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Baked Turkey Zucchini Meatballs Recipe

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4 from 58 reviews

These Baked Turkey Zucchini Meatballs are a healthy and flavorful twist on classic meatballs, combining lean ground turkey with grated zucchini and savory Italian seasonings. Baked to perfection and paired with a homemade marinara sauce, they make a delicious and nutritious meal perfect for families or weeknight dinners.

Ingredients

For the Meatballs:

  • 2 pounds ground turkey meat (ground beef will work too!)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 cups zucchini, finely grated and drained (about 1 cup after draining)
  • 1 small red onion, grated

For the Sauce:

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside for the meatballs.
  2. Mix meatball ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the ground turkey, olive oil, minced garlic, eggs, Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, grated and drained zucchini, and grated red onion. Use your hands to mix thoroughly until the mixture is evenly combined and moist but still holds shape.
  3. Form meatballs: Scoop about two tablespoons of the meat mixture at a time, roll firmly into balls, and place each meatball on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat until all the meat mixture is used.
  4. Bake meatballs: Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake the meatballs for 20 to 25 minutes, or until they are evenly browned and cooked through.
  5. Prepare the sauce: While the meatballs bake, heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for about one minute until golden and fragrant, taking care not to burn it. Add crushed tomatoes, salt, pepper, sugar, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper flakes. Stir well and simmer the sauce for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Adjust seasoning with extra salt and pepper if needed.
  6. Combine and serve: Once the meatballs are fully cooked, transfer them into the saucepan with the sauce. Gently stir to coat the meatballs with the marinara sauce. Serve warm.

Notes

  • Make sure to drain the grated zucchini well to avoid soggy meatballs.
  • You can substitute ground turkey with ground beef if preferred.
  • Adjust the level of red pepper flakes in the sauce to make it more or less spicy.
  • These meatballs can also be cooked in a skillet if you prefer pan-frying, but baking reduces the fat content.
  • Leftover meatballs and sauce can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

Find it online: https://deliciousyum.com/baked-turkey-zucchini-meatballs-recipe/