Baked Pesto Turkey Meatballs with Mornay Sauce
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These Baked Pesto Turkey Meatballs with Mornay Sauce may sound like a mouthful, and they are, but they are super easy to make and are beyond tender! The pesto mixed inside the ground turkey that make up these beauties is a fantastic touch. The beautiful, creamy Parmesan Mornay sauce coats each meatball, the nuanced touch of nutmeg making each bite better than the last. With a little pan fried prosciutto crumbles and julienned basil this was a perfect meal with some steamed vegetables.
Sauces transform dishes to another level. The base of most, and a thickener, is roux. I wanted something that would hold up in the oven for my pesto turkey meatballs. I originally wanted to make an Alfredo sauce, but then moved over to a Mornay sauce. See, an Alfredo sauce is made from melted butter and cream and then Parmesan cheese is introduced. As the cheese melts, it emulsifies the liquids transforming it into a smooth, rich sauce.
I felt a Mornay sauce, which is a Béchamel sauce with shredded or grated cheese added, would work best. Know as one of the mother sauces of French cuisine and Italian cuisine, Béchamel sauce is made from a roux and milk is whisked in for a thick creamy sauce. It’s also known as white sauce. The various sauces made from this are endless!
I mean, this Mornay sauce doesn’t get any easier. Butter, flour, milk and cheese, that’s it, and it’s killer if you add a pinch of nutmeg like I do.
For this pesto I decided to shake it up and use walnuts instead of pine nuts and a pinch of red pepper flakes for a little kick.
In a food processor add the walnuts, garlic, salt, red pepper flakes and process until like cornmeal in texture. Add the basil leaves and purée. With motor running add the olive oil for a thick paste. Set aside.
Pan fry the prosciutto with olive oil and drain on paper towel when crisp. Chop the basil and set both aside.
For the meatballs in a medium size bowl add the ground turkey with the pesto, egg, breadcrumbs. Mix together by hand until incorporated completely. Add more breadcrumbs if the mixture is too wet. Use a 2-inch scoop or roll into small balls, about the size of a golf ball, making 16. Spray a 9”x9” baking dish pan with oil and add the meatballs. Set aside.
In a large frying pan add the butter over medium heat. Stir in the flour using a whisk and cook until light golden in color. Gradually add the milk a little at a time, stirring often to incorporate completely. Add the pinch of nutmeg and Parmesan cheese, whisking until you have a smooth sauce.
Pour the Mornay sauce over the meatballs. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and lightly brown the top for another 5 minutes.
Crumble crispy prosciutto and julienned basil on top and serve alongside steamed vegetables.
Baked Pesto Turkey Meatballs with Mornay Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- Pesto:
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves
- 1 cup walnuts
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp salt
- pinch of red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- Mornay Sauce:
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 3 cups water low fat milk
- pinch of nutmeg
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese
- 6 slices prosciutto rough chopped
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- basil leaves for garnish julienned
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. In a food processor add the walnuts, garlic, salt, red pepper flakes and process until like cornmeal in texture. Add the basil leaves and purée. With motor running add the olive oil for a thick paste. Set aside.
- For the meatballs in a medium size bowl add the ground turkey with the pesto, egg, breadcrumbs. Mix together by hand until incorporated completely. Add more breadcrumbs if the mixture is too wet. Use a 2-inch scoop or roll into small balls, about the size of a golf ball, making 16. Spray a baking dish with oil and add the meatballs. Set aside.
- In a large frying pan add the butter over medium heat. Stir in the flour using a whisk and cook until light golden in color. Gradually add the milk a little at a time, stirring often to incorporate completely. Add the pinch of nutmeg and Parmesan cheese, whisking until you have a smooth sauce.
- Pour the Mornay sauce over the meatballs in a 9”x9” greased pan. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and lightly brown the top for another 5 minutes.
- Pan fry the prosciutto with olive oil and drain on paper towel when crisp. Chop the basil and set both aside. Crumble crispy prosciutto and julienned basil on top of baked meatballs and serve alongside steamed vegetables.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
I love the incredibly smooth and delicious sauce surface that drapes over these irresistible hills of turkey. Such beauty! You made me hungry again!
Kind, kind words Nicole, thanks. They didn’t last long! Have a wonderful day friend.
