Sheet Pan Turkey Caprese Meatballs

I, just like everyone else out there in the universe, am obsessed with sheet pan dinners. They’re so easy to make and require practically no cooking (from you) at all. Just dump it all onto a sturdy baking sheet and let the oven do all the work for you. It really doesn’t get any better than that, especially if you hate cooking or simply don’t have much time for it during the week. If you recall, I’m no stranger to a sheet pan supper on this here blog. It all started with this Mediterranean Chicken Thigh situation that you all really seemed love. Then we visited New Orleans with this Sheet Pan Jambalaya number. Let’s not forget about the sausages and peppers, because I certainly haven’t. Then I took us to Peru with a Sheet Pan Lomo Saltado that I’m still dreaming about. Today, I figured it was high time for another reincarnation. Sheet Pan Turkey Caprese Meatballs complete with blistered tomatoes and crispy rosemary potatoes. It’s a complete meal that you can have on the table in less than an hour. 

Let’s start by preparing the potatoes. This is supposed to be a complete sheet pan meal, so the potatoes act as one of the sides! Cut a bunch of baby potatoes in half and then toss them around in a large bowl with oil, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, fresh rosemary, and garlic until evenly combined. 

**Tip: I’m using a mixed bag of baby potatoes, that has red, yukon gold and purple potatoes, but feel free to use all of the same kind or russet potatoes cut into larger chunks.**

Dump the potatoes out into an oiled baking sheet, and move them off to one side in a single layer. Then set the baking sheet off to the side. Let’s make the meatballs now. Using the same bowl as the potatoes (why dirty something else?) combine the ground turkey, bread crumbs, parmesan, parsley, egg, and seasonings until evenly incorporated. 

**Tip: Try not to over mix the mixture because you don’t want dry tough meatballs. Ground turkey can be so easily overmixed at times and so you need to be careful.**

Shape the mixture into meatballs about the size of a golf ball, and then place onto the prepared baking sheet, along with the potatoes, off to the empty side. Again, make sure they’re in an even layer. 

Scatter the cherry tomatoes around the meatballs. You can’t have caprese without tomatoes obviously, but they also act as the second side dish to this meal, rounding it out into a full and complete delicious meal. Drizzle the tomatoes and meatballs with a little olive oil and season lightly with a bit more salt and pepper.

Bake in a preheated 450 degree F oven until the potatoes are golden brown and crispy, the tomatoes have blistered and the meatballs are golden brown, about 30 to 35 minutes. Carefully remove the pan from the oven and top the meatballs with slices of mozzarella cheese. 

Place the baking sheet under the broiler and broil until the cheese has melted and just begun to brown, about 30 seconds to a minute. Remove from the oven once again and finish it off with a sprinkling of salt on the potatoes and some fresh basil over the meatballs and tomatoes.

You can serve this with crusty bread if you like to soak up some of the juices from the blistered tomatoes, but totally not necessary since it’s all quite filling on its own already. 

 
The most important thing about these sheet pan dinners is that you really do need a sturdy restaurant quality baking sheet for it. You don’t want to make them with those flimsy cookie sheets because they’ll warp in a very hot oven and also not cook things evenly. I love these baking sheets from Amazon and they’re reasonably priced, too! They’re also great because they come in a two pack!

Next time you’re in the mood for a quick and delicious meal after a long day of work, and you want a home cooked meal but don’t want to spend all night in the kitchen working up a sweat, just make these Sheet Pan Turkey Caprese Meatballs! They’re the absolute way to go before summer ends! 

Sheet Pan Turkey Caprese Meatballs

Sheet Pan Turkey Caprese Meatballs is the easiest weeknight meal you'll make all week long. It's cooked and served with rosemary garlic potatoes.

Servings 4 servings

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon granulated onion
• 1 ⁄4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 ⁄2 cup plain breadcrumbs
• 1 ⁄4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley
• 2 pints cherry tomatoes
• 1 lb baby potatoes cut in half
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary chopped
• 4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese sliced
• 1 ⁄4 cup fresh basil leaf sliced

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, grease with cooking spray, and set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine the turkey, egg, Italian seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic, 1/2 teaspoon granulated onion, pepper flakes, bread crumbs, parmesan and parsley until evenly incorporated. Form into balls about the size of a golf ball and place on one side of the baking sheet. Scatter the tomatoes around the meatballs.
• Place the potatoes, in a single layer, on the other side of the baking sheet. Drizzle everything with olive oil and season the potatoes with the remaining salt, pepper, smoked paprika and rosemary. Give the potatoes a gently toss to evenly combine.
• Roast in the oven until the meatballs have browned and the potatoes are golden brown and crispy, about 30 to 35 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the oven and top the meatballs and tomatoes with the cheese. Place under the broiler until melted through, about a minute. Top with basil and serve. Enjoy!

Author: The Candid Appetite