Turkey Zucchini Meatballs

1.) Begin by heating your oven to 350 degrees and washing and shredding your zucchini.

2.) Add all of your ingredients to a bowl, then mix well with your hands or a spoon. (Hands work best!) Mix well until all of your ingredients are evenly combined.

3.) Roll your meat mixture into ping pong sized balls, then lay them out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. You should end up with 20-25 meatballs of the same size.

4.) Bake your meatballs in the oven for 22-25 minutes until they are fully cooked and lightly crispy on the outside.

5.) You can add your meatballs to pasta, a sandwich, or just dip them in sauce!

Turkey Zucchini Meatballs (Total Time: 45 minutes, Prep Time: 20 minutes, Serves: 4-6)

As much as I love making and eating vegan food, I can’t lie, I’m a big fan of meat. I don’t eat a ton of it, but I do occasionally enjoy a good meat-filled meal. As much as I love a juicy filet mignon, it’s not exactly in a college student’s budget. These turkey meatballs are a great, cheaper, option to make as meal prep, or to serve to friends. These little balls are 75% turkey thigh, and 25% pork. To make these extra hearty and nutritious, I added zucchini, almond meal, and even a little bit of flax. These ingredients don’t take away from the taste at all, they actually help texture-wise, plus you get a little added protein from the almonds, which is always a good thing. The zucchini also helps to add some moisture to these meatballs so that you have a nice and juicy inside, and a crisp outside! Whip these up the next time you need a hearty, satisfying meal.

Ingredients

3/4 lb ground turkey thigh

1/4 lb ground pork or lamb

1 egg

1 cup shredded zucchini

1/3 cup shredded parmesan

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp dried rosemary

1/4 tsp dried thyme

black pepper to taste

1/2 cup almond flour

1 tbsp flax (optional)

Directions

1: Start by heating your oven to 350 degrees. Next, wash and shred your zucchini. I highly recommend squeezing your shredded zucchini in a paper towel to release some water before you add it to your meat.

2: Add all of your ingredients to a bowl, then mix well. I recommend getting dirty and using your hands, but if you want, you can use a spoon. Mix well until all of your ingredients are evenly combined within the meat.

3: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, then begin rolling your meat into ping pong sized balls. You should get about 20-25 balls out of the mixture. Place your balls into the oven for 22-25 minutes, until they are slightly crispy on the outside, and cooked on the inside. You should expect to have a lot of juices leak out onto the parchment paper; these meatballs have a lot of moisture so it’s totally natural for some to escape in the baking process.

4: Add these to whatever you’d like! You can go with the classic pasta or meatball sub, or mix it up and throw ’em in a salad or wrap.

*Don’t forget to take proper precautions when handling raw meat!*