This has become a new winter favorite in our house. It is a great one to make for big groups — meatballs can be done ahead of time for easy entertaining. You can serve it over mashed potatoes, egg noodles or riced broccoli.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 1/4 pounds ground turkey or chicken
- 1 egg
- 1/3 cup Panko bread crumbs
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 2-3 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- 4 carrots, chopped
- 2 cups cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 2 Tbls. tomato paste
- 1 1/2 cups dry red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon
- 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 thyme sprigs
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- Mashed potatoes, egg noodles or riced broccoli
DIRECTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 450. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
- Add the turkey, egg, bread crumbs, parmesan, and a pinch each of salt and pepper to a bowl. Coat your hands with a bit of olive oil and roll the meat into tablespoon-size balls (will make 15- 20 meatballs), placing them on the prepared baking sheet.
- Transfer to the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until the meatballs are crisp and cooked through.
- Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove the bacon and reserve. If there’s excess bacon grease, drain off all but 1 tablespoon.
- To the skillet, add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, until softened and fragrant. Stir in the garlic, carrots, and mushrooms. Cook another 5 minutes, until the vegetables are caramelizing on the edges. Add the tomato paste. Cook 1 minute.
- Add in the red wine, chicken broth, bay leaves, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine, bring the sauce to a boil, cook 10 minutes or until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Stir in the meatballs, cover and cook 5 minutes, until the meatballs are coated in the sauce. Remove the bay leaves and thyme and discard. Stir in the parsley and reserved bacon.
- Serve the meatballs and sauce over mashed potatoes, egg noodles or riced broccoli.