Meatballs are a “favorite food” around these parts (aka my house). We love eating these meatballs. They are made with simple, healthy ingredients and full of flavor. Not to mention, I sneak zucchini into these bad boys. Even my picky, food detectives cannot spot zucchini in these meatballs. It’s like slyest coverup since… I don’t know because it’s probably still a mystery. Anyway, the zucchini adds some fiber and nutritional benefits that are much healthier than the fillers put into the processed frozen meatballs .
Confession: I don’t always make Homemade Meatballs
I’ll have to be real and up front here, I don’t always make my own meatballs. Sometimes, I will buy the frozen meatballs if they are on sale because convenience is nice and necessary at times. Did you sense a “but” coming on? There is a big “but” headed your way. Convenience is needed but the frozen meatballs really don’t taste good. If you cover them with a really good sauce, it masks the fact that they are pretty bland. I’m always reminded of this fact when I make my own delicious turkey meatballs. And so, I have a new desire to make a bunch of meat balls (when ground turkey is on sale, of course) and freeze them.
How to keep Meatballs Round?
I have discovered a few tips to keep meatballs round. But if you don’t care about the aesthetics then carry on my friend and and just skip this little “blurb”.
Tip #1 Oil your Hands when Handling the Meat Mixture
Making meatballs is a messy process. Here’s a word of caution for you. Be ready to wash your hands a lot. I like to rub my hands in a little olive oil before I handle the meat because it eases the whole rolling process. However, you will need to reapply the oil. Sometimes, i’ll have one of kiddos put a few drops of oil in my hands, just so I don’t have to continue to wash and rewash my hands.
Tip #2 Boil the Meat Balls First
This is a fairly new trick I’ve discovered and it works. So, I will boil the meatballs until they are mostly cooked (5 minutes or so) and then I transfer them to an oiled cast iron skillet. I proceed to roll it around so to get a nice sear on all sides of the meatball. After it’s browned on all sides, I place them in the oven to keep warm. This requires more steps but if you want that nice round meatball, it works.
What to Pair with these Amazing Turkey Meat Balls?
You can never go wrong with the traditional spaghetti and meatballs but I like to eat meatballs in a variety of ways. Occasionally, we will eat Swedish meatballs, Greek pita sandwiches with meatballs (with delicious Tzatziki sauce), and quick BBQ meatballs and rice. These Meatballs can even stand on their own.
Now what to serve alongside these magnificent balls of meat? Roasted cauliflower, asparagus, brussels sprouts, and bacon green beans are all great options and some of my personal favorites.
Products I love!
I love these products right here! My cast iron skillet browns meat so incredibly well. And I love how the cheese grater can grate the zucchini so thin! It’s great for this meatball recipe! The last Product is on my wish list! My sister introduced this adjustable teaspoon to me and I want it! No more searching for the right measuring spoon, it’s all in one!
Amazing Turkey Zucchini Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 2 eggs
- 1 zucchini finally graded
- ¼ cup + 2 Tbsp Panko crumbs
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp oregano
- ¼ tsp Thyme
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Shred the zucchini and once shredded try to squeeze to remove the excess water. Mix all the ingredients together. Oil your hands with a little olive oil, this helps prevent the meatballs from sticking to your hands when you roll them. (You may have to wash your hands and re-oil them a few times, it's annoying but just think about how good these meatballs will taste!)½
- Roll them into balls, about the size of a ping pong ball (or golfball size but you may get less meatballs).
- Method #1: Bring a pot of water to a boil and add 1 Tbsp of salt to the water. Boil the meatballs for 5 minutes. This will help your meatballs stay round. Then Heat 1-2 Tbsp of oil in a Cast iron skillet or pan. Put the meat balls in the pan at medium high heat. Roll them around to brown them on all sides. Once browned on all sides, place on cookie sheet that has been covered with foil. Then place them in the oven to stay warm. Meatballs need to reach an internal temperature of 165°. You may have to add more oil as you cook.
- Method #2: (lazy method)Heat 1-2 Tbsp of oil in a Cast iron skillet or pan. Put the meat balls in the pan at medium high heat. Roll them around gently so they keep their shape and brown them on all sides. This method will not make perfectly round meatballs. Then place them in the oven to finish cooking usually less than 10 minutes. Meatballs need to reach an internal temperature of 165°.
Notes
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