Italian keto turkey meatballs with zoodles

Italian keto turkey meatballs with zoodles

It's hard to beat these moist, homemade turkey meatballs married with a rustic tomato sauce of roasted garlic and sun-dried tomatoes. Served on top of "al dente" zucchini pasta, it's healthy comfort food at its best.

Italian keto turkey meatballs with zoodles

It's hard to beat these moist, homemade turkey meatballs married with a rustic tomato sauce of roasted garlic and sun-dried tomatoes. Served on top of "al dente" zucchini pasta, it's healthy comfort food at its best.
USMetric
4 servingservings

Ingredients

Turkey meatballs
  • 1½ lbs 650 g ground turkey or ground beef
  • ¼ cup 60 ml mayonnaise
  • ¾ tsp ¾ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp ½ tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp 1 tsp onion powder
  • 3 tbsp 3 tbsp olive oil, for frying
Tomato sauce
  • 2 2 garlic clove, finely choppedgarlic cloves, finely chopped
  • ½ cup 120 ml tomato sauce
  • 1 cup 240 ml water
  • 2 tbsp 2 tbsp finely chopped, sun-dried tomatoes in oil
  • salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Zoodles and garnish
  • 1½ lbs 650 g zucchini, spiralized
  • 2 tbsp 2 tbsp olive oil
  • salt and ground black pepper
  • ½ cup (113 oz.) 120 ml (40 g) shredded Parmesan cheese
  • ¼ cup (13 oz.) 60 ml (11 g) fresh basil, chopped
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Instructions

Instructions are for 4 servings. Please modify as needed.

Turkey meatballs

  1. In a large bowl, add the ground turkey, mayo, salt, pepper, and onion powder. Gently mix together with your hands, or a wooden spoon.
  2. Lightly moisten hands with water, and form the meat mixture into 1" (3 cm) meatballs.
  3. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Place the meatballs in the pan, evenly spaced out, and fry for about 2-3 minutes per side until browned on all sides (this can be done in batches if needed). Remove the meatballs from the pan with a slotted spoon, set aside, and keep warm. Leave the fat and drippings in the pan, and heat over medium temperature.
  4. Tomato sauce

  5. Add the garlic to the pan, stirring frequently until lightly browned. Then add the tomato sauce ingredients and whisk them together. Bring to a boil, and then reduce the temperature to medium-low. Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the meatballs, stir to coat, and simmer uncovered for 2-3 more minutes, or until the sauce has thickened. Set aside.
  6. Zoodles and garnish

  7. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Place the zoodles in the boiling water for just one minute, and then drain in a colander. Transfer the zoodles to a serving platter, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
  8. Serve the meatballs and tomato sauce over a bed of zoodles. Garnish with the shredded parmesan cheese and fresh, chopped basil.
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One comment

  1. Honeymay
    The turkey meatball recipe should be updated to include: Instead of mayo in the turkey balls, use extra virgin olive oil, grated parmesan cheese and an egg yolk to bind it. Sprinkle in some mixed Italian herb seasoning as well. The sauce should have garlic, olive oil, no sun dried tomatoes, but fresh tomato, and dried oregano, basil added or Italian mixed herb seasoning. Can also add dry red wine to the sauce. Mediterranean diets where big on red wine, one of the reasons it was so heart healthy.
    Sorry to change it so much but I'm from an Italian family.

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