Turkey Spinach Meatball Subs

During the last few months, I’ve become a news junkie.

This really shouldn’t be a surprise, especially since I am a journalism school graduate and went on to work at a newspaper full-time after graduation. In the time since I left my first journalism job, I’ve freelanced for various publications, covering a variety of different events.

The thing is… I loved working in the newsroom because I always had my finger on the pulse of where I lived. And ever since we moved to Dallas and my freelance work has changed significantly, I haven’t been able to follow the news through work quite as well.

My job in Baton Rouge introduced me to food photography, which I obviously adore, and I’ve been exploring that here. However, I don’t really do the newsy stuff anymore… and I miss it some days.

Sure, it’s traditionally doom and gloom, but there are bright spots, too. And I adore those bright spots.

And as one of my former co-workers always told me, I’m really good at capturing those bright spots, as opposed to covering death and destruction. (That’s not really my thing, in case you weren’t sure.)

So. I’m back to being a news junkie after taking a break from the news for far too long, and I enjoy it.

I love catching up with the evening news. I follow various local and national news outlets on Twitter. And when in my car, I’m listening to NPR.

And while I’m unsure of this shift in perspective, I’m fairly positive it has something to do with my nesting instinct and wanting to know as much as possible about my community and the world around us to prepare for our baby girl.

Or maybe it’s just me being neurotic as pregnancy winds down.

Whatever the case, these Turkey Spinach Meatball Subs are not neurotic.

They actually are derived from a pregnancy craving. (Is anyone really surprised at this point? I’m not.) I had a meatball sub at some point in July with a friend of mine, and I’ve been thinking about it off and on ever since.

The thing is? Meatball subs are delicious… but I won’t order one just anywhere. And since I still feel comfortable in my own kitchen, I did some tinkering one day.

The results were delicious, and Winston said these were his favorite meatballs to date.

Bonus points? These meatballs are healthier than the usual ones you’d come across in a restaurant, and they’re bursting with flavor. They also feature SPINACH! Which, as we all know, is something I love sneaking into dishes to get an additional serving of veggies. The marinara sauce is super simple. And the sandwiches are well worth the wait.

Here’s how I made ’em:

Turkey Spinach Meatball Subs

Erin Parker, The Speckled Palate

Satisfy a Meatball Sub craving with this healthier Turkey Spinach Meatball Sub. Flavorful and swimming in marinara sauce, it's hard not to love this simple and delicious sandwich.

5 from 2 votes

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Servings 12 sandwiches

Calories 437 kcal

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Ingredients

  

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Turkey Spinach Meatballs (makes 26 total)

• 1 ¼ lbs. lean ground turkey
• 12 oz. cut leaf spinach cooked and drained well
• 1 yellow onion finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves finely minced
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• ½ cup Parmesan cheese grated
• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano or 4 teaspoons fresh oregano
• ½ teaspoon dried basil or 1 teaspoon fresh basil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Marinara Sauce

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 yellow onion diced
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 2 ¾ cups tomato puree
• ½ cup water
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano or 4 teaspoons fresh oregano
• ½ teaspoon dried basil or 1 teaspoon fresh basil
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Sandwiches

• 12 Ciabatta rolls
• Fresh mozzarella cheese

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Instructions

 

Prepare the Meatballs

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare a baking sheet -- line it with parchment paper, aluminum foil or a silpat mat. Spray with cooking spray, and set aside.
• In a large glass bowl, combine the ground turkey, cooked spinach, onion, garlic cloves, panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan, egg and spices using your hands.
• When the meatball mixture has come together and is well mixed, prepare the meatballs. Using a small cookie scoop, form the meatballs with your hands, then place carefully on the baking sheet. Repeat the process until all the mixture has been made into meatballs.
• Bake the meatballs for 30-40 minutes, or until browned on the outside and cooked through in the middle.

Prepare the Marinara Sauce

• While the meatballs are baking, heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
• Add the onion and garlic, cooking for 2-3 minutes, or until the vegetables have become translucent.
• Pour in the tomato puree and water, stirring until combined. Add the tomato paste and the spices, and bring to a boil.
• Once at a boil, lower heat to a simmer and partially cover, simmering until the meatballs have finished cooking.

Combine the meatballs and marinara

• When the meatballs have finished cooking, transfer them directly into the marinara sauce.
• Simmer the sauce and meatballs for an additional 30 minutes.

Prepare the sandwiches

• Toast the bread.
• Slice the bread in half, and place the fresh mozzarella down first on the bottom slice.
• Gently spoon meatballs and marinara sauce on top of the mozzarella, then top the sandwich with the other half of the bread.
• Enjoy warm!

Nutrition

Serving: 1sandwichCalories: 437kcalCarbohydrates: 57gProtein: 26gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 70mgSodium: 936mgFiber: 5gSugar: 9g

Course Entrees

Cuisine Italian

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Are you a news junkie, too?