Skillet Zucchini Turkey Meatballs With Red Sauce

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Juicy turkey zucchini meatballs simmered in simple tomato sauce. A great weeknight meal with hidden veggies—perfect for meal prep.

Prep Time20

Cook Time20

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian-inspired

Servings:

Calories: 346kcal

1 pound lean ground turkey (or beef)
1 cup shredded zucchini (squeeze out excess moisture with a clean towel or paper towels)
⅓ cup finely diced onion
⅓ cup panko breadcrumbs or almond flour
¼ cup shredded parmesan cheese, plus more for serving (optional)
1 egg
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil
24 ounces marinara sauce
For serving: cooked pasta or crusty bread

Place the shredded zucchini in a clean kitchen towel or paper towels and squeeze out as much liquid as possible to prevent the meatballs from getting soggy.
In a large bowl, combine the ground beef or turkey, squeezed zucchini, diced onion, breadcrumbs or almond flour, parmesan, egg, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and garlic. Mix until just combined.
Roll the mixture into about 1½-inch balls. You should get around 16 meatballs.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the meatballs in a single layer and brown them on all sides. You don’t need to cook them through at this stage, just get a good sear.
Pour the marinara sauce over the meatballs. Reduce heat to low, cover the skillet, and simmer for 15–20 minutes, or until meatballs are fully cooked (internal temp should reach 165°F).
Spoon over pasta or dip bread into the sauce. Sprinkle with extra parmesan if desired.

Recipe notes:

Save time/prep ahead:
- Prep in advance: Mix the meatball ingredients and form the meatballs a day ahead, then store them covered in the fridge until ready to cook.
- Freeze raw meatballs: Shape and freeze the uncooked meatballs on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag. Cook them straight from frozen when you want a quick meal.
- Batch cook: Prepare a large batch of meatballs and sauce, then freeze individual servings for easy grab-and-go meals.
These meatballs can be gluten-free with the use of almond flour in place of breadcrumbs. They are dairy-free with the omission of the parmesan cheese.
The recipe can be found on My Fitness Pal by searching "BWB Zucchini Turkey Meatballs." The nutrition content provided for each recipe is an estimate created through the My Fitness Pal database. Please be aware that the nutritional content of each recipe may vary based on the products you use, the precision of your measurements, and the source you use to obtain nutrition data. While we try to provide accurate information, we give no guarantee regarding the accuracy of the nutritional information provided.