This gluten free Spaghetti and Turkey Meatballs recipe is made in a skillet on the stove, cooked in marinara sauce and topped with Parmesan!
One of my favorite comfort foods of all time is Spaghetti and Meatballs. This version is gluten free and make with ground turkey.
My husband and I recently purchased and moved into our first home. This is all well and good but the circumstances surrounding said purchase and move have been, well, crazy.
The past few months have been a blur of clogged drains, broken appliances, and flooded basements. Our only house guests have been a sea of contractors and plumbers and I'm pretty sure the folks at Menard's now know us by name.
The struggles of the past few months have left us craving some major comfort foods.
There is almost nothing better than a heaping bowl of pasta piled high with meatballs that have simmered in spaghetti sauce topped with some sharp Parmesan cheese and sprinkled with herbs.
Meals like this Spaghetti and Turkey Meatballs certainly don't undo the stress of life but during times like this they definitely help!
Jump to:
- Saute The Mushrooms
- How To Make Gluten Free Turkey Meatballs
- Sauté The Turkey Meatballs In A Skillet
- How Long Should I Cook The Meatballs In The Sauce?
- Prepare The Spaghetti Noodles
- What To Serve With Spaghetti and Turkey Meatballs
- How Long Turkey Meatballs Last In The Fridge?
- Spaghetti and Turkey Meatballs (Gluten Free)
Saute The Mushrooms
Spaghetti and Meatballs are great as is but I personally think that adding some sauteed mushrooms helps to send them over the top. Mushrooms just kind of make everything better - Amiright?
I love that earthy flavor against the sweetness of the spaghetti sauce.
If you like mushrooms I think you'll love these recipes:
- Easy Chicken Marsala Pasta
- Mushroom and Arugula Pizza
- Crispy Air Fryer Mushrooms
- Mushroom Gruyere Tartlets
- Mushroom and Olive Pasta
- Roasted Mushroom Tapenade
- Mushroom Shrimp Risotto
- Spinach Artichoke Stuffed Mushrooms
What Kind Of Mushrooms Should I Use?
You can use any type of mushroom you like - I usually go with cremini or button mushrooms simply because they're cheap.
- To make these sauteed mushrooms simply mince 4 cloves of garlic and slice 1 8 oz. package of cremini (or mushrooms of choice) into small pieces.
- Heat a skillet to medium and add 1 Tbsp. of olive oil.
- Add the minced garlic to the skillet and saute for 2-3 minutes, stirring often.
- Add the chopped mushrooms to the skillet along with a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Saute the mushrooms on medium-low heat for 5-6 minutes, stirring often. The mushrooms will cook down and caramelize a bit.
- Remove the mushrooms from the skillet and set aside when finished cooking.
Do I Need To Add Mushrooms?
You do not need to add mushrooms to this dish! If you don't care for mushrooms, simply leave them out and skip this step.
How To Make Gluten Free Turkey Meatballs
The ground turkey meatballs can be prepared as the mushrooms are sautéing in the skillet. I love to use turkey when making meatballs simply because it allows the flavor of the herbs and spices to shine through.
It's a little lighter than beef and pork meatballs and I find it to be just as satisfying.
- Place 1 - 1.5 lbs. of ground turkey in a mixing bowl.
- To the turkey add 1 large egg, ½ cup gluten free Panko breadcrumbs (use regular Panko breadcrumbs if not GF), 1 tsp. garlic powder, 1 tsp. onion powder, 2 tsp. Italian seasoning, ¼ tsp. salt, ¼ tsp. pepper, and ⅛ tsp. red chili flakes (optional).
- Mix the turkey and spices together with your hands until completely combined. (Be careful not to over-mix or the meatballs may become tough).
- Using a small ice cream scoop or spoon form the turkey into medium size balls (all of the meatballs should be relatively uniform in size to ensure even cooking).
- This amount of ground turkey should yield 12-15 meatballs.
Sauté The Turkey Meatballs In A Skillet
After you've sauteed the mushrooms and formed the turkey meatballs it's time to saute them! Feel free to use the same skillet as this cuts down on dishes.
- Heat the skillet to medium and add another Tbsp. of olive oil.
- Once the oil is heated place the turkey meatballs in the skillet one at a time.
- After all of the meatballs are in the skillet saute them for 2-3 minutes per side. The outside of the meatballs should turn a nice golden color as they cook.
- The meatballs are not to be fully cooked through at this point - The goal is to sear them and lock in the flavors.
How Long Should I Cook The Meatballs In The Sauce?
Once the meatballs have sauteed turn the heat down to low and add 1 24 oz. jar of your favorite gluten free spaghetti or marinara sauce. Most varieties of spaghetti and marinara sauce should be naturally gluten free but it's always safest to check.
Feel free to use any brand or variety of sauce you like.
Or make your own homemade spaghetti sauce if you're feeling really adventurous!
- Once all the meatballs are sufficiently covered in sauce place the cover on the skillet and cook for 25 minutes or so on medium-low. The cover will ensure that the sauce doesn't splatter all over as it cooks.
- Remove the cover and stir the meatballs around once or twice to ensure that they don't stick to the bottom.
The meatballs are fully cooked when the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
The internal temperature can be measured by using a meat thermometer.
Prepare The Spaghetti Noodles
You can't have Spaghetti and Turkey Meatballs without the spaghetti so feel free to prepare 1 package of your favorite gluten free spaghetti noodles (use regular spaghetti noodles if not GF) according to the package instructions.
- Drain the noodles once they have finished cooking but reserve ½ cup of the pasta water.
