Turkey & Zucchini Meatballs

Name: Turkey & Zucchini Meatballs
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 lb 93% lean ground turkey; 1 medium zucchini, grated (about 1 cup); ¼ cup whole wheat breadcrumbs; 1 egg; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped; 1 teaspoon Frontier Co-op dried oregano; 1 teaspoon Frontier Co-op dried basil; ½ teaspoon Frontier Co-op black pepper; ½ teaspoon Frontier Co-op onion powder; 1 tablespoon California Olive Ranch olive oil; 1 jar (24 oz) no-salt-added marinara sauce; Fresh basil for serving

Cook Time

35 min

Calories

255 calories

Sodium

310mg

Protein

30g

Serves

Light, tender meatballs packed with hidden zucchini in a simple no-salt-added tomato sauce.

Instructions

1
Grate zucchini and place in a clean kitchen towel. Squeeze firmly to remove as much moisture as possible — this is key to keeping meatballs from falling apart.
2
In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, squeezed zucchini, breadcrumbs, egg, garlic, parsley, oregano, basil, black pepper, and onion powder.
3
Mix gently with your hands until just combined. Do not overmix or the meatballs will be tough.
4
Roll mixture into balls about 1½ inches in diameter (roughly the size of a golf ball). You should get about 20 meatballs.
5
Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat.
6
Brown meatballs in batches for 2–3 minutes per side until golden. They don't need to be cooked through yet.
7
Pour marinara sauce over the meatballs in the skillet. Bring to a simmer.
8
Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 12–15 minutes until meatballs are cooked through (internal temp 165°F).
9
Serve over whole wheat pasta or zucchini noodles, topped with fresh basil.

Meredith's Tip

Squeezing the zucchini dry is the most important step. Skip it and you'll have soggy meatballs. The hidden zucchini keeps them incredibly moist without adding fat.