- Calories: 30
- Protein: 5 g
- Total Fat: 1.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Cholesterol: 10 mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 1 g
- Dietary Fiber: 0 g
- Total Sugar: 0 g
- Sodium: 110 mg
Who doesn’t love meatballs? I made this tasty version with protein-packed lean turkey meat, kale, a leafy green filled with immune-boosting compounds and loads of flavorful herbs and seasonings. They may be small but they are jam-packed with deliciousness. Enjoy as a super starter or part of your entrée.
- Prep time
- Total Time
- • 1 pound 93% ground turkey or chicken
- • 2 cups de-stemmed and finely chopped kale
- • 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
- • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling
- • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- • ½ teaspoon fennel seeds, lightly crushed or chopped
- • ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- • ½ teaspoon onion powder
- • ¾ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- • ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- • ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- • ¼ teaspoon dried parsley
Microwave the chopped kale with a splash of water for a couple of minutes to soften it up. Drain and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, add the ground turkey, red wine vinegar, salt, pepper, spices, dried herbs and softened kale. Mix together until everything is well combined and the turkey gets a little bit sticky and binds together. Form into 20 meatballs.
Mist a large skillet with nonstick oil spray and place over medium heat. Add the meatballs to the pan and cook for about 8 to 10 minutes, turning occasionally so all sides get evenly browned and cooked through. If moisture builds on the bottom of the skillet, drain it off so the meatballs can sear and brown.
Serve with creamy potatoes (recipe below) or over pasta with marinara sauce.
Optional serving suggestion: Add small baby potatoes to a medium saucepan with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and enough cold water to cover by about 1 inch. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook for about 8 minutes or until the potatoes are fork-tender. Drain, toss with 1½ teaspoons red wine vinegar and sprinkle with additional salt to taste
Nutrition provided for one meatball.
And definitely try this scrumptious Sausage-Pepper Hero!