Spaghetti Sauce with Turkey Meatballs

This recipe for homemade spaghetti sauce with turkey meatballs is so flavorful you may want to forgo the pasta and eat it straight from a bowl!

• Preparation Time: 25 mins
• Cooking Time: 1 hr 20 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 45 mins
• Calories: 347 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 pinch salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 (28 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
• ¾ cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 medium white onion, diced
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 4 cups water, or more as needed
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice, or more to taste
• 1 tablespoon red pepper paste
• 1 ½ pounds lean ground turkey

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Combine parsley, onion, garlic, and red pepper paste in the bowl of a food processor; process until finely blended. Transfer to a large bowl. Add turkey, basil, thyme, cumin, cinnamon, allspice, salt, and pepper; mix until thoroughly combined. Form mixture into uniformly-sized meatballs.

Step 2

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add meatballs, working in batches if necessary, and saute until browned on all sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove to a plate.

Step 3

Add 4 cups water, spaghetti sauce, diced tomatoes, and tomato paste to the saucepan; mix to combine. Add more water if sauce seems too thick. Drop meatballs into sauce and cook over medium-low heat until flavors have melded, about 1 hour.