Ranch Turkey Meatballs
in Marinara
Turkey meatballs seasoned with ranch, garlic, and Parmesan baked right in a pool of marinara sauce — tender, flavorful, and completely hands-off once they go in the oven. A fun twist on a classic that works beautifully over zucchini noodles or cauliflower rice with the marinara spooned generously over the top.
- 1 lb lean ground turkey
- 1 packet dry ranch seasoning mix
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ jar marinara sauce (about 12 oz)
- — fresh basil or parsley, to garnish (optional)
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1
Preheat & make the mixture
Preheat oven to 375°F. Add the ground turkey, ranch seasoning packet, egg, grated Parmesan, and minced garlic to a large bowl. Mix with your hands until just combined — don't overwork the meat or the meatballs will be dense. The mixture should feel cohesive but light.
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2
Form the meatballs
Using a small cookie scoop or your hands, roll the mixture into 1 oz balls — roughly the size of a large grape. Aim for consistency in size so they all finish cooking at the same time. This should yield about 20 meatballs.
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3
Bake in marinara
Pour the marinara sauce into an 8x8 baking dish and spread it into an even layer. Nestle the meatballs into the sauce in a single layer — they should be mostly submerged, which keeps them moist and allows them to absorb the marinara flavor as they bake. Bake uncovered at 375°F for 22–25 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through to 165°F.
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4
Serve
Garnish with fresh basil or parsley if desired. Serve the meatballs and marinara over zucchini noodles or cauliflower rice, spooning the sauce generously over the top. Alternatively serve straight from the baking dish with a fork — they're just as good eaten simply.
- Baking in the sauce is the key: Nestling the meatballs directly in the marinara keeps them moist and tender throughout baking — they absorb the tomato flavor from the outside in, which makes them taste significantly better than meatballs baked on a rack and then sauced at the end.
- Cookie scoop for uniform size: A small cookie scoop makes quick, uniform 1 oz meatballs in seconds without rolling each one by hand — worth using if you have one, and it means every meatball finishes cooking at exactly the same time.
- Don't overmix: Mix just until the ingredients are combined and stop — working the meat too much develops the proteins and makes for tight, dense meatballs. Light hands every time.
- Serve over zucchini noodles: The ranch-seasoned meatballs and marinara over zucchini noodles is a genuinely excellent combination — the bright tomato sauce and herby meatballs work beautifully with the fresh zucchini.
- Meal prep: These keep in the fridge for up to 4 days stored in the marinara — the sauce keeps the meatballs moist as they sit. Reheat gently in the microwave for 90 seconds or in a small saucepan over low heat.