Lean ground turkey, shredded carrot, and zucchini noodles come together quickly for this nutritious weeknight dinner. If you don't have a spiralizer, use a carrot peeler to create ribbons with the zucchini.
Ingredients
1 pound lean ground turkey
1 medium carrot, peeled and shredded on the large holes of a box grater (about ¾ cup)
1 large egg, beaten
½ cup quick-cooking oats
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup chopped fresh basil or 1 tablespoon dried basil
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
⅛ teaspoon pepper
One 26-ounce jar pasta sauce
4 medium zucchini, washed and ends trimmed
2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly oil or coat a large rimmed baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
Place the ground turkey, carrot, egg, oats, Parmesan cheese, basil, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a large bowl and mix until just combined.
Shape the meat mixture into twenty-four 1½-inch balls. Place on the prepared baking sheet and cook until lightly browned, 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, place the pasta sauce in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cover and bring to a simmer. When the turkey meatballs come out of the oven, add them to the sauce, reduce the heat, and simmer, covered, until the meatballs are fully cooked and have absorbed some of the sauce flavors, about 20 minutes.
While the turkey meatballs are cooking in the sauce, use a hand-held or countertop spiralizer to cut the zucchini into thin, 8-inch long, noodle-like strands. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini noodles and cook, tossing frequently with tongs, until al dente, about 5 minutes.
Transfer the cooked zucchini noodles to individual plates or a large bowl or platter, and serve with the sauce and meatballs on top.