Easy & Delicious Italian Turkey Parmesan Patties: A Family-Friendly Weeknight Dinner

Mamma mia! Prepare your taste buds for an explosion of flavor with these incredible Italian-style Turkey Parmesan Patties! They are zippy, robust, and utterly delicious, baked to perfection in a rich, tasty tomato sauce and crowned with bubbling, golden cheese. This dish is not just a meal; it’s an experience, especially when served with tender noodles or crusty garlic bread to soak up every last drop of that irresistible sauce. What’s even better? They’re so easy to make that even the kids can get involved in the kitchen fun!

Jump straight to the full recipe.

Sharing Joy in the Kitchen: Cooking with Meredith

There’s a special kind of magic that happens when you cook with loved ones, and for me, that often means delightful sessions with Meredith. After a whirlwind of a fall season where my job kept me incredibly busy – feeling like I barely had time to breathe, let alone cook – getting back into our shared kitchen routine has been a breath of fresh air. (Who knew two weeks of substitute teaching a grade one class could stretch into many months? Exhausting, yes, but undeniably rewarding!) Now, with a semblance of a routine re-established and a renewed sense of balance, it was high time we fired up the stove. Our recent cooking adventure together was a true blast, and it truly reminded me just how much I cherish these moments.

During our latest kitchen escapade, we whipped up a batch of simple yet wonderfully tasty Orange Cream Sodas (find the recipe here) and, as the star of the show, a pan of these absolutely delicious Turkey Parmesan Patties. The aroma alone was enough to get our stomachs rumbling, and it’s safe to say we practically gobbled up every last bit of this fantastic Italian-inspired turkey dish! It’s truly a testament to how simple ingredients, combined with a little love and teamwork, can create an unforgettable meal that brings everyone together around the dinner table.

Crafting Your Own Flavorful Turkey Parmesan Patties

Making these turkey parmesan patties is an engaging and surprisingly simple process, perfect for cooks of all ages and skill levels. Let’s walk through the steps to create this family-favorite weeknight dinner.

The Art of Mixing and Forming Patties

The journey begins with gathering all your patty ingredients into a large bowl. This is where the real fun starts, especially if you have little helpers! Dive in with your hands and “smoosh” it all together – it’s a wonderfully tactile experience that kids absolutely adore. This hands-on approach ensures all the flavors are perfectly combined, from the savory ground turkey to the fragrant Italian seasoning and tender sautéed onions.

For perfectly uniform patties, which ensure even cooking, here’s a handy trick: once your meat mixture is thoroughly combined, pat it down firmly into an even circle at the bottom of the bowl. Then, use a butter knife to gently cut it into equal wedges, much like slicing a pie. Each wedge will give you just the right amount of mixture for one ideal patty. This method eliminates guesswork and guarantees consistent results every time you make these baked turkey patties.

Next, gently scoop up each wedge of the flavorful meat mixture and roll it into a neat, flattened patty. Aim for a diameter of about 3 inches (7.5cm) to ensure they cook beautifully and fit well in your baking dish. Place these carefully formed turkey patties into your prepared baking dish, setting the stage for their transformation into a delicious Italian meal.

Baking to Golden Perfection

Once your patties are neatly arranged, it’s time for their initial bake. Slide them into a hot oven and let them bake until they’re lightly browned and starting to firm up. This crucial first step helps to seal in the juices, ensuring your turkey patties remain tender and moist inside while developing a slight golden crust on the outside.

The Layering of Sauce and Cheese

While the turkey patties are getting their initial bake, you can prepare the delicious toppings. Slice your fresh mozzarella cheese into perfect portions. This fresh cheese will melt beautifully, adding a creamy, rich texture to the dish.

After the initial baking, carefully pull the pan out of the oven. Now comes the generous addition of a flavorful tomato sauce. Spoon or pour the rich, seasoned sauce evenly over each patty, ensuring they are beautifully coated. This forms the foundational layer of Italian taste that makes this dish so comforting and delicious.

Next, carefully place your slices of fresh mozzarella cheese atop each sauced patty. As they bake, these will transform into gooey, irresistible blankets of cheesy goodness.

To deepen the cheesy flavor and add a delightful golden crust, finish with a generous sprinkling of grated Parmesan cheese over the mozzarella. This layer will brown beautifully and lend a sharp, salty contrast to the creamy mozzarella.

Return the baking dish to the oven for a final bake. Watch as the magic happens: the cheese melts, bubbles, and turns a tempting golden brown, and your kitchen fills with the most fantastic Italian aromas. This is when the turkey parmesan patties truly come alive, melding all their flavors into a cohesive and delightful dish.

Serving Your Irresistible Turkey Parmesan Patties

Once they emerge from the oven, glistening and bubbling, these Italian turkey parmesan patties are ready to be the centerpiece of your meal. Place the steaming dish on the table, and trust us, the tantalizing aroma alone will have your family or guests rushing to the table!

