Recipe: Game Day Very Veggie Meatballs
There’s something about wintertime and football season that goes hand-in-hand with meatballs. They are an easy way to serve up a fun and protein-dense entrée or appetizer. This recipe sneaks in non-starchy veggies for an extra nutrient kick, letting the traditional flavor shine through, but with a healthful twist!
Game Day Very Veggie Meatballs
Serves 5
Ingredients:
- 1 large carrot
- 1 medium zucchini
- 1/4 tsp salt
- Cooking spray (Optional)
- 3 green onions
- 2 cloves garlic (or 1-3 tsp jarred minced garlic)
- 2 Tbsp avocado oil
- 6 oz fresh baby spinach
- 1.5 lbs ground turkey
- 1 large egg
- 2/3 C breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
- Peel carrots. Using small holes of a box grater, shred carrot and zucchini. Evenly spread carrot and zucchini on a clean kitchen towel. Sprinkle with 1/4 tsp salt. Let sit for 30 minutes. Wring out excess water into the sink.
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Lightly coat with cooking spray, if desired. Finely chop green onion. Peel and crush garlic cloves.
- In a medium sauté pan on the stove over medium heat, add 2 Tbsp avocado oil. Add carrots, zucchini, garlic, and onion. Cook 3 minutes, or until carrots soften.
- Add spinach to veggies. Stir until spinach wilts. Remove from heat. Cool 3 minutes.
- In a large bowl, combine all ingredients until uniform. Use your hands to roll 2-3 Tbsp of the mixture into a meatball. Place on a baking sheet. Repeat until the mixture is used up. Place in the oven. Bake 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes, turn the oven to broil. Cook 2 minutes. Remove from oven. Serve warm.
Tip: These meatballs pair really well with your favorite marinara sauce, or for something new, try serving them with our Garlic Bacon Aioli.
Swaps:
- For the carrots and zucchini: diced mushrooms, finely chopped bell pepper, or diced yellow squash
- For the green onion: chives or finely diced red, yellow, or white onion
- For the avocado oil: olive oil
- For the spinach: kale or arugula
- For the turkey: lean ground beef, ground chicken, ground pork, or a combination
- For the breadcrumbs: gluten-free breadcrumbs or panko