Spirilized noodles have gained popularity over the years. It provides a fun way to eat your vegetables and a great alternative from pasta that can often leave you feeling heavy. I no for my gluten-free friends this is a welcome addition to their weekly meal plans to still enjoy a bowl of “noodles” without the grain.
I have tested and created many vegetable noodle and sauce recipes over the years and, for me, this is always my go-to, as I can make this meal in less than 10 minutes! It is perfect for those busy nights when I have about 30 minutes between the time I walk in the door from work and have to get my kids to one of their extracurricular activities.
When I have a little more time, I like to include turkey meatballs or quinoa “meatballs”, adding another texture and extra protein to this recipe. These two types of balls are both quick to make and keep the prep time for this meal under 30 minutes.
Zucchini Noodles with a Raw Garden Tomato Sauce & Baked Meatballs 2 ways (turkey & vegan quinoa balls)
Ingredients
Pasta and Sauce:
- 2 large zucchini’s
- 1 1/2 cups my raw garden fresh tomato sauce get the link below in the recipe notes
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 tsp sea salt
Meatballs: 2 Ways
- 1 pound lean ground turkey breast or 1.5 cups of cooked quinoa
- 2 shallots, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 3 tbsp. fresh chopped parsley
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 free-range egg or 1 tbsp flax seed (soak seeds in 3 tbsp. of warm water for 10 min.)
- 1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs or ¼ cup of ground flax for gluten-free
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees
- Wash and dry your zucchini. You can peel or not (this is a personal preference), then spiralize your zucchini into noodles based on how your spiralizer works.
- Place your zucchini "noodles" into a large bowl and toss with the avocado oil and sea salt. Pour on the tomato sauce, mix and set aside while you prepare your meatballs.
- Place shallots and garlic in the food processor and chop.
- Add the seasoning and breadcrumbs to the food processer and blend.
For the Turkey Meatballs:
- whisk the egg in a bowl; add the ground turkey and mix well. Add the mixture from the food processor and combine well. Using a tablespoon or a mini ice cream scoop, roll the mixture in your hands to create ball shapes and place them on a baking sheet, lined with parchment paper.
- Place the sheet in the over and bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes
For the Vegan Quinoa "Meatballs":
- You follow the same procedure as above, with the flax and quinoa substitutions. Place 1 tablespoon of ground flax seed into a small bowl with 3 tablespoons of filtered warm water. Let this sit for 10 minutes as your egg replacement. Cook the quinoa, according to the instructions, using a vegetable broth in place of water to add more flavor to these balls.
- Place the sheet in the over and bake at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes