Turkey Rice Meatballs in Red Wine Tomato Sauce
If you want to stay healthy but feel full, try these turkey rice meatballs with a savory red wine-tomato sauce. You will not be disappointed!
Equipment
Large mixing bowl
Rimmed baking sheet
Large saucepan or Dutch oven with lid
Instant-read thermometer
parchment paper
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground turkey sausages - uncooked, casings removed, about 450g
1 cup brown rice - cooked, about 195g
1 medium yellow bell peppers (yellow capsicum) - finely chopped
1 medium onion - finely chopped (optional)- 1 tsp dried onion flakes
2-3 tbsp parsley - fresh, chopped
1 can crushed tomatoes - 28 oz / 794g- 1 cup dry red wine - 240ml
½ tsp salt - or to taste
¼ tsp ground black pepper - or to taste
¼ tsp red pepper flakes - or to taste
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the cooked brown rice, finely chopped yellow bell pepper, and turkey sausage (casings removed). Add the dried onion flakes, chopped onion, and parsley. Mix with your hands until just combined — do not overwork or the meatballs will be dense. Form into 12 palm-sized balls, about 2.5 oz (70g) each.1 lb ground turkey sausages, 1 cup brown rice, 1 medium yellow bell peppers (yellow capsicum), 1 medium onion, 1 tsp dried onion flakes, 2-3 tbsp parsley
- Place the meatballs on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet, spaced 2 inches apart. Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F / 175°C (180°C fan-forced) for 25-30 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the centre of the largest meatball reads 165°F / 74°C. Colour alone is not a reliable indicator of doneness for turkey — always use a thermometer.
- In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, combine the crushed tomatoes and red wine over medium heat. Bring to a gentle simmer, then carefully add the baked meatballs. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30-40 minutes, turning the meatballs once halfway through. Season with salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste.1 can crushed tomatoes, 1 cup dry red wine, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp ground black pepper, 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- Serve the meatballs with a generous spoonful of sauce. They are excellent over fresh spinach dressed with garlic oil and grated Parmesan, tossed with pasta, or enjoyed on their own.
Notes
Storage: Keep leftover meatballs in their sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The sauce improves overnight as the wine mellows.
Freezing: Cool completely, then freeze meatballs in the sauce for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating on the stovetop over low heat.
Reheating: Return meatballs and sauce to a covered saucepan over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring once. Avoid microwaving, which dries out the exterior.
Substitution: Use plain ground turkey instead of turkey sausage — add ½ teaspoon each of fennel seed, garlic powder, and salt per pound to compensate for the missing seasoning.
Pro Tip: Do not skip the oven stage. Baking first sets the meatball shape and reaches a safe 165°F / 74°C internally, so the sauce simmer can focus on building flavour rather than cooking raw meat.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 146kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 9gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 28mgSodium: 327mgPotassium: 250mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 189IUVitamin C: 22mgCalcium: 21mgIron: 1mg
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