Turkey Meatball and Garlic Bread (Printable)

Hearty casserole with tender turkey meatballs, marinara sauce, and crispy garlic bread topping

# What You'll Need:

→ For the Turkey Meatballs

01 - 1 ½ lbs ground turkey
02 - ½ cup breadcrumbs
03 - 1 large egg
04 - ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
07 - 1 tsp dried oregano
08 - 1 tsp salt
09 - ½ tsp black pepper

→ For the Sauce

10 - 3 cups marinara sauce
11 - 1 tsp dried basil
12 - ½ tsp red pepper flakes

→ For the Garlic Bread Topping

13 - 1 large French baguette, cut into 1-inch cubes
14 - 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
15 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
16 - 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
17 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
18 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or butter.
02 - In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, breadcrumbs, egg, grated Parmesan cheese, minced garlic, chopped parsley, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Mix gently until just combined, being careful not to overwork the meat.
03 - Shape the mixture into 1 ½-inch meatballs, approximately 18-20 total. Arrange them evenly in the prepared baking dish.
04 - Pour marinara sauce evenly over the meatballs. Sprinkle with dried basil and red pepper flakes if using. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes.
05 - While the meatballs bake, toss bread cubes with melted butter, minced garlic, and chopped parsley in a large bowl until thoroughly coated.
06 - Remove the baking dish from the oven. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan cheese over the meatballs and sauce. Arrange garlic bread cubes in an even layer on top.
07 - Return to oven and bake for 15 minutes, or until bread cubes are golden brown and cheese is melted and bubbly.
08 - Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld and make serving easier.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in one dish so you can actually relax while it bakes
  • The garlic bread topping gets perfectly crunchy while staying tender underneath
  • Turkey meatballs stay incredibly juicy without any fancy techniques
02 -
  • Overmixing the meatball mixture makes them tough, so mix just until combined
  • If your bread cubes start browning too fast, tent with foil for the last few minutes
  • The resting period is crucial, otherwise the sauce will be too runny
03 -
  • Use a cookie scoop to make perfectly uniform meatballs in seconds
  • Broil for 2 minutes at the end if you want extra crispy bread edges

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