Gluten-Free Turkey Meatballs in Sauce

You'll love my Gluten-Free Turkey Meatballs in Sauce! This recipe uses oats instead of bread crumbs, but no one will notice! Enjoy these fork-tender meatballs and a delicious sauce without the hassle of browning the meatballs first.

You don't need to eat gluten free to enjoy these meatballs. They're tender, tasty and won't fall apart.

They're easy to cook, too. Just drop 'em in the sauce and simmer!

No more cone-shaped meatballs! These will stay nice and round for you, since they're not browned on the stove first.

And the ground turkey gives the tomato sauce wonderful flavor.

(By the way, if you're looking for old-school meatballs, don't miss this Authentic Italian Beef Meatballs Recipe!)

Recipe ingredients

Tips for making turkey meatballs

• Dark meat will provide the most flavor (and fat). But you can make healthy turkey meatballs with lean, white meat.
• If you need these to be gluten free, you must use gluten-free oats. Otherwise, regular oats are fine.
• To make moist meatballs, soak the oats in water first and use them instead of bread crumbs. The meat mixture will feel a bit soggy, but no worries.
• To ensure tender meatballs, gently shape them into rounds with your hands, without packing them tightly.

Tips for making the tomato sauce

• I recommend using two cans of crushed tomatoes, plus one can of peeled tomatoes for a nice consistency.
• You only need ¼ cup of olive oil if using dark ground turkey in the sauce. The meat will provide plenty of flavor and fat.
• If you use lean, white-meat turkey, you'll need to add an extra 2-4 tablespoons of olive oil to the sauce to give it more flavor, unless you prefer a low-fat option.
• Use at least a 6-quart pot (affiliate link) to fit the sauce and meatballs.

What to serve with them

We love our meatballs and sauce with pasta. (Use gluten-free pasta if needed.)

They also would be great over spaghetti squash or zucchini noodles, for a low-carb option. Of course, a meatball sandwich would be nice too!

Frequently asked questions

One last tip!

If you serve these gluten-free meatballs to beef lovers, don't tell them it's turkey until after they've tried it. My Dad loved this meal so much, I was almost afraid to say anything.

I confessed after his first few bites.

"Really?" he said, and kept right on eating. "This is so good."

Other recipes to try

If you love these meatballs, you must try this Italian Meatloaf, which is fantastic with either ground chicken or ground turkey. And don't miss this chicken meatball soup or my turkey chili!

You might also like these stuffed peppers (use turkey if you prefer). And, you have to make this Sunday sauce with pork ribs and this fresh tomato sauce!

Finally, don't miss these 63 Italian Appetizer Recipes!

Enjoy!

If you try these Gluten-Free Turkey Meatballs in Sauce, please leave a comment and a rating!

Gluten-Free Turkey Meatballs in Sauce

You'll love my Gluten-Free Turkey Meatballs in Sauce! This recipe uses oats instead of bread crumbs, but no one will notice! Enjoy these fork-tender meatballs and a delicious sauce without the hassle of browning the meatballs first.

5 from 5 votes

Print Pin Rate Save Go to Collections

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 8

Calories: 289kcal

Author: Mamma C

Ingredients

Sauce

• ▢ 6 garlic cloves (peeled & sliced thinly)
• ▢ 1 large onion (peeled & chopped)
• ▢ ¼ cup olive oil (use more for white meat turkey; see notes)
• ▢ 2 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes (I like Tuttorosso or Cento San Marzano)
• ▢ 1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes (mashed with a potato masher)
• ▢ 2 bay leaves
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon black pepper

Meatballs

• ▢ 1 egg (lightly beaten)
• ▢ 4 tablespoons water
• ▢ ⅓ cup whole grain oats (use gluten-free if needed)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon dried parsley (optional)
• ▢ 1 large garlic clove (peeled & chopped)
• ▢ ¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon salt
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ 1.2 lbs lean ground turkey (see notes)

US Customary - Metric

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

• Peel and chop a large clove of garlic and set it aside for the meatballs. Peel and slice six cloves of garlic and chop the onion. Heat olive oil in a 6-quart pot on medium-high. Add onions and cook until soft (around five minutes), stirring occasionally. During the last two minutes, add the garlic slices to the pan and stir them to combine with the onions.
• After the onions are soft, add the cans of tomatoes to the pot. Mash the peeled tomatoes with a potato masher to break them up. Stir to combine and add the bay leaves, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
• When the sauce comes to a boil, lower the heat and loosely cover the pot with a lid, using a wooden spoon resting on the edges of the pan to keep the lid propped open a bit.
• For the meatballs, while your hands are clean, place a large spoon within reach of the pot. Place the oats in a small bowl and pour the water over them. Stir and let soak for a couple of minutes. In a large bowl, lightly beat the egg with a fork and add the parsley, chopped garlic, Parmesan, salt, pepper, and the oats/water mixture. Add the meat to the bowl and mix all the ingredients gently with your hands.
• Shape the mixture into meatballs about two inches wide. Gently place the meatballs into the sauce (place a couple at a time on the large spoon and transfer them). Wash your hands well and stir the sauce gently with the wooden spoon, being careful not to break the meatballs. Wash the wooden spoon and rest it again on the rim of the pot, so it props the lid. (Do not taste the sauce until the meatballs are fully cooked.)
• Stir the sauce occasionally to prevent sticking, being sure to gently scrape along the bottom of the pot. After 35 minutes, check to see if the meatballs are done by cutting into the largest one. If it is cooked through, the sauce can be tasted going forward. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked meatballs to a serving bowl and cover with foil. Continue cooking the sauce for another 20 minutes.
• Serve the meatballs and sauce over pasta or in hoagies. Store leftover sauce and meatballs in the refrigerator for up to four days, or freeze separately. (See notes.)

Video

Notes

• Dark meat will provide the most flavor (and fat). But you can make healthy turkey meatballs with lean, white meat.
• If you need these to be gluten-free, you must use gluten-free oats. Otherwise, regular oats are fine.
• If you use lean, white-meat turkey, you'll need to add an extra 2-4 tablespoons of olive oil to the sauce to give it more flavor, unless you prefer a low-fat option.
• You can definitely freeze these meatballs, either raw or cooked. If freezing them after they're cooked, let them cool off first.
  First, flash freeze the meatballs on a sheet pan for at least an hour. Then transfer them to a freezer bag.
  You also can freeze the sauce, separately, in a plastic quart container.
  To thaw raw meatballs, place them in the refrigerator overnight. Then you can make the sauce and cook the meatballs in it as directed.

Nutrition

Calories: 289kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 66mg | Sodium: 882mg | Potassium: 1029mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 670IU | Vitamin C: 29.3mg | Calcium: 216mg | Iron: 4.5mg

Tried this Recipe? Mention @cookingwithmammac or tag #CookingWithMammaC!

(Recipe Source: Cooking with Mamma C. Originally published on July 28, 2014 and updated now with new photos and text.)