Want to serve a dinner that looks and tastes incredibly elegant, but is secretly easy enough for a busy weeknight? What if you could bring the classic, sophisticated flavors of Florence to your table with a simple, foolproof recipe? These incredible Florentine Meatballs are your delicious answer.
“Florentine style” in cooking is a classic term that signifies the delicious presence of spinach, often paired with a creamy sauce. This recipe is a perfect modern take on that tradition. We create light, tender turkey and spinach meatballs that are baked—not fried!—and then we smother them in a luxurious, velvety provolone cheese sauce. It’s a stunning meal that is surprisingly simple to create.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Recipe Overview: A Taste of Elegance Made Simple
The beauty of this Florentine Meatballs recipe is how it delivers a restaurant-quality experience with straightforward techniques. Baking the meatballs is a hands-off, healthier method that ensures they are perfectly cooked and moist. The sauce, a classic French Mornay, sounds fancy but is just a simple cream sauce enriched with cheese that you can master in minutes.
| Metric | Time / Level |
| Total Time | 40 minutes |
| Active Prep Time | 20 minutes |
| Difficulty Level | Easy / Intermediate |
| Servings | 4 |
The Essential Ingredients for Florentine Meatballs
This recipe uses a handful of simple ingredients to create a truly sophisticated dish. Let’s look at the key players.
- Ground Turkey: The lean and light base for our meatballs. Ground turkey is a fantastic choice here as it provides a delicate flavor that allows the spinach and the rich cheese sauce to shine.
- Frozen Spinach: This is a brilliant shortcut. Using a box of frozen spinach saves you the time and effort of washing and cooking down pounds of fresh spinach. The key is to wring it out completely dry to ensure your meatballs aren’t watery.
- The Binders (Egg, Bread Crumbs, Milk): This essential trio is the secret to moist, tender meatballs. The egg binds everything together, while the bread crumbs and a splash of milk provide moisture, preventing the lean turkey from becoming dry.
- The Mornay Sauce Ingredients (Butter, Flour, Milk, Cheese): Don’t let the fancy French name intimidate you! A Mornay sauce is incredibly simple. We’ll start by making a “roux” with melted butter and flour. Then, we’ll whisk in milk to create a classic white sauce (a “béchamel”). Finally, we’ll melt in delicious cheese to transform it into a glorious Mornay.
- Provolone Cheese: We use shredded provolone for its wonderful melting quality and its mild, slightly sharp, and milky flavor. It creates a perfectly smooth and savory cheese sauce.
- Freshly Grated Nutmeg: This is the secret ingredient in any world-class cream sauce. A tiny pinch of nutmeg doesn’t make the sauce taste like a holiday dessert; it magically enhances the rich, savory flavor of the dairy and cheese. It’s a small detail with a huge impact.
Step-by-Step to Perfect Florentine Meatballs
Follow these detailed steps to create this elegant and delicious meal.
Step 1: Prepare and Form the Florentine Meatballs First, preheat your oven to a hot 400°F (200°C).
Place your defrosted spinach in the center of a clean kitchen towel, cheesecloth, or a few layers of heavy-duty paper towels. Gather the ends and wring it out over the sink, squeezing as hard as you can until no more liquid comes out. This step is critical for a good meatball texture.
In a large bowl, place the ground turkey. Make a well in the center of the meat. Into that well, add the thoroughly dried spinach, all but 3 tablespoons of the finely chopped onion (reserve the rest for the sauce), all of the chopped garlic, the beaten egg, about 1/4 cup of the milk, the bread crumbs, and the grated Parmesan cheese. Season everything generously with coarse salt and black pepper.
Using your hands, gently mix all the ingredients together until they are just evenly combined.
Pro Tip: The secret to tender meatballs is to handle the meat as little as possible. Overmixing can make them tough. Mix only until you can no longer see streaks of individual ingredients.
With damp hands, form the mixture into 12 large, uniform balls. Arrange the meatballs on a nonstick cookie sheet or a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Drizzle the tops of the meatballs with a little extra-virgin olive oil.
Step 2: Bake the Meatballs Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and roast for 20 minutes, or until the meatballs are golden brown and cooked all the way through. Baking is a fantastic, mess-free way to cook meatballs evenly.
Step 3: Make the Creamy Provolone Sauce While the meatballs are baking, you can make the luxurious cheese sauce. In a small sauce pot, heat a drizzle of olive oil and the 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat.
Once the butter is melted, add the remaining 3 tablespoons of finely chopped onion and cook for 2 minutes until softened. Whisk in the 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour and continue to cook, whisking constantly, for one full minute. This creates a “roux” and cooks out any raw flour taste.
While still whisking, slowly pour in the remaining 1 1/2 cups of milk and the 1 cup of chicken stock. Continue to whisk until the sauce is smooth. Bring the liquid up to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. The sauce will thicken as it simmers.
Now, turn the heat to the lowest possible setting. Add the shredded provolone cheese to the pot, a handful at a time, stirring until it has completely melted into the sauce before adding more.
Pro Tip: Adding cheese to a sauce that is too hot or boiling can cause it to become grainy or oily. Low and slow is the key to a silky smooth cheese sauce.
Once all the cheese is melted, season the sauce with salt, pepper, and the freshly grated nutmeg.
Step 4: Serve and Garnish To serve this elegant meal, place three of the warm, baked Florentine meatballs on each dinner plate. Generously spoon the creamy, hot provolone sauce over the top of the meatballs.
Garnish with a sprinkle of fresh, chopped parsley for a pop of color and freshness. This dish is wonderful served on its own, or alongside some simple steamed vegetables, creamy polenta, or egg noodles.
