Skillet Meatballs in Marinara Sauce

How’s everyone’s weekend going? Mine has been uneventful to say the least, but that’s ok because the next two weeks are going to be a mad whirlwind in the kitchen getting recipes perfected for Thanksgiving. Before I start sharing delicious side dishes and desserts for you to serve on turkey day I want to tell you about these super easy, Skillet Meatballs in Marinara Sauce that I made for dinner last week.

Meatballs are some of the greatest round little bites to ever be made. I love that you can flavor them with whatever herbs and spices you like and that the serving options are endless. My favorite way to eat meatballs is straight up with a fork or toothpick if I’m going the appetizer route. However, when I made these skillet meatballs for dinner I served them with toasty garlic bread for dipping in that wonderful marinara sauce. The next day, I served my husband’s meatballs over pasta and I enjoyed mine a la carte with a few extra spoonfuls of the sauce. Other ideas for serving them are on an Italian sub sandwich, cut up and added as a topping to a pizza, or you could even make them extra small and add them to a soup such as minestrone or Italian wedding soup. Like I said, the possibilities are endless!

What I haven’t mentioned yet is that these meatballs have a little secret stuffed inside of them, just waiting to ooze out. It’s name is mozzarella cheese! I absolutely love food that has something stuffed in the middle of it. It’s so exciting to bite into food and have something unexpectedly delicious hiding in the center. It’s a nice added bonus to an already delicious bite.

To make the Skillet Meatballs in Marinara Sauce I combined lean ground turkey, a beaten egg, panko breadcrumbs, garlic, basil, and oregano in a bowl. I mixed it all together then formed the meatballs. I’ve found that using a small ice cream/cookie scoop is the fastest and best way to ensure all your meatballs are the same size. While the meatball was still in the scoop I tucked a small cube of mozzarella cheese into the center then covered it up with the meat. It’s seriously such an easy method and yields wonderful results. I already had my Easy Marinara Sauce made and was storing it in the freezer so all I had to do was defrost it. If you don’t feel like making your own sauce or don’t have time, simply use your favorite store bought brand. I heated my cast iron skillet over medium high heat and sprayed it generously with cooking spray. Once the skillet was hot I added in the meatballs and browned them on each side for about 2 minutes. I then added in about three cups of the marinara sauce, turned the heat down to medium low, covered the skillet with a lid, and let everything simmer for about 10 minutes. The smell of the meatballs and sauce makes the whole house smell amazing! Once the meatballs are ready top them with shredded mozzarella cheese and then the rest is up to you. Eat them as is, stick them in a sandwich, on top of a pizza, or in a soup, just be sure to eat them!

Skillet Meatballs in Marinara Sauce

Yield: 4-5 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Italian flavored turkey meatballs stuffed with mozzarella cheese and simmered in delicious marinara sauce.

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Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground turkey breast
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs, gluten-free breadcrumbs if needed
• 1 tablespoon worcestershire
• 1 clove garlic, grated or minced
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
• 3 ounces part skim mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1/2 cup shredded part skim mozzarella cheese
• 3 cups marinara sauce

Instructions

1. In a large bowl combine the ground turkey, egg, panko, worcestershire, garlic, basil, oregano, salt and pepper with your hands.
2. Using a small ice cream scoop, scoop the meatball mixture. Take one of the pieces of cubed mozzarella and stuff it into the center of the meatball, making sure to cover the cheese completely with meat. Repeat the process until all of the meat mixture is gone.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and spray it generously with cooking spray or add a tablespoon of olive oil. Place the meatballs in the skillet and brown them for 2 minutes on each side.
4. Pour the marinara sauce evenly into the skillet and turn the heat down to medium low. Cover the skillet with a lid and simmer the meatballs for 10 minutes. Top the meatballs with the shredded mozzarella and serve.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 5 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 331Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 143mgSodium: 1058mgCarbohydrates: 18gFiber: 4gSugar: 9gProtein: 34g

 More Skillet Dinners:

Turkey and Vegetable Skillet

 Zucchini, Kale, and Sage Frittata 

Green Chile Chicken Pot Pie