Creamy pasta with turkey meatballs and carrot-tomato sauce - photo 1
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Creamy pasta with turkey meatballs and carrot-tomato sauce

Pikantne Kids' Lunches Main dishes 60 min Medium 11 wyświetleń ~33.21 PLN - (0)
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Description

Creamy pasta with turkey meatballs is a warm, homemade comfort food perfect for winter lunches for kids. Tender meatballs made from lean turkey meat, a slightly sweet sauce based on carrots and tomato passata, and creamy sour cream create a mild flavor that the little ones will love. The dish is full of vegetables (carrots and onions), textures (smooth sauce and soft meatballs), and colors (tomato sauce, orange carrots, green basil). Serve with small pasta (elbow/penne) and optionally topped with grated Parmesan — perfect for family lunches when we need a warming and filling dish, but not too spicy. The recipe includes simple techniques for beginner cooks and provides tips on how to recognize the doneness of the meat and sauce.

Ingredients Used

Ingredients (15)

Servings:
4
  • Dry pasta (elbow/penne) 300 g
  • Carrot 3.8 szt.
  • Onion 1 szt.
  • Garlic 3 ząbki
  • Egg 1 szt.
  • Breadcrumbs 50 g
  • Rapeseed oil 30 g
  • Tomato passata 400 g
  • 12% cream 200 g
  • Dried oregano 2 g
  • Ground turkey 500 g
  • 🌿 Przyprawy
  • Salt 0.1 szczypt
  • Black pepper 2 szczypty
  • ✨ Opcjonalne
  • Fresh basil 1 pęczek
  • Parmesan (grated) 50 g
💰 Szacowany koszt dania: ~33.21 PLN (8.30 PLN/porcję)

💡 Kliknij na składnik aby oznaczyć jako użyty

Preparation steps

Preparation of ingredients

1

Wash the carrot, peel it, and grate it on a coarse grater or cut it into very small cubes (if the child prefers a smooth sauce, use the grater). Peel and finely chop the onion. Peel the garlic and finely chop it or press it through a garlic press. Weigh all the ingredients according to the list.

Ingredients: Carrot, Onion, Garlic
Use a sharp grater and a cutting board. Finely chopping the carrot will allow it to soften faster in the sauce. If you want the finest consistency, you can blend the grated carrot with an immersion blender.

Meatballs

2

In a large bowl, place the ground turkey. Add the egg, breadcrumbs, 1/2 teaspoon of salt (about 1 g), and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper (about 0.5 g). Add 1 tablespoon (15 g) of canola oil, finely chopped garlic (about 5 g), and finely chopped half an onion (about 75 g). Knead the mixture with your hand or a spoon for 2–3 minutes until the ingredients are combined and the mixture is elastic.

Ingredients: Ground turkey, Egg, Breadcrumbs, Rapeseed oil, Garlic, Onion, Salt, Black pepper
Use a large bowl and a wooden spoon or your hands to knead. If the mixture is too loose, add 10–15 g of breadcrumbs. The mixture is ready when it stops sticking strongly to your hands and can be shaped into meatballs.
3

Moisten your hands with water (it will be easier to shape). Take a portion of the mixture the size of a small walnut (about 25–30 g) and form a slightly rounded meatball — do not press too hard. Place the meatballs on a plate. You should get about 16–18 small meatballs from the given mixture.

Ingredients: Ground turkey
If you're doing this for the first time, shape the meatballs smaller — uniform size will ensure even cooking. Use a spoon for portioning to maintain a consistent size.
4

Heat 1 tablespoon (15 g) of rapeseed oil in a medium skillet. When the oil is hot (gently shimmering, about 2 minutes over medium heat), place the meatballs in a single layer and fry for 2–3 minutes on each side until the surface is lightly browned. Do not fry too long; the goal is to brown them, not to cook them through.

Ingredients: Rapeseed oil, Ground turkey
The best is a pan with a diameter of 26–28 cm with a non-stick coating. If you don't have a pan, you can bake the meatballs in the oven at 200°C for 15–18 minutes, turning them halfway through.

Sauce

5

In the same pan, after moving the meatballs to the side or removing them, add the remaining half of the chopped onion and the grated carrot (all of it). Sauté over medium heat for 5–6 minutes, stirring every 1–2 minutes, until the onion becomes translucent and soft, and the carrot slightly softens.

