Description
A comforting and flavorful meatball and garlic bread traybake featuring succulent turkey meatballs simmered in a rich tomato sauce, topped with melted mozzarella and cheddar cheeses, and crispy garlic bread for a perfect one-pan meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 350g turkey thigh mince
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- Salt and pepper, to season
- 1½ tbsp olive oil, divided
Sauce & Toppings
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
- 2 tsp sugar
- 150g ball mozzarella, torn into pieces
- 4 garlic breadsticks or garlic bread slices, torn or chopped into chunks
- 25g cheddar, grated
To Serve
- Green salad or spaghetti
Instructions
- Prepare Meatballs: In a bowl, combine the turkey thigh mince, dried oregano, fennel seeds, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well. Take walnut-sized portions and shape them into meatballs.
- Brown Meatballs: Heat half the olive oil (¾ tbsp) in a large, shallow ovenproof pan over medium heat. Add the meatballs and cook, turning occasionally, until browned evenly on all sides but not fully cooked through. Remove meatballs and set aside on a plate.
- Sauté Onion and Garlic: In the same pan, heat the remaining olive oil. Add the chopped onion and cook gently for 10-12 minutes until softened, stirring regularly. Add the crushed garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Make Tomato Sauce: Stir in the tomato purée, chopped tomatoes, and sugar. Simmer the sauce gently for 10-15 minutes until thickened. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Assemble Traybake: Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan)/gas mark 6. Nestle the browned meatballs into the tomato sauce. Scatter the torn mozzarella pieces on top, then evenly distribute the garlic bread chunks and sprinkle grated cheddar over everything.
- Bake: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and golden, and the garlic bread is crisp and toasted.
- Serve: Serve the traybake hot with a side of green salad or cooked spaghetti as preferred.
Notes
- For a vegetarian version, substitute turkey mince with a plant-based mince alternative.
- Leftover meatballs and sauce make a delicious filling for hot dog buns topped with cheese—grill until cheese melts.
- You can use store-bought garlic breadsticks or slices to save time.
- Adjust the seasoning according to taste and dietary needs.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-inspired
Keywords: meatball traybake, garlic bread, turkey meatballs, tomato sauce, cheesy meatball bake, easy oven recipe
