Spaghetti and meatballs is an Italian classic and an all-around favorite of. But sometimes you want the flavors of the dish without all the carbs. At the First For Women test kitchen, we’ve created a spaghetti and meatballs recipe with the traditional yummy flavors, but that’s lower in carbs and calories. Here’s how: Instead of regular pasta, we swapped in zucchini noodles, and rather than ground beef, we used ground turkey for the meatballs. The result: a delicious, satisfying meal that’s also protein packed and loaded with health benefits.
Fast + Easy Way to Make Meatballs
It’s time consuming to shape meatballs so that they’re all the same size for even cooking. Cut prep time in half by rolling the meat mixture into logs and then use a knife to cut each log into equal slices. Simply roll each slice into a ball and cook!
Yields
Total Time
Prep Time
Cook Time
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground turkey
- 1 3/4 cups tomato-basil pasta sauce, from 24-oz. jar
- 1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 lb. fresh zucchini noodles
Instructions
PrintMix turkey, 1/4 cup sauce, breadcrumbs, egg, 2 Tbs. basil, garlic and 1/2 tsp. salt; shape into 12 balls. In nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook meatballs, turning occasionally, until browned, 5–7 min. Add remaining sauce and 1/4 cup water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low. Cover; cook until meatballs are no longer pink in centers, 15–20 min.
Toss noodles with 1/2 tsp. salt. In large pot of boiling water, cook noodles until slightly wilted, 20 sec.; drain. Transfer to serving bowl. Top with meatball mixture and remaining basil
Nutrition
- Calories: 290 kcal
- Fat: 12 gram
- Saturated Fat: 3 gram
- Protein: 29 gram
- Carbohydrate: 21 gram
- Fiber: 1 gram
- Cholesterol: 125 mg
- Sugar: 12 gram
- Sodium: 950 mg
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