Turkey Veggie Meatballs
- 1 Medium Zucchini, Shredded (DON'T Squeeze The Moisture Out!)
- 1 Large Carrot, Shredded (or 2 Medium)
- 1 Medium Onion, Finely Diced
- 2 cloves Garlic, Minced
- 1- 1/4 pound Ground Turkey
- 1- 1/4 pound Sweet Italian Turkey Sausage, Casings Removed
- 1 Egg, Beaten
- 1/2 cups Bread Crumbs (I Used A Half Sleeve Of Butter Crackers And Pulsed Them In A Food Processor)
- Salt And Pepper, to taste
- Seasonings, To Taste (I Use A Spicy Italian Seasoning Blend That Is Locally Made)
- Preheat your oven to 350 F.
- Line a baking sheet with tin foil (for easy clean up).
- Set a cooling rack inside the baking sheet.
- Spray the rack with cooking spray.
- The cooling rack is very important because it allows the excess fats to drip down which allows the meatballs to cook more quickly.
- Alternately, you could use a broiler pan.
- Prep your veggies as specified in the list above.
- Dump the veggies and all of the remaining ingredients into a large bowl.
- Use your hands to mix everything until just combined.
- Dont over mix.
- Form the mixture into balls that are slightly smaller than a billiard ball.
- You can make them larger or smaller if you like.
- I have an ice cream scoop that I use to size them.
- Place the meatballs on the cooling rack so theyre not touching.
- Spray the top of each meatball with a quick spritz of cooking spray.
- This will help them get a light golden color.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes until the internal temperature is 165 F. I usually bake them for about 30 minutes then broil for a minute or two longer.
- Make sure you watch them while theyre broiling.
- Burnt turkey is bad!
- After removing them from the oven, allow them to stand for a minute or two before serving them.
- This recipe makes about 18 meatballs, depending on the size of the meatballs.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.
- To reheat, place meatballs on a baking sheet in a 350 F oven for about 10-15 minutes or until the center of the meatball is hot.
- NOTE: The natural moisture in the zucchini helps keep the meatballs moist and juicy.
- If youd rather not use the zucchini you may need to add a bit of milk to help keep the meatballs from being too dry.
- Optional Ingredients: mushrooms, tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, sweet peppers, etc.
- The possibilities are endless!
zucchini, carrot, onion, garlic, ground turkey, italian turkey sausage, egg, bread crumbs, salt, is locally
Taken from tastykitchen.com/recipes/special-dietary-needs/turkey-veggie-meatballs-2/ (may not work)