TURKEY MEATBALLS WITH PAPRIKA, PEPPER, + GOAT CHEESE

Overview

Long gone are the days of dry turkey meatballs!

Justin gave me multiple fist bumps when he first tried these meatballs.

They’re easy enough you can make them on a Tuesday night but fun + different enough they can be served on the weekend. Whenever you choose to make them, you’ll love them!

These work with both 100% ground turkey OR a blend of beef + turkey. I loved them with about 3/4 lb of turkey and 1/4 lean ground beef.

What makes these a little different is the cheese inside. Adding a bit of goat cheese adds a richness and tang that cuts through the red pepper + paprika and just makes these meatballs shine in a glorious wake up late on a Sunday morning with nothing to do type of way.

I love serving them with this romanesco sauce.

Makes 9-12 meatballs

Hi, I’m Jackie, Founder of Jackie Cooks and Drinks, and a BIG believer that cooking, creating and entertaining should be FUN.

Shopping List

  • 1 lb ground turkey, or a combination of beef + turkey
  • 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3/4 c panko bread crumbs
  • 1 large egg
  • 3 oz goat cheese
  • 2 tsp parsley
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

Method

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a saute pan over medium low heat, drizzle 1-2 tsp of olive oil and add your onions + garlic. Reduce heat to low and cook the onions  until translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

In a large bowl, combine the onion/garlic, panko, egg, goat cheese, spices, and turkey (and/or beef if using a combo) and mix until combined. Be careful to not over mix (no tough meatballs allowed!).

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and scoop about 1/4 cup size meatballs into your hand and form balls. Place on the baking sheet and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes, until the internal temperature of the meatballs reach 165 degrees. Cook time will depend on the size of the meatballs! Smaller meatballs equal less cook time; larger, more cook time.

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