This pasta with tomato sauce and turkey meatballs is an easy homemade dinner made with simple pantry ingredients. Tender baked turkey meatballs are served with a rich tomato sauce and your favorite pasta for a comforting meal that’s perfect for busy weeknights, family dinners, or meal prep.
I tested these turkey meatballs several times to get a texture that stays tender without falling apart. The combination of breadcrumbs, milk, and Parmesan helps keep the meatballs moist, which is especially important when using lean ground turkey.
For the tomato sauce, I like using a combination of crushed tomatoes and diced tomatoes. The crushed tomatoes create a smooth, rich sauce while the diced tomatoes add texture. During testing, I found that simmering the sauce for at least 20 minutes helped develop a deeper tomato flavor without requiring a long cooking time.
The meatballs bake directly in the oven instead of being fried. This method is easier, uses less oil, and allows you to cook multiple batches at once if you’re feeding a crowd or meal prepping for the week. Then simply toss them in the sauce and simmer until serving!
Ingredients + Substitutions
See the recipe card for exact amounts.
- Ground turkey: Lean ground turkey works well, but extra lean turkey can produce drier meatballs. Ground beef works well also.
- Breadcrumbs: Regular breadcrumbs or panko both work. The breadcrumbs help keep the meatballs tender.
- Milk: Combined with the breadcrumbs, milk creates a softer texture and helps prevent dry meatballs.
- Parmesan cheese: Adds savory flavor and helps season the meatballs throughout.
- Tomatoes: A combination of crushed tomatoes and diced tomatoes creates a sauce with both richness and texture.
- Italian seasoning: Use your favorite blend or a combination of dried oregano, basil, and parsley.
- Pasta: Spaghetti, rotini, penne, rigatoni, or fusilli all work well with this recipe.
Tips for making pasta sauce with meatballs
- Let the pasta sauce simmer on low for an hour or longer for really deep flavor. Stir occasionally.
- The sauce is great for groups or for meal prepping.
- Use a cookie scoop when making meatballs for consistent portions. This helps them cook evenly.
What to serve with pasta and meatballs
I love pasta and meatballs with a simple side salad or my favorite side dish – bread. Try cheese-stuffed garlic bread, easy focaccia bread, simple but classic dinner rolls, or go all out with jalapeno cheddar swirl bread. Add a simple vegetable side like roasted broccoli and carrots or brown sugar Brussels sprouts.
Storage
Store the leftover sauce and meatballs in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. If meal prepping, make just the sauce and meatballs and make fresh pasta when serving as it tastes better fresh.
FAQs
Yes. The turkey meatballs can be baked up to 3 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator. Reheat them in the tomato sauce before serving.
Spaghetti is the classic choice, but rotini, penne, rigatoni, and fusilli all work well because they hold onto the tomato sauce.
More Pasta Recipes
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Turkey Meatballs with Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 lb pasta cooked to your liking
For the Sauce
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 large onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup red wine optional
- 28 oz crushed tomatoes
- 28 oz diced tomatoes or whole canned tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- 1 teaspoon granulated white sugar
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- black pepper to taste
- fresh basil or parsley, for serving
- grated Parmesan cheese for serving
For the Meatballs
- 1 lb. ground turkey or beef if you prefer
- ¼ cup breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
For the Sauce
- Heat oil and butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Cook the onions for about 5 minutes, or until soft. And the garlic and red pepper flakes, if using, and cook for one more minute. (If using red wine, add now and then cook until most of the moisture is gone. Then continue.)
- Add all tomatoes, oregano, basil, and sugar. salt and pepper. Bring to almost boil, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Meanwhile, make the meatballs, if using. Cook pasta to your preference.
- After 30 minutes, stir in parsley and basil into the sauce.
- Add the cooked meatballs to the pot. Serve sauce and meatballs on top of noodles with parmesan cheese.
For the Meatballs
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Mix the breadcrumbs and spices, then add the milk. Let the breadcrumbs absorb the milk for a minute or two.
- And the ground turkey and mix well.
- Scoop, using a 1½ tablespoon scoop, onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Roll into round balls with slightly wet hands.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, until cooked through with a bit or color on the outside.
Notes
Nutritional information is an estimate. Values vary based on products used. Read our full Nutrition Disclaimer.
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I always like trying new recipes with ground turkey. Thanks for sharing with us at Throwback Thursday! Pinned and shared!