outside of the meatballs. I chose to try 2 different methods – I broiled most of them in the oven and put a few in the air fryer.

Have I mentioned how much I love my airfryer? Well I’m going to say it again. I think it is the greatest appliance I own! These meatballs were crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and took a whopping 10 minutes. And most importantly, the kids ate them up! #momwin #airfryerwin

While the meatballs are broiling, put together an easy tomato sauce.

Dice up the garlic and onion and saute in olive oil in a large pot. Once they begin to soften and brown, add the red pepper flakes and stir for 30 seconds. Add in the crushed tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Allow to come to a simmer. Add the basil and stir before serving.

Once the meatballs have a nice sear, place them in the simmering sauce and partially cover. Simmer for 20-30 minutes. The meatballs can be served in so many different ways. On Monday, I served them with cauliflower rice and it was delicious. Here it comes…my gush over cauliflower rice: I am obsessed with cauliflower rice. You can serve it plain with any protein or sauce on top, you can saute them with onions and garlic, add any number of spices. The options are endless. I have made them as a side for chicken, as “rice” in my fajita or with beans for my tacos. And all the while, you are eating a vegetable! Amazing! OK, gush over.

On night 2 I served them in a 1/2 spaghetti squash. The sweetness of the squash went very well with the meatballs and tomato sauce. So give these meatballs a try and let me know how it goes!