Summer Turkey Meatballs with Angel Hair! I created a summer version of my chicken parmesan meatballs and you need to try it stat!! Get ready, it's a keeper.
Table of Contents
Why I Love This Recipe
Today's Summer Turkey Meatballs with Angel Hair are a tribute to the days spent at the club with my fam, but with the addition of these lightened up summer turkey meatballs that you'll soon be obsessed with. Promise!
Have I ever told you guys about Italian night at our country club back in Tucson? Long story short, there was Italian night every Thursday at our club and we'd go on the regular because it meant my mom didn't have to cook dinner, we each got to order whatever we wanted, and someone else did the dishes. It was basically my favorite night of the week and every single week I'd order the exact same thing... angel hair pasta with tons of olive oil, heaps of sautéed garlic and parmesan cheese. That's it. I LOVED garlic and angel hair and anything else that came with it. It was my go-to for years!
We're adding these lightened up summer turkey meatballs which I would venture to say will become a staple in your house!! And word to the wise - this recipe calls for ground turkey meat - I usually buy the dark meat because it packs WAY more flavor... but truth be told, you can use any ground turkey meat you prefer. Or ground chicken. Choose your own adventure 🙂 Pair this up with some crispy roasted asparagus or a butter lettuce salad and grilled peaches for dessert for a perfect meal to host friends!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Angel Hair – any kind of pasta works in this recipe
- Cherry Tomatoes
- Ground Turkey – I prefer using 85% ground dark meat turkey
- Garlic Cloves
- Shallot
- Chives
- Shredded Parmesan
- Sun Dried Tomatoes Packed in Olive Oil
- Olive Oil
- Kosher Salt & Pepper
- Red Pepper Flakes
*For a full list of ingredients and instructions please see recipe card below.
How to Make Turkey Meatballs with Angel Hair
Step 1: Mix all the meatball ingredients in a bowl until everything is evenly incorporated without over mixing the ground turkey.
Step 2: Form the mixture into small meatballs, just smaller than a golf ball.
Step 3: Heat the olive oil in a large heavy bottom skillet over medium high heat. Once the oil is hot, add half of the meatballs and sauté for 3-4 minutes, turning every so often to brown the outside and then continue cooking through for about 6 minutes more. Once the meatballs are cooked, remove them from the oil and repeat the process with the remaining meatballs.
Step 4: In a large skillet, heat the 4 tablespoons of olive oil over medium high heat. Add the cherry tomatoes and sauté until they start to fall apart. Add the chopped garlic and season with salt and pepper.
Step 5: Cook the pasta according to the package directions.
Step 6: Drain and combine all the elements into a summer meatball pasta.
How to Store Meatballs and Angel Hair Pasta
You can store the leftover pasta once cooled in an airtight container for 2 days. Reheat on stovetop or in the microwave, till the meatballs are properly warmed through.
How to Freeze Meatballs and Angel Hair Pasta
I would recommend reserving extra meatballs for freezing and not freezing the pasta dish since the cherry tomatoes will not freeze well. To freeze the meatballs, place them on a sheet pan in the freezer for an hour or two. Once frozen, place them in freezer bags, this way they won't stick to each other. When its time to eat, thaw in the fridge overnight, and warm them in the oven at 350F or stovetop till they are warmed through and at a safe temperature!
Tips & Tricks
While I am an equal opportunity carb consumer, and have ZERO problem with angel hair, you can use any style of pasta you prefer for this recipe! Skies the limit.
I highly recommend making extra meatballs to freeze! They're perfect for busy family nights.
FAQs
How do you make turkey meatballs not fall apart?
It's all about the ratios of the ingredients. You need both wet and dry additions and then to really roll them into cute little balls so they stick together! This recipe is the perfect base and you can make modifications or additions as desired.
Do you put egg in turkey meatballs?
you certainly can - but I don't for this recipe! There is enough moisture from everything else!
Are meatballs better baked or pan fried?
Dealers choice - let your heart guide you!
Similar Recipes
If you tried this recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting today!
Summertime Turkey Meatballs
Ingredients
For the meatballs
- 1 pound 85% ground dark meat turkey
- 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1 shallot finely diced
- ¼ cup chives finely chopped
- ¼ cup shredded parmesan
- ¼ cup finely diced sun dried tomatoes packed in olive oil
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- ¼ cup olive oil
For the pasta
- 1 lb angel hair
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 pints cherry tomatoes halved
- 4 cloves garlic roughly chopped
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Transfer the ground turkey to a large bowl, and add in garlic, shallots, chives, parmesan, sun dried tomatoes, red pepper flakes, salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Using your hands, incorporate everything together. Make sure everything is evenly incorporated without over mixing the ground turkey.
- Form the mixture into small meatballs, just smaller than a golf ball.
- Heat the olive oil in a large heavy bottom skillet over medium high heat. Once the oil is hot, add half of the meatballs and sauté for 3-4 minutes, turning every so often to brown the outside and then continue cooking through for about 6 minutes more. Once the meatballs are cooked, remove them from the oil and repeat the process with the remaining meatballs.
- In a large skillet, heat the 4 tablespoons of olive oil over medium high heat. Add the cherry tomatoes and saute until they start to fall apart. Add the chopped garlic and season with salt and pepper.
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and combine all the elements into a summer meatball pasta.
Notes
- You can use any pasta you prefer for this recipe!
- Make extra meatballs and freeze them! It's perfect for busy family nights.
Have returned to this recipe at least 5 times! Love it!!
Delicious! Couldn’t believe how juicy the meatballs were. Going to be a summer fav for sure
Made this last night, and we loved it. Next time gonna use only ½ lb of pasta (just the 2 of us).
Incredible! Thanks so much for the recipe!
light, easy and delicious. we baked the meatballs, wouldve been better as written in recipe but easier for us to throw on a cookie sheet w/ parchment and bake.
So delicious!! However, my meatballs fell apart. Any recommendations?!
Moist meatballs! I used 97/3 on the Turkey, dropped the sun dried tomatoes and served over cauliflower rice with thinly sliced fennel. The flavors were delish. Definitely a keeper.
This was DELICIOUS!! Fairly easy to make. I could not find ground turkey with the correct fat content. My meatballs were a little dry because of it, but still tasty.
Yes please!!
This needs to be a regular!
Love your story! Is there an alternative to using sun dried tomatoes? I think I am allergic to them. I had a terrible reaction after eating a simple pasta dish that included them.
They all look & sound so yummy.