I am a serious sauce addict, especially a creamy & dreamy one like Mornay. These meatballs are epic and have me drooling all over my keyboard, Kevin!! All of the wonderful, seriously delicious flavors you have going on here are worthy of a prize… and a trip to my belly! Love these! Pinned!!
Thanks so much Cheyanne, you’re too kind!
a) LOVE the photos b) Pesto? YES! c) Mornay sauce instead of Alfredo – couldn’t agree more. Alfredo would be too rich PLUS with mornay you can have loads more sauce. Love this on so many levels!! It’s not even 6.15 am and I’m DROOLING!! I want these meatballs for breakfast.
I actually read this one aloud to Dave when he got home as I was quite touched with your kind words Nagi. I’ve really been working on not only my photography, but the styling and placement of my shots so THANK YOU for comment “a” it made my day! Like I said to Mike below, it’s really cool when other food bloggers you admire visit and enjoy your work, leaving kind comments and the like. I really appreciate that and it spurns me on to be more creative and inspiring. Thanks so much for being one of those Nagi.
As for the pesto, walnuts work so good too and the wonderful Alfredo, well he has always been good, but so over used!
P.S. I had 3 leftover and they made quite a delicious sandwich 🙂
Oh my! You had me at meatball but this mornay sauce has me seriously intrigued! I love the idea of the kick of red pepper and its creamy goodness topped with strips of crispy prosciutto and basil. Love it!!
Aren’t meatballs just the best? LOVE them and this new version is a tasty one for sure Annie. Plus, how can you go wrong with crispy prosciutto, right? Have a great day 🙂
Even though I don’t like using popular #foodporn and #foodgasm, they are only the things I can say about this post and recipe. Kevin, you’ve got that ability to describe the dish in simple words, but that always sounds so scrumptious and mouthwatering (I don’t need pictures indeed!). If I ever die from reading the food blogs, that would probably be this one!:) Well done!
Ben your flattery truly makes me blush, and know the extra effort is worth it, thanks so much. Now please ship a couple of those Chocolate Lavender Glazed donuts south to San Diego please. 🙂
This looks absolutely delicious, my stomach is growling now! I WILL be trying this out 🙂
Thanks for visiting and the kind words Sam, definitely try them out and let me know what you think!
Gorgeous and oh so yummy! Love these, Kevin.
Appreciate the kind words Marissa, meatballs are the best!
Hey Kevin! This dish looks wonderful! And all those flavors! We have our last handful of asparagus and new small yellow squash from the garden which would go very well with this! Maybe a fresh spinach salad as well.
Thank you Dorothy! That harvest of ongoing asparagus must be wonderful. Good Kentucky soil! Hope you husband has awoken from his latest food coma you had a hand in, lol. Actually a fresh spinach salad sounds really good tonight, thanks for the thought. Have a great day.
Hey Kevin! Yes the asparagus “run” is wonderful, but now we are on to freshly dug new potatoes, spring onions plump peas! I don’t know if I could go without a big garden – it’s a lot of work but so worth it!
My two dogs dig and eat everything I ever plant, they even have eaten my jalapeno plants! So no garden here. 🙁
Hey Kevin! That’s too funny – jalapeno dogs! My female dog has an affinity for green beans and when they come on she will walk down the row “picking” her own – not leaves, just beans!
This is the reason I love visiting your blog: it’s such a great source of inspiration. I’ve never made mornay sauce before but after seeing this recipe I.HAVE.TO.
#WolkpackMornay
I have to say it’s really cool when other food bloggers you admire visit and enjoy your work, leaving kind comments and the like. I really appreciate that and it spurns me on to be more creative and inspiring. Thanks so much for being one of those Mike. #WolfpackEats!
I’ve never made a mornay sauce, but after seeing these incredible photos, I just want to hit the kitchen! My stomach is seriously growing looking at this deliciousness! Well done, Kevin, well done!! #WolfpackVisitsItaly
Really appreciate it Dave, thanks! Actually I forgot about Mornay sauce and decided to make it front and center on this one as Alfredo gets too much visibility these days. I used it quite often back in the day catering and in brunches. Now if I only had that marbled rye bread of yours to dip into it! YUM. 🙂