Best Turkey Meatballs EVER

So, you're tired of the same ol' turkey tacos and Cuban turkey picadillo? Cuz I sure am! Try these Mini Turkey Meatballs from the one & only Italian Queen Chef, Giada de Laurentiis! We buy a lot of ground turkey around here because it's lean and a filling alternative to red meat, but there are only so many times you can eat the same exact meal. I've never made meatballs from scratch in my life, but sooo glad I did!

Ingredients

• 1 small onion, grated
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup dried bread crumbs
• 3 tablespoons ketchup
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 pound ground turkey meat
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 26 ounces Simple Tomato Sauce, recipe follows, or store-bought marinara sauce

Directions

Add the onion, garlic, egg, bread crumbs, ketchup, parsley, Parmesan, Pecorino, salt and pepper to a large bowl and blend. Mix in the turkey. Shape the turkey mixture into 1 1/4-inch-diameter meatballs. Place on a large plate or baking sheet.

Heat the oil in a heavy large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and saute until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Turn off heat. Transfer the meatballs to a plate. Pour off any excess oil. Add the marinara sauce, about 3 cups. Return all the meatballs to the pan. Turn the heat to medium-low and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly and the flavors blend, 15 to 20 minutes. Season the sauce, to taste, with salt and pepper.

{FYI: I left out the grated onion, garlic cloves, Pecorino, and parsley because I didn't have any, but I substituted it for garlic powder and it turned out A-OK! Served with penne pasta and voila--brand new poultry!}