Turkey Meatball and Garlic Bread (Printer-Friendly)

Hearty turkey meatballs and marinara topped with crispy garlic bread chunks and melted cheese

# What You’ll Need:

→ Turkey Meatballs

01 - 1 ½ lbs ground turkey
02 - ½ cup breadcrumbs
03 - 1 large egg
04 - ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
07 - 1 tsp dried oregano
08 - 1 tsp salt
09 - ½ tsp black pepper

→ Sauce

10 - 3 cups marinara sauce
11 - 1 tsp dried basil
12 - ½ tsp red pepper flakes

→ Garlic Bread Topping

13 - 1 large French baguette, cut into 1-inch cubes
14 - 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
15 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
16 - 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
17 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
18 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F and grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or butter.
02 - Combine ground turkey, breadcrumbs, egg, Parmesan, minced garlic, parsley, oregano, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Mix gently until just combined, then form into 1 ½-inch meatballs, yielding approximately 18-20 pieces.
03 - Place meatballs in the prepared baking dish and pour marinara sauce evenly over them. Sprinkle with dried basil and red pepper flakes if desired.
04 - Bake uncovered for 20 minutes to partially cook the meatballs and heat the sauce.
05 - While meatballs bake, toss bread cubes with melted butter, minced garlic, and chopped parsley in a large bowl until evenly coated.
06 - Remove dish from oven. Sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan cheese over meatballs, then arrange garlic bread cubes in an even layer on top.
07 - Return to oven and bake for 15 minutes until bread cubes are golden brown and cheese is fully melted and bubbly.
08 - Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld and make serving easier.

# Helpful Hints:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in one pan so cleanup is practically nonexistent
  • The crispy garlic bread topping soaks up just enough sauce while staying perfectly crunchy on top
  • Turkey meatballs stay incredibly juicy even after baking thanks to the breadcrumbs and Parmesan
02 -
  • Overmixing the meatball mixture makes them dense and rubbery, so combine until just barely holding together
  • The bread topping starts softening the longer it sits, so serve straight from the oven for the best texture contrast
03 -
  • Use a cookie scoop to make perfectly uniform meatballs that cook evenly
  • Let the baking dish sit on a folded towel on the counter so the hot glass does not shock your countertops

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