High-Protein Baked Turkey Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
Baked turkey meatballs are the easy answer when you want something hearty without standing over a frying pan. You roll lean turkey mince with egg, breadcrumbs and Parmesan, bake them for 18 minutes at 220C (425F), then finish them in a quick tomato sauce while the pasta boils. One batch makes four dinners, so it is genuinely meal-prep friendly. Each plate lands around 600 kcal and 48g of protein, sized to your goal with no counting. If you would rather not measure a thing, tell Pann the one thing you have and it builds the meal around it, then walks you through it.
You need
- Large baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Large mixing bowl
- Box grater
- Wide pan or deep skillet
Ingredients
For 4 servings
- 700 g (1.5 lb) lean turkey mince (7% fat)
- 1 large egg egg
- 45 g (about 1/2 cup) dried breadcrumbs
- 40 g (1/2 cup) grated Parmesan
- 1 small onion onion, grated (for the meatballs)
- 1 medium onion onion, finely diced (for the sauce)
- 3 cloves garlic
- 800 g (two 400 g cans) chopped tomatoes
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 30 ml (2 tbsp) olive oil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 handful fresh basil
- 160 g (5.6 oz) wholewheat spaghetti (about 40 g per serving)
- to taste salt and black pepper
- 1 pinch chilli flakes (optional)
How to cook
Heat the oven to 220C (425F) and line a large baking sheet with parchment.
Grate the small onion and one garlic clove into a large bowl. Add the turkey mince, egg, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, oregano, and a good pinch of salt and pepper.
Mix with your hands until it just comes together, then stop. Overworking the meat makes the meatballs dense and tough.
Roll the mix into about 20 meatballs, each the size of a golf ball, and space them out on the sheet. Bake for 18 minutes, until browned and firm.
Rub a little oil on your palms first so the mix does not stick while you roll.
While the meatballs bake, warm the olive oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Cook the diced onion for 5 minutes until soft, then stir in the remaining garlic and the tomato paste for one minute.
Keep the heat gentle so the onion turns sweet and soft rather than browning.
Pour in the chopped tomatoes, add a splash of water, season, and simmer for 10 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly. Add the chilli flakes now if you want a little heat.
Slide the baked meatballs into the sauce and simmer for 5 more minutes so they soak up the flavour. Tear in the basil at the end.
Meanwhile, boil the pasta to the packet time, drain, and divide between four bowls. Spoon the meatballs and sauce over the top and serve. Let any leftovers cool before boxing them up for the next few days.
Why it fits a maintain goal
- Maintain sits in the middle, so each plate lands near 600 kcal: enough turkey and pasta to feel like a proper dinner without tipping into a surplus.
- Lean turkey mince and baking instead of frying keep the fat sensible while still reaching 48g of protein, which is what keeps you full for hours.
- Want it lighter on a rest day? Swap the pasta for extra vegetables. Training hard? Add a slice of garlic bread on the side.
Cooking guides
Pann is your AI cooking assistant: tell it what you've got and it builds the meal around it, quietly sized to your maintain goal. No food database, no log spiral.