- Remove the cover from the skillet and add that ½ cup of reserved pasta water along with the sauteed mushrooms to it.
- Stir the mushrooms into the sauce until everything is combined.
Love Italian dishes? Be sure to check out these recipes!
- Lemon and Pea Risotto
- Sheet Pan Italian Chicken
- Garden Fresh Vegetable Lasagna
- Spinach Walnut Pesto
- Garlicky Mushroom Shrimp Risotto
What To Serve With Spaghetti and Turkey Meatballs
To serve simply place as many noodles as you like into a bowl and top with the cooked meatballs and a generous amount of the mushroom-y sauce.
Top with some grated Parmesan cheese and sprinkle on some dried or fresh herbs like basil or parsley if you like!
You can use any variety of pasta you like. If you'd prefer to stay low-carb you can use zucchini noodles or any other type of veggie noodles.
I always love hearty Italian dishes like this paired with a light salad like this Italian Green Bean Salad, Minty Pea Salad or Marinated Tomato Salad.
How Long Turkey Meatballs Last In The Fridge?
These spaghetti and meatballs should last 3-4 days stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
Make sure to cool the dish completely before transferring to the fridge for storage.
I don't know about you but I ALWAYS eat too much when it comes to meals like this.
Self-control can be hard to come by when we're talking comfort food but in honor of Sapa I think I'll throw self-control out the window when it comes to turkey from now on.
Love Italian meals? Check out these recipes!
- Italian Mozzarella Grilled Cheese
- Skillet Chicken Parmesan
- Baked Eggplant Parmesan
- Italian Chunky Vegetable Soup
- Tuscan Vegetable Soup
- Sheet Pan Italian Chicken
- Bruschetta Chicken Breasts
- Spinach Walnut Pesto
- Italian Grilled Chicken Sandwich
- Garden Vegetable Lasagna
Love meatballs? Check out these recipes!
Looking For More Turkey Recipes? Don't Miss These!
Crunchy Healthy Turkey Salad Recipe
Easy Turkey Soup with Cabbage
Quick Curried Turkey Rice Bowl
Turkey Meatloaf Muffins
Sriracha Lime Slow Cooker Turkey Tenderloin
Spaghetti and Turkey Meatballs (Gluten Free)
Ingredients
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 8 oz. package cremini mushrooms or mushrooms of choice
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil split
- 1 - 1.5 lbs. ground turkey
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup gluten free Panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- 2 tsp. Italian seasoning
- ⅛ tsp. red chili flakes optional
- ¼ tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. pepper
- 1 24 oz. jar spaghetti or marinara sauce
- 1 package gluten free spaghetti noodles
- ½ cup reserved pasta water
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese for garnish
- fresh or dried herbs for garnish
Instructions
- Mince 4 cloves garlic.
- Cut 1 8 oz. package of cremini mushrooms (or mushrooms of choice) into small slices.
- Heat a skillet to medium and add 1 Tbsp. olive oil. Add the minced garlic and saute for 2-3 minutes, stirring often.
- Add the chopped mushrooms along with a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Saute the mushrooms on medium-low for 5-6 minutes, stirring often. Remove the mushrooms from the skillet once they have cooked and set aside. [If you don't care for mushrooms you can leave them out and skip this step.]
- In a large mixing bowl combine 1 - 1.5 lbs. of ground turkey, 1 large egg, ½ cup gluten free Panko breadcrumbs (or regular Panko breadcrumbs if not GF), 1 tsp. garlic powder, 1 tsp. onion powder, 2 tsp. Italian seasoning, ¼ tsp. salt, ¼ tsp. pepper, and ⅛ tsp. red chili flakes (optional). Stir the mixture with your hands just until combined being careful not to over-mix.
- Form the turkey and spices into medium-size balls using a small ice cream scoop or large spoon. The meatballs should be relatively the same size to ensure that they cook evenly.
- Return the skillet to the stove top and heat to medium. Add another Tbsp. of olive oil. Place the meatballs in the skillet one at a time. Once all the meatballs are in the skillet saute them for 2-3 minutes per side until each side is golden brown.
- Reduce the heat the low and add 1 24 oz. jar of your favorite gluten free spaghetti or marinara sauce. Submerge all the meatballs in the spaghetti sauce and place the cover on the skillet. Cook on medium-low for 25 minutes or so.
- As the meatballs are simmering in the spaghetti sauce prepare 1 package of gluten free spaghetti noodles according to package instructions (use regular spaghetti noodles if not GF). Drain the noodles when finished and reserve ½ cup of the pasta water.
- Once the meatballs have finished cooking pour the reserved ½ cup of pasta water into the skillet along with the sauteed mushrooms. Stir the mushrooms into the sauce until everything is combined.
- To serve: Place desired amount of noodles in a bowl. Top with 2-3 meatballs and a generous portion of the mushrooms and sauce. Garnish with Parmesan cheese and dried or fresh herbs (optional).
Linda says
I'm sorry for your loss. It must be tough for the two of you. Meanwhile, these spaghetti meatballs look so comforting and exactly what I need at this moment. Speaking of house renovation, I've been there and it feels like a never-ending job.
Christine says
Hi Linda - Thank you for your kind words. 🙂 This is definitely the perfect comfort food to get you though tough times!
Ben Myhre says
I feel like Spaghetti can get such a bad rap for being unhealthy, Sure, a person can make it that way, but with some simple changes like you have here, you can make it such a delicious, hearty, and reasonably healthy meal. This looks so good.