Zucchini Linguine with Meatballs
Preparing flavorful meatballs with lean ground turkey and heart-healthy oats makes this dish a surprisingly guilt-free comfort food.
Ingredients
Turkey Meatballs
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 medium carrot, finely chopped or grated
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (or ½ teaspoon garlic powder)
- ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon dried Italian herb blend, or 2 teaspoons dried basil + 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- ¾ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1¼ pounds ground turkey, 90 to 94% lean
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- ¼ cup old-fashioned or quick-cooking rolled oats
- 24 ounces marinara sauce, store-bought or homemade
ZUCCHINI LINGUINE
- 8 large zucchini
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Onion powder to taste
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
To make the meatballs:
- Combine the onion, carrot, garlic, Parmesan cheese, Italian herb blend, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes in a large mixing bowl. Add the ground turkey, egg and oats. Mix until the ingredients are well combined. Be careful to not overmix or the meatballs will be tough.
- Shape the meat mixture into 30 to 34 meatballs, about 1½ inches in diameter and carefully place them one at a time into a large pot with the marinara sauce. Do not stir; stirring will cause the meatballs to break apart. Do not worry if some of the meatballs are not completely submerged in the sauce. Cover the pot and simmer on medium-low heat for 20 minutes.
- Remove the lid and gently stir the meatballs to thoroughly coat them with the sauce. Continue to simmer, uncovered, for an additional 20 minutes.
To make the zucchini linguine:
- While the meatballs are cooking, cut off the ends of the zucchini and julienne using a spiral slicer to create noodle strands. (You can peel the zucchini or leave the skin intact.) If you don’t have a spiral slicer, use a vegetable peeler or knife. Wrap noodle strands in a few layers of paper towels and squeeze to remove some of the moisture.
- Liberally coat a large skillet with nonstick oil spray and warm mover medium heat. Add the zucchini linguine, garlic powder and onion powder, and sauté for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Drain the liquid and divide among 4 plates. Top each plate with 4 meatballs and the sauce.
Notes
A serving is 2 cups linguine with 4 meatballs
Nutrition Information per serving
Calories: 314Carbohydrates: 35gProtein: 30gTotal Fat: 7g— Saturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 67mgSodium: 840mgPotassium: 2146mgFiber: 8gTotal Sugar: 21g— Added Sugar: 0gVitamin A: 2785IUVitamin C: 117mgCalcium: 215mgIron: 4mg
Nutrition information is calculated using a leading industry software. That being said, brands can vary, and there may be slight fluctuations in the numbers.