SUNDRIED TOMATO TURKEY MEATBALLS
This sundried tomato turkey meatballs recipe used to be my favorite office lunch prep staple, ever. I love the combination of the sundried tomatoes, dried herbs, feta cheese, arugula, and garlic. I made it ALL the time.
Sundried tomatoes are a great pantry staple to keep around. You can add them to omelettes, egg scrambles, sauces, salad dressings, salads, meatballs, burgers, and more! I always buy the dried version in the bag, as opposed to the jarred version in the oil. I prefer the dried version because I like to control the amount of oil that I consume. For RVers out there, the dried version is also better for pantry storage. The dried bags are lightweight and compact. But, the best part of the dried version is as you use your bag you can condense the remaining bag down and save space in your fridge! Refrigeration space is always a concern so choose condensable packaging whenever possible. If you want another recipe using sundried tomatoes check out my Sundried Tomato Chicken.
Previously, I used to cook these by baking in the oven. Since we have become full-time RVers, I cook always cook my meatballs using a skillet. A benefit of cooking in the skillet is you get nice brown edges all the way around. However, it is more labor-intensive than the oven because you need to monitor and rotate the meat often in your pan. But we are making gourmet meatballs in the middle of the desert!! How cool is that? As RVers, we are often limited to a single skillet cooking method. And when we are boondocking and don’t have the power to use an oven (if you are lucky to have one), the skillet is put to use! I use my skillet for all of my meals as I haven’t quite gotten into using the convection oven feature on my Cuisinart microwave.
Sundried Tomato Turkey Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds of lean ground turkey
- 1 ½ cups chopped fresh arugula
- 1 ½ tsp dried basil
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- 4 cloves garlic grated or minced
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 ½ tbl chopped sundried tomatoes
- 2 oz feta crumbles
- 1 tsp olive oil
Instructions
- Place the turkey, arugula, basil, oregano, egg, garlic, salt, pepper, and sundried tomatoes into a medium-sized mixing bowl and mix until well combined. Next, add in the feta crumbles and mix gently until incorporated.
- Divide mixture evenly into 12 balls, forming balls by rolling in your hands. While forming balls, try to keep the feta away from the exterior of the ball. If you see some feta on the edge, push in with your finger and reform mixture. Cheese on the exterior will melt while sautéing and will burn and make your pan messy.
- Place a large nonstick skillet over medium/high heat and add 1 tsp of oil. Arrange balls in a single layer with space in between. Brown the balls on all sides, turning frequently, until fully cooked through, about 15-20 minutes.
Looking forward to making the turkey meatballs. Would like to use my oven at what temp and for how long
Thank you, Sharon
Hi Sharon, thanks for checking out the recipe blog! For baking in the oven I would set it to 350, and cook on a cookie/baking sheet for 15-20 minutes. Check at 15 to see if they need more time. Enjoy!
I made these tonight and they were delicious! Super easy and flavorful. Thank you!
Hi Laura. I’m so happy you enjoyed them. They are one of my old go-to recipes! – Chris
I love these! I make them on a regular basis. Thanks Chris!
Hi Kristy. Glad to hear you love them. It’s great to find the staples in your normal rotation. These are pretty tasty, and I think I need to make them again!