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5 from 3 votes

Turkey Meatballs with Roasted Tomato Sauce

Savory baked turkey meatballs – light, moist, and filled with flavor – are placed atop a bed of creamy celery-root puree, a lovely alternative to the traditional corn polenta. A delicious sauce of slow-roasted cherry tomatoes, tossed in olive oil, garlic, and balsamic vinegar results in a sweet & tangy tomato sauce that pairs up gorgeously. Garnished with fresh basil & parmesan, these flavors are as bright as a summer’s day…
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Course: Appetizer, Main Course
Servings: 4

Ingredients

– For the Roasted Cherry Tomato Sauce

  • 18 ounces of cherry tomatoes I used heirloom tomatoes for more color!
  • 3 cloves of garlic peeled & pressed
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons aged balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
  • 1 handful of fresh basil leaves torn
  • generous pinch of kosher salt & pepper

– For the Celery Root Puree

  • 1 medium celery root
  • 3 tablespoons of salted butter
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • pinch of kosher salt

– For the Turkey Meatballs

  • -16 ounces 85% lean ground turkey not “ground turkey breast”, which will make your meatball dry!
  • 1/3 cup plain Panko bread crumbs
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tablespoons finely grated parmesan cheese the good stuff.
  • 1 shallot peeled & minced
  • 2 cloves of garlic peeled & pressed
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried chili flakes
  • 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

Instructions

- To Make the Sauce

  • Preheat your oven to 325F and reserve a small baking dish.
  • Wash your cherry tomatoes and place half into a large mixing bowl.
  • Cut the other half in two with a sharp knife and add them back to the bowl. Keeping some of the tomatoes whole will create a little texture variation, and stop your sauce from getting too watery.
  • Add the garlic, olive oil, both vinegars, brown sugar, torn fresh basil, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
  • (*Set your celery root to boil – see below – at this point*)
  • Pour the tomatoes into your baking dish and spread them out slightly. Roast In the oven for 50-60 minutes, until bubbly & cooked down. The tomatoes will slightly caramelize, and your kitchen will smell amazing!
  • After about an hour, remove from the oven and place on a wire rack.
  • Reserve

– For the Celery Root Puree

  • Slice the knobby part (root-side) off the celery root, and peel the tough outer skin off with a potato peeler. Cut the peeled root in half, and then into chunks.
  • Fill a medium sized pot halfway with cold water. Add your celery root chunks to the pot with a pinch of salt. Place on medium high heat and let boil. Once at a rolling boil, cook until fork-tender (similar to potatoes), about 20 minutes.
  • (*Start mixing & forming the meatballs at this point*)
  • Once soft, drain the celery root chunks in a colander, and place them into a blender with 3 tablespoons of butter, 1/4 cup of cream, and a pinch of salt.
  • Cover and blend until smooth. If the mix is very thick, add a splash more heavy cream.
  • Place a fine mesh sieve over a medium sized bowl. Pour the puree into the sieve, and gently press through with a rubber spatula. This will stop any root fibers from going into your puree, for a perfect, velvety texture.
  • Adjust salt if needed. Reserve

– For the Meatballs

  • Preheat your oven to 375F. Set a piece of parchment paper on a large baking sheet. Reserve.
  • In a large mixing bowl, add the ground turkey, panko, egg, parmesan cheese, garlic, shallot and spices to the bowl. Mix together with your hands to thoroughly combine.
  • Using a gentle touch, grab a small handful of the meat mixture and slightly roll in your hands. Do not use a lot of pressure to roll the ground turkey mix together – we want to make nice soft meatballs!
  • Place the shaped meatball about 1 1/2 inches apart on the parchment-covered baking sheet. You should be able to make 8 meatballs from this recipe.
  • Bake at 375F for 20 minutes, or until the meatballs reach an internal temperature of 165F. Remove and plate.

– To Assemble

  • Using a shallow bowl, place two heaping spoons of celery root puree at the bottom of the plate and spread slightly with the back of a spoon. Next, add two meatballs on top. Generously spoon the roasted tomato sauce on top of the meatballs. Garnish with fresh basil & thin shavings of real parmesan.

Video

Turkey Meatballs With Roasted Tomato Sauce by straighttothehipsbaby on Jumprope.