Elegant & Easy Florentine Meatballs Recipe
A recipe for ‘Florentine’ style meatballs, which feature ground turkey mixed with spinach, onion, garlic, breadcrumbs, and Parmesan cheese. The meatballs are formed into large balls and roasted in the oven until cooked through. They are served topped with a rich and creamy béchamel-style sauce made with a roux, milk, chicken stock, and melted provolone or a blend of Italian cheeses, seasoned with a hint of nutmeg.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Roasting, Making a Sauce
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Ingredients
- 1 box frozen spinach, defrosted
- 1 1/3 pounds ground turkey breast
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 large egg
- 1 3/4 cups milk, divided
- 3/4 cup bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- Coarse salt and black pepper
- Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 (10-ounce) sack shredded provolone or blend of Italian cheeses
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/4 cup parsley leaves, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Prepare the Meatballs: Squeeze the defrosted spinach in a clean kitchen towel to wring out as much liquid as possible.
- In a large bowl, place the ground turkey. Add the dry spinach, all but 3 tablespoons of the chopped onion, all of the chopped garlic, the egg, about 1/4 cup of the milk, the bread crumbs, and the grated Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper.
- Mix the ingredients well and form the mixture into 12 large meatballs.
- Arrange the meatballs on a nonstick cookie sheet and drizzle them with extra-virgin olive oil.
- Roast for 20 minutes, or until cooked through.
- Make the Cheese Sauce: While the meatballs are roasting, heat a small sauce pot over medium heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil and the 2 tablespoons of butter.
- Once the butter is melted, add the remaining 3 tablespoons of finely chopped onion and cook for 2 minutes.
- Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute to create a roux.
- Gradually whisk in the remaining 1 1/2 cups of milk and the 1 cup of chicken stock. Bring the liquid to a boil, then stir in the shredded provolone or Italian cheese blend.
- Season the sauce with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting to keep warm.
- Serve: Place 3 roasted meatballs on each dinner plate and top with the warm cheese sauce. Garnish with chopped parsley.
Notes
- It is very important to wring the defrosted spinach very dry to prevent the meatballs from being watery.
- The cheese sauce starts with a classic roux (butter and flour) which acts as a thickener.
- The meatballs are roasted in the oven, which is an easier and less messy alternative to pan-frying.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3 meatballs with sauce
- Calories: 800-950
- Sugar: 10-15 g
- Sodium: 1500-1800 mg
- Fat: 50-65 g
- Saturated Fat: 25-35 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25-35 g
- Fiber: 3-5 g
- Protein: 55-65 g
- Cholesterol: 200-250 mg
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
For the best quality leftovers, it’s best to store the components separately.
- Storage: Allow the leftover meatballs and cheese sauce to cool. Store them in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: Reheat the meatballs in a microwave or a 350°F oven until warmed through. Reheat the cheese sauce gently in a saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently. If the sauce seems too thick, you can whisk in a splash of milk to loosen it.
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Creative Recipe Variations
This recipe is a wonderful foundation for other delicious ideas.
1. Classic Beef or Pork Florentine Meatballs For a richer, more traditional flavor, you can swap the lean ground turkey for ground beef, ground pork, or a classic “meatloaf mix” of beef, pork, and veal.
2. Add Sautéed Mushrooms To add another layer of earthy, umami flavor, finely chop 8 ounces of cremini mushrooms. Sauté them in the saucepan with the onion until they have released their liquid and are nicely browned before you add the flour to make the roux.
3. Use a Different Cheese The creamy sauce is delicious with other types of cheese as well. Try substituting the provolone with other great melting cheeses like Gruyère for a nutty flavor, Fontina for an earthier taste, or even a sharp white cheddar for a bolder sauce.
Enjoy Your Elegant and Easy Dinner!
You’ve just created a stunningly delicious meal that is sure to impress anyone at your dinner table. These Florentine Meatballs are the perfect proof that elegant food doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming. It’s a dish that feels special enough for a Saturday night but is easy enough for a Wednesday.
We hope you enjoy the creamy, savory, and comforting flavors of this new favorite recipe!
If you loved making these Florentine Meatballs, please leave a comment below or share the recipe with a friend!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: What does “Florentine style” mean in cooking?
In culinary terms, “Florentine” (or à la Florentine) is a French term indicating a dish is prepared “in the style of Florence,” Italy. It almost always means that the dish features cooked spinach, which is often paired with a creamy sauce, like in classic Eggs Florentine or this meatball recipe.
Q2: How do I get all the water out of the frozen spinach?
This is the most critical step for this recipe! After defrosting the spinach (a minute or two in the microwave works well), place the warm spinach in the center of a clean, dry kitchen towel (a “tea towel” is perfect). Gather the towel into a bundle and twist and squeeze it over the sink as hard as you can until no more green liquid drips out. You’ll be amazed at how much water comes out!
Q3: My cheese sauce is grainy. What did I do wrong?
A grainy cheese sauce is usually caused by the cheese overheating and breaking. The fat separates from the proteins. To prevent this, always turn the heat down to the lowest possible setting before you add the cheese. Add the cheese gradually, and stir until it melts smoothly. Never let a cheese sauce boil.
Q4: What should I serve with Florentine Meatballs?
These meatballs and their rich sauce are quite satisfying on their own. For a more substantial meal, they are fantastic served over creamy polenta, egg noodles, or even mashed potatoes to soak up the delicious sauce. A simple side of steamed asparagus or a fresh green salad would also be a perfect accompaniment.
Q5: Can I use fresh spinach instead of frozen?
Yes, but you will need a lot of it. It takes about 1 to 1.5 pounds of fresh spinach to equal one 10-ounce box of frozen spinach once cooked. You would need to cook the fresh spinach down in a pan until it is completely wilted, then let it cool and squeeze it dry just like the frozen spinach. Using frozen spinach is a significant time-saver for this recipe.