Every Helping
Sign in

Dinner recipe · from the recipe book

Baked Harissa-Spiced Turkey Meatballs with Pesto Pasta

Juicy oven-baked turkey meatballs warm with cumin, smoked paprika and chili, tossed with pasta in a bright basil-parsley-walnut sauce and blistered cherry tomatoes.

Baked Harissa-Spiced Turkey Meatballs with Pesto Pasta

Ingredients

  • 1¼ lb560 gGround turkey, 93% lean
  • ⅓ cup40 gPlain dry breadcrumbs
  • 1 large50 gEggsbeaten
  • 4 cloves12 gGarlicminced
  • 2 tsp4 gGround cumin
  • 1¾ tsp4 gPaprika (sweet or smoked)smoked
  • ¾ tsp2 gChili powder
  • 1⅛ tsp2 gGround coriander
  • ¾ tsp4 gSalt
  • ½ tsp1 gBlack pepper
  • 11½ oz320 gPasta, dry
  • 2 cups300 gCherry tomatoeshalved
  • 4 cups loosely packed120 gBaby spinach
  • 1⅔ cups leaves40 gFresh basilleaves
  • ½ cup chopped30 gFresh parsleyleaves and tender stems
  • ¼ cup chopped30 gWalnuts
  • ⅓ cup grated30 gGrated Parmesan
  • 3½ tbsp45 gOlive oil
  • 2 tbsp30 gLemon juice
  • ¼ cup60 gWaterreserved pasta water

Steps

  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) and line a sheet pan with parchment.
  2. Mince the garlic; set aside a third of it for the sauce. Halve the cherry tomatoes.
  3. In a bowl, mix the turkey, breadcrumbs, egg, the remaining two-thirds of the garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, coriander, three-quarters of the salt and half the black pepper. Roll into about 20 balls and set them on the sheet pan.
  4. Toss the cherry tomatoes with a third of the olive oil and arrange around the meatballs. Bake 18–20 minutes, until the meatballs reach 165°F (74°C) in the center and the tomatoes blister.
  5. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling water until al dente; scoop out the water you'll use for the sauce before draining.
  6. For the herb sauce, blend the basil, parsley, walnuts, Parmesan, the reserved third of the garlic, lemon juice, the remaining two-thirds of the olive oil, the remaining quarter of the salt and the remaining half of the black pepper until smooth, adding the reserved pasta water to loosen.
  7. Return the drained pasta to the pot, add the spinach and toss until wilted, then stir in the herb sauce.
  8. Divide the pasta among bowls and top with the meatballs and blistered tomatoes.

Contains: Milk, Egg, Tree nuts, Gluten. Some brands contain soy.

Cook mode Log it in Today

Made it

Made it? Share how yours turned out.

Saved in the Every Helping recipe book on October 24, 2026.

Want one that fits your numbers?

Pick the meal, the pan and your targets, and the Every Helping recipe generator writes a recipe with every number worked out. Free on the web.

Make a recipeMore from the recipe book