If y'all are like me you probably over indulged this Easter weekend. I'm talking mimosas, entire blocks of brie and jelly beans galore. I don't know about you, but I'm ready for a junk food detox. If you feel me, then you should definitely try my zucchini turkey meatballs this week. My husband calls these "Tricky Meatballs" because it's one of ways I hide veggies from my kiddos! Granted, I literally have to grate all the veggies into the tiniest, most minuscule pieces so Kam can't detect them, but Hey, desperate times call for desperate measures. This recipe is delicious served over spaghetti squash and topped with tomato sauce or even on top of a salad. However you choose to serve them, I promise they will not disappoint.
First you will want to grate your zucchini and squeeze out excess water.
Next, mix zucchini, chopped onion, basil, garlic, Italian seasoning, Parmesan, chopped sun-dried tomatoes (optional), nutmeg, salt, pepper, and bread crumbs. Lately, I've been swapping the bread crumbs for cooked quinoa and I actually like it better. Plus, it's a good way to sneak in some extra protein and super foods. See - they really are tricky meatballs!
Mix in ground turkey meat and egg. With your hands roll the mixture into individual balls. I like to make a lot of small meatballs, about one inch each, but feel free to make them as big or small as you like.
Place meatballs on a parchment paper lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake for 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees, rotating the meatballs halfway through.
Remove and enjoy!
Tricky Turkey Meatballs
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1 egg
- 1 cup zucchini, shredded and squeeze out any excess water
- 1/4 cup chopped onion
- 1/3 cup bread crumbs or cooked quinoa (add more if too moist)
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
- 1/3 cup shredded Italian cheese (optional if a whole 30 follower)
- Basil (3-4 leaves)
- Salt and Pepper
- A pinch of nutmeg
- handful of chopped sun dried tomatoes (optional)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large mixing bowl add all the ingredients and mix with hands until combined. Form into desired sized meatballs and place on a baking sheet about 2 inches apart from each other. Bake for about 15-20 minutes depending on size of meatballs. I like to rotate my meatballs about half way through.
- Remove from oven and serve with spaghetti squash or noodles and top with your favorite sauce.
If I have time, I like to make up a big batch of this sauce and freeze it. But if I'm in a pinch, I've found this great clean tomato sauce, Cucina Antica Marinara. It's low sodium, low sugar, and made only will fresh ingredients!
Clean Marinara
Meatball recipe inspired by Kim's Healthy Eats