Turkey Meatballs with Zucchini (Printable)
Tender turkey meatballs served over sautéed zucchini noodles with a light tomato sauce.
# What You Need:
→ Meatballs
01 - 1 lb ground turkey
02 - 1 large egg
03 - 1/3 cup gluten-free breadcrumbs
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
06 - 1 tsp dried oregano
07 - 1/2 tsp salt
08 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
09 - 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
→ Tomato Sauce
10 - 1 tbsp olive oil
11 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
12 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
13 - 14 oz crushed tomatoes
14 - 1/2 tsp dried basil
15 - 1/2 tsp dried oregano
16 - 1/4 tsp chili flakes (optional)
17 - Salt and pepper to taste
→ Zucchini Noodles
18 - 4 medium zucchinis, spiralized
19 - 1 tbsp olive oil
20 - Salt to taste
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Combine ground turkey, egg, breadcrumbs, garlic, parsley, oregano, salt, pepper, and Parmesan in a large bowl. Mix gently until just combined.
03 - Shape mixture into 16 equal meatballs and arrange on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until cooked through and golden.
04 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion for 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds more. Stir in crushed tomatoes, basil, oregano, chili flakes, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
05 - Transfer baked meatballs gently into the tomato sauce and simmer together for 5 minutes to meld flavors.
06 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in another skillet over medium-high heat. Add spiralized zucchini and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until just tender. Season with salt.
07 - Plate zucchini noodles and top with meatballs and tomato sauce. Garnish with extra parsley or Parmesan if desired.
# Helpful Tips:
01 -
- It tastes indulgent and comforting despite being genuinely good for you, which means you won't feel like you're missing out.
- The whole thing comes together in 45 minutes, making it perfect for weeknight dinners when you're hungry but don't want to spend all evening cooking.
- Those meatballs are so flavorful and moist that even people who claim they don't like turkey will ask for seconds.
02 -
- Don't overmix the meatball mixture; your hands should do the work, not aggressive stirring, or you'll end up with hockey pucks instead of tender spheres.
- Pat your pre-spiralized zucchini dry before cooking, or you'll end up with a watery dish instead of one with proper texture; a paper towel works perfectly for this.
03 -
- Use a cookie scoop to make your meatballs uniform in size; they'll cook evenly and look more impressive on the plate.
- If your meatballs are browning too quickly but look raw inside, lower your oven temperature by 25 degrees and give them an extra 5 minutes.