Turkey meatballs are always a staple in our nest. Ground turkey has less saturated fat than beef and is a delicious alternative when you are attempting to cut back on red meat consumption. Zoodles are a fun and low carb option to noodles that I happen to love. They are as versatile as they are tasty and easy to make. I use a spiralizer, procured from Sur La Table, which has proven to be a worthy investment in the kitchen. Outfitted with a varity of blade options, it spirializes everything from squash, to carrots, to sweet spuds. The options are endless.
For this recipe I gathered
garlic zoodles:
1-2 medium sized zucchini
1tbsp olive oil
3-4 cloves of minced garlic
dash of salt
turkey meatballs:
1lbs. of lean ground turkey
2tsp dried basil
2tsp dried oregano
2tsp garlic powder
1tbsp thinly sliced shallots
1tbsp of crushed fennel seeds
3-4 cloves of minced garlic
sea salt and fresh ground peper to taste
I used my favorite bottled tomato sauce which is low in sodium and has only 4 grams of sugar per serving.
After the zoodles have been prepped and cut, heat the olive oil in a pan. Saute the minced garlic, careful not to brown (it will produce a bitter taste). Add the zoodles to the garlic tinged oil and sauté lightly for a few minutes. The zoodles should soften slightly during this process, however, preserve some body to them as they will become watery if heated for too long. Remove from the fire and cover until serving.
Mix all of the meatball ingredients in a large bowl with your hands, careful not to overwork the meat. Overworking almost garauntees a tougher product. Once fully incorportated, roll 2 oz. of meat per ball and place on a parchment paper covered baking pan. A cookie scoop (one dedicate to meat prep) works wonderfully in achieving this serving size. Bake the meatballs for 20 minutes or until brown at 375º. After the browning, add the meatballs to your favorite sauce and simmer until heated throughout. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and basil before serving. A little parmesan and red pepper flakes wouldnt hurt either.
This recipe is presented with turkey and zoodles, but works just as brilliantly with ground beef or ground chicken and regular noodles of your choice.