For a truly authentic Italian dining experience, serve these delicious baked turkey patties with classic accompaniments. Buttery noodles are a perfect match, ideal for soaking up every last bit of the rich tomato sauce. Alternatively, fluffy rice or crusty garlic bread would also be excellent choices. Add a fresh green salad on the side to complete the meal, and you might just feel like you’ve been transported to a charming little streetside restaurant in Italy, complete with the imagined sound of a jolly, mustachioed accordion player and a couple of contented cats dozing nearby. Close your eyes, take a bite, and simply savor the moment.

Mangia! Mangia! (Eat! Eat!)

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Kitchen Frau Notes & Expert Tips:

This recipe for turkey parmesan patties is incredibly versatile and forgiving. Here are a few extra tips to make your experience even better:

• Homemade Italian Seasoning: If your pantry is missing Italian seasoning, don’t fret! You can easily make your own blend. Simply mix together equal parts of dried oregano, basil, rosemary, thyme, and marjoram. For this recipe, about ½ teaspoon of each herb will give you more than enough, with a little left over for future Italian culinary adventures.
• Meat Substitutions: While ground turkey is fantastic for a lighter dish, feel free to use ground chicken for a similar result. For a richer flavor profile, lean ground beef or a mixture of beef and pork could also be used, though cooking times might vary slightly.
• Gluten-Free Option: This recipe is already very friendly to gluten-free diets. Ensure you use certified gluten-free breadcrumbs or quick oats for the patties. Oats work beautifully as a binder and provide a slightly different texture.
• Don’t Overmix: When combining the patty ingredients, mix until just combined. Overmixing can lead to tougher patties.
• Sauce Quality Matters: A good quality tomato sauce makes all the difference. If you have a favorite homemade tomato sauce, this is the perfect time to use it! Otherwise, a good store-bought canned tomato sauce seasoned with Italian herbs will be delicious.
• Make Ahead: You can form the patties and even do the initial bake a day in advance. Store them covered in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, proceed with adding the sauce and cheese and baking until hot and bubbly.
• Freezing Instructions: These turkey parmesan patties freeze wonderfully! You can freeze them cooked or uncooked. If cooked, let them cool completely, then wrap individual patties tightly or store them in an airtight container. Thaw in the refrigerator and reheat in the oven with extra sauce and cheese if desired.

Turkey Parmesan Patties Recipe

Yields: 4 to 6 servings
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 40-45 minutes

For the Turkey Patties:

• 3 teaspoons olive oil, divided
• 1 medium onion (about 1 cup, finely diced)
• 1 lb (454gms) ground turkey (or ground chicken for a similar light option)
• 1 large egg
• ½ cup (50gms) gluten-free breadcrumbs or quick oats
• 2 tablespoons water
• ¼ cup (30gms) grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

For the Sauce and Topping:

• 1 can (14oz/400gms) tomato sauce (or 2 cups homemade marinara sauce)
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 4 oz (approximately 4 slices) fresh mozzarella cheese
• ¼ cup (30gms) grated Parmesan cheese
• Chopped fresh basil or parsley, for garnish (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat Oven & Prepare Dish: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Lightly grease a baking dish (approximately 8″ x 12″ or 20x30cm) with 1 teaspoon of the olive oil.
2. Sauté Onions: Finely dice the onion. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons of olive oil and the diced onion. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes, until the onion is translucent and just beginning to brown in a few spots. Remove the skillet from the heat and allow the onions to cool for a few minutes while you gather the other patty ingredients.
3. Prepare Patty Mixture: In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground turkey (or chicken), egg, breadcrumbs (or oats), water, ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, minced garlic, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, sea salt, pepper, and the cooled sautéed onions. Mix all the ingredients together thoroughly using your hands until well combined but do not overmix.
4. Form Patties: To create even patties, gently pat the meat mixture into a flat, even circle at the bottom of the bowl. Use a butter knife to cut the circle into eight equal wedges. Carefully scoop out one wedge of meat and form it into a round, flattened patty, about 3 inches (7.5cm) in diameter. Repeat with the remaining wedges. Arrange the formed patties evenly in the prepared baking dish.
5. Initial Bake: Bake the turkey patties in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
6. Prepare Sauce & Cheese: While the patties are baking, stir the 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning into the can of tomato sauce. Slice the fresh mozzarella cheese into 4 slices, then cut each slice in half to create 8 smaller pieces.
7. Add Sauce & Cheese: Carefully remove the pan of turkey parmesan patties from the oven using oven mitts. Pour the seasoned tomato sauce evenly over the baked patties. Top each patty with one of the half-slices of fresh mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup of grated Parmesan cheese over the dish, distributing it mostly over the cheese-topped patties.
8. Final Bake: Return the baking dish to the oven and bake for another 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cheese is beautifully melted, bubbling, and golden brown in spots.
9. Serve: Let the dish rest for a few minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley if desired. Serve these delicious Turkey Parmesan Patties hot with buttered noodles, rice, garlic bread, and a crisp green salad or your favorite cooked green vegetable.

Guten Appetit!

For more fun cooking projects to make with kids and family-friendly recipes, explore the ‘Cooking With Kids’ series here.

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