Ingredients: Onion, Carrot, Rapeseed oil
Use a wooden spoon or spatula. The pan will be hot — be careful while stirring. The onion is ready when it becomes translucent and slightly sweet.
6

Add the tomato passata (400 ml), oregano (2 g), 1 g of salt (additionally), and 1 g of pepper to the pan. Stir and bring the sauce to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook with the lid slightly ajar for 8–10 minutes — the sauce should thicken slightly and the carrot should be completely soft.

Ingredients: Tomato passata, Dried oregano, Salt, Black pepper, Carrot
Use a lid to prevent the sauce from splattering. If the sauce is too sour, add a teaspoon of sugar (optional) to mellow the flavor. The sauce is ready when it loses the raw taste of tomatoes and has a velvety consistency.
7

Place the browned meatballs back into the sauce, cover, and simmer on low heat for 8–10 minutes so that the meatballs are cooked through. Check one meatball: cut it in half, the center should be uniformly white/slightly pink (turkey should not be served raw).

Ingredients: Ground turkey, Tomato passata
Cooking with a lid helps retain moisture. If the meatballs are larger, extend the cooking time by 3–5 minutes. Do not overcook the meat — it should be juicy.

Pasta

8

In a large pot, bring 2 liters of salted water to a boil (about 10 g of salt per 2 l). Add the pasta (300 g) and cook according to the package time minus 1 minute, usually 7–10 minutes, until al dente — taste a piece: it should be soft on the outside, with a slight resistance in the center.

Ingredients: Dry pasta (elbow/penne), Salt
The best is a large, wide pot that prevents the pasta from sticking together. Stir the pasta in the first minute of cooking to prevent it from clumping.
9

Drain the pasta, reserving 100 ml of the cooking water (this will help thin the sauce if it’s too thick). Do not rinse with cold water — we want to keep the starch on the surface of the pasta, which helps the sauce adhere.

Ingredients: Dry pasta (elbow/penne)
Use a colander. If you're worried about sticking, add a teaspoon of oil after draining, but it's better to leave it without oil for mixing with the sauce.

Assembly and serving

10

Add 12% cream (200 g) to the pan with the sauce and meatballs and gently stir. If the sauce is too thick, pour in 2–3 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water. Taste and season with a pinch of salt and pepper if needed. Add the cooked pasta and gently mix to coat all the pasta with the creamy sauce.

Ingredients: 12% cream, Dry pasta (elbow/penne), Ground turkey, Tomato passata
Use a wide spoon for stirring to avoid breaking the meatballs. Do not cook after adding the cream — just heat it up to prevent the cream from curdling.
11

Transfer the portions to plates for the children. Optionally sprinkle with grated Parmesan (50 g) and decorate with fresh basil leaves (a few leaves from the bunch). Serve immediately when the dish is hot but not burning — check the temperature before serving to the children.

Ingredients: Parmesan (grated), Fresh basil
If the child doesn't like visible pieces of carrot, you can blend part of the sauce with an immersion blender before serving to achieve a smooth consistency.

Cleaning and storage

12

Cool any leftover sauce or meatballs to room temperature for a maximum of 1 hour, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. Meatballs can be frozen separately or as a complete dish (without cream — add it when reheating).

Before sealing the container, make sure the dish is not hot — steam in a closed container will cause condensation and shorten its shelf life.

Fun Fact

💡

Spaghetti with meatballs is a popular dish in Italian-American cuisine; the version with tender turkey meat and carrots is a child-friendly modification and more seasonal in winter due to the addition of root vegetables.

Best for

rodzinny obiad zimowe popołudnie obiad po przedszkolu

Tips

🍽️ Serving

Serve with small pasta (elbow macaroni) to make it easier for small children to eat. Add grated Parmesan just before serving for a more pronounced flavor. For picky eaters, you can blend part of the sauce until smooth, and serve the meatballs separately with a small amount of dipping sauce.

🥡 Storage

Store in the refrigerator for 2–3 days. The meatballs can be frozen: arrange them loosely on a tray, freeze, and then transfer to a bag — they will be easier to portion. Reheat slowly over low heat with a little water or cream to restore the creaminess of the sauce.

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