Smoked Mozzarella Turkey Meatballs

The smell coming from the oven was amazing and they tasted just as good as they looked, so I had to share. These meatballs are healthier since they are made with turkey, but certainly not shy on flavor. I served them over pasta, but they would make a great meatball sub or even a party app. Logan ate the leftovers for lunch by themselves and said they were just as delicious. ENJOY!

Ingredients:

•    1 small onion, finely chopped

•    1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

•    15 basil leaves, chopped

•    2/3 cup grated Parmesan Cheese

•    1/3 cup Italian bread crumbs

•    1 large egg

•    ¾ cup favorite marinara sauce

•    3 garlic cloves, minced

•    1 pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

•    Salt and pepper to taste

•    2 lb ground turkey

•    3 oz cubed pieces of smoked mozzarella cheese

Instructions:

Position the oven rack in the lower 1/3 of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine the onion, parsley, basil, parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, egg, ¼ C marinara, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Once mixed, add in the turkey and smoked mozzarella cubes, mixing with your hands. Shape the meat mixture into meatballs.

Spoon 1/2 cup extra marinara in the bottom of a baking dish. Place the meatballs inside and drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil. Bake for 15 -20 minutes until cooked through.

adapted from Kelly Craves