Turkey Meatballs Zucchini Noodles (Printable)
Tender turkey meatballs served with spiralized zucchini noodles in a light tomato sauce for a wholesome meal.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meatballs
01 - 1 lb ground turkey
02 - 1 large egg
03 - 1/3 cup gluten-free breadcrumbs (or regular 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 black pepper, to taste
→ Zucchini Noodles
18 - 4 medium zucchinis, spiralized
19 - 1 tbsp olive oil
20 - Salt, to taste
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, mix ground turkey, egg, breadcrumbs, garlic, parsley, oregano, salt, black pepper, and Parmesan cheese until just combined.
03 - Shape the mixture into 16 equal meatballs and place them evenly on the prepared baking sheet.
04 - Bake in the preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes until cooked through and golden on the outside.
05 - While meatballs bake, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, sauté the onion until softened, about 3 to 4 minutes, then add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
06 - Add crushed tomatoes, basil, oregano, chili flakes, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat and simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
07 - Transfer baked meatballs into the sauce and simmer together for 5 minutes to blend flavors.
08 - Heat olive oil in another skillet over medium-high heat, sauté zucchini noodles for 2 to 3 minutes until tender, seasoning with salt.
09 - Plate zucchini noodles, top with meatballs and sauce, and garnish with additional parsley or Parmesan as desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Turkey meatballs stay incredibly juicy when you don't overmix them, and nobody will notice they're leaner than beef.
- The whole dish comes together in less than an hour, making it perfect for weeknight dinners when you want something that feels special.
- Zucchini noodles soak up the tomato sauce beautifully, giving you that comforting pasta-like experience without the heaviness.
02 -
- Don't overmix the meatball mixture or you'll activate the gluten in the breadcrumbs and end up with hockey pucks instead of tender spheres.
- Zucchini releases water as it cooks, so if you're spiralizing them in advance, pat them completely dry with paper towels before cooking or they'll steam instead of sauté.
- The sauce needs at least 10 minutes of gentle simmering to lose its sharp, canned taste and become rounded and rich.
03 -
- Freeze uncooked meatballs on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag; you can bake them straight from frozen, adding just 3–4 minutes to the cooking time.
- If you don't have a spiralizer, a mandoline or even a careful hand with a vegetable peeler will give you zucchini ribbons that work beautifully in a pinch.