Spaghetti and meatballs…..can’t be healthy, surely not, it’s too good to be true! Well, why not? Let’s swap out the artery-clogging ground beef for some lean ground turkey, sneak in a few veggies and bring on some whole wheat pasta and, why yes….that is a plate full of wholesome goodness and look at those happy smiling faces with red sauce all over their shirts, the table and floor!
Turkey Veggie Meatballs
- 1/2 Onion, diced
- 1 Carrot, peeled, quartered and diced
- 2 Cloves Garlic, diced
- 1 lb. Lean Ground Turkey
- 1/4 tsp. of each Salt, Pepper, Dried Basil and Dried Oregano
- 3/4 cup Bread Crumbs
- 1/3 cup Butternut Squash Puree (don’t freak out, you can do this*)
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 23 oz. Jar of Pasta Sauce
- 8 oz. Tomato Sauce
Saute the onion and carrot in a drizzle of olive oil for about 8-10 minutes, until tender. Set aside and allow to cool.
In a glass bowl combine the garlic, turkey, spices, breadcrumbs and squash. Once the onion and carrots have cooled, add them to the mixture and stir to combine. Do not overmix. Form into 25-ish 1-inch-ish balls.
Heat a large skillet with about 1 tablespoon of olive oil and add the meatballs and cook until brown on all sides, about 8-10 minutes. If your skillet is not large enough, do this step in batches so as not to overcrowd the pan.
Add pasta sauce and tomato sauce and simmer for at least 20 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through.
Serve with your favorite whole wheat pasta. I decided to go for some angel hair pasta this time and it was delightful!
*Butternut squash puree is no big deal, simply follow these steps to roast the squash and puree. If you don’t have the time to roast the squash you can find pureed squash in the freezer section of the grocery store.
delicious veggie meatballs
Oh wonderful idea! Thank you for sharing…they sound yummy good!