Dinner ready in 30 minutes? Yes, please! I commute pretty far during the week (minimum 1.5 hours on the way home every day) and by the time I get into the kitchen I really don’t want to make something that takes a long time or a lot of effort. A turkey meatball is always a reliable choice, especially when they’re ready in 30 minutes (25 of which are spent in the oven)!
I like to strategically pick my weeknight dinners, usually opting for something that has to bake or simmer for at least 15 minutes. This gives me time to get at least one chore done while we wait for our dinner to be ready – love to switch the laundry, put a load away, do a load of dishes, or, more often than not, wash my face and put on pajamas.
Once dinner is made, I’m kind of down for the count. I’ll play with the pups, or work on a new recipe or do some “research” for “inspiration” on Pinterest. The last thing I want to do at night is clean! So, I get in a few minutes to tidy up while dinner does its thing.
These meatballs pack in so much flavor with all the herby goodness we chop up and get in there:
- Mint (trust me on this one!)
- Basil
- Chives
- Oregano, when I have some fresh handy
I love to finish them off with more fresh herbs, usually extra basil, a dash of lemon juice and most likely more salt 😉 – always with the salt. Like a little crunch to finish, but I digress.
So, while your oven is preheating to 425, you mix up an egg and panko crumbs. Once mixed well, you add in the salt, pepper, grated garlic, chopped herbs and meat and mix that all together. I personally use a stand mixer to do all the mixing for me – seems to just hold better together!
Once I’ve got the meat mixed well, I use a 2 tsp cookie scoop to form the meatballs and pop them onto a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silpat. The key is to not crowd them! I give the meatballs, I’d say, 1-2″ of room between them so they bake and don’t just steam.
I like to serve the meatballs over couscous, with a salad and some homemade ranch (like right on the suckers – so good!).
Herbed Turkey Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 c panko
- 2 tbsp each: fresh chopped mint, fresh chopped basil, fresh chopped chives, fresh chopped oregano
- 3 cloves garlic, grated
- 1-2 tsp salt, pepper or to taste
- 3 lb ground turkey
- fresh herbs, lemon for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425. Prepare baking sheet with silpat or parchment, set aside.
- In a bowl or stand mixer, combine egg and panko, mixing until the eggs are well beaten.
- Add herbs, garlic, salt, pepper and turkey and mix until well combined.
- Use a 2 tsp cookie scoop to form meatballs and place on baking sheet 1-2 inches apart (you need the room so the meatballs don’t steam).
- Bake for 25 minutes or until done.
