Meatballs are a comfort food around the globe. Consider the Swedish kottbullar, Mexican albondigas, Indian koftes, Israeli ktzitzot, or French boules. They all use ground meat and are rolled into balls. From there, the meatball varies according to different tastes and available ingredients.
These airy, fluffy meatballs are an easy-to-prepare weeknight dish. They’re lightened up with ground turkey instead of beef and baking rather than frying. Much of their flavor and juiciness come from shredded carrots and zucchini that replace the usual fat or cream. Make sure to shred or grate the vegetables finely.
Grated Parmesan cheese, herbs, and a simple tomato sauce give them an Italian touch. Use a good-quality marinara sauce, and add some thyme and basil for a fresh touch.
Serve these meatballs alone, with your favorite pasta, or on a baguette with the tomato sauce spooned over them. This recipe can also be adapted to make meatloaf. Form the mixture into a large loaf shape, place it in a baking pan, and bake it for 1 hour at 400 degrees F. For extra flavor, spoon over some of the sauce while the meatloaf is cooking.
Roasted Turkey Vegetable Meatballs
Makes about 30 meatballs
Serves 8 to 10
