You’ll Love This Spaghetti with Turkey Meatballs in Spicy Tomato Sauce Recipe

Updated: January 15, 2024 by Olivia Mittak | Leave a comment

Spaghetti with meatballs is one of the most popular dinners on the planet. If you ask anyone to name a pasta dish, this is going to more than likely be the one they name. Few combinations in food have been as successful or time-tested.

Meatballs are usually made with ground beef, but with more and more Americans becoming health-conscious interest in other meats is growing. This recipe uses turkey for its meatballs, cutting down on the fat and calorie content by a significant margin.

To add some flair to this dinner, we're using a spicy tomato sauce. The heat level of this sauce isn't high, so don't worry if you're sensitive to spice. The majority of taste buds out there should be able to handle this sauce without wanting milk immediately after.

Stick with whole-wheat spaghetti for a healthier pasta option. Whole-wheat spaghetti has a lot of fiber in it, which will help keep your family's digestive systems operating at their best. Fiber is a food source for the healthy bacteria in a person's gut, which is why it's so important. On that note, let's get into this recipe!

Spaghetti with Turkey Meatballs in Spicy Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:

For the Sauce:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped (about 1½ cups)
4 cloves garlic, minced (about 4 teaspoons)
3 tablespoons tomato paste
One 28-ounce can crushed fire-roasted tomatoes, with their juices
1 teaspoon finely minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce, or more to taste
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 sprig fresh rosemary
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
¼ cup torn fresh basil

For the Meatballs:
Cooking spray
1 pound lean ground turkey meat*
1 slice whole-wheat bread, crusts removed and pulsed into crumbs in a food processor
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan
½ cup finely grated carrot
½ cup finely chopped onion
2 large garlic cloves, minced (about 2 teaspoons)
2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
1 large egg, lightly beaten
½ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper

For the Spaghetti:
One 16-ounce box whole-wheat spaghetti
⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Minced fresh flat-leaf parsley for garnish

Directions:

1. To make the sauce, in a 4-quart saucepan heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring a few times, until translucent, about 3 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste, tomatoes, chipotle, oregano, and rosemary, bringing to a low boil, reduce the heat to low, and cook until the liquid has evaporated slightly, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

2. While the sauce is cooking, make the meatballs. Preheat the broiler. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Combine the ingredients for the meatballs in a large bowl. Form into 2½-inch balls and place on a baking sheet. Broil until browned and almost entirely cooked through, about 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, remove the rosemary sprig from the sauce and stir in the basil. Add the meatballs to the sauce, cover, and cook until sauce has slightly thickened and meatballs have absorbed some of the sauce, about another 10 minutes.

4. While the meatballs are cooking, cook the spaghetti according to the package directions. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Add the sauce and meatballs, toss together, and heat through over medium heat. Divide evenly among 6 pasta bowls, sprinkle with the Parmesan, garnish with parsley, and serve.