High-Protein Turkey Zucchini Meatballs
Nutrition per serving
Ingredients
- 600g lean ground turkey
- 2 medium zucchini (about 400g), 1 grated, 1 spiralized into noodles
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 egg
- 60g grated parmesan
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 500ml marinara sauce (no added sugar)
- 100g mozzarella, shredded
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Fresh basil leaves, to serve
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Squeeze the grated zucchini in a clean kitchen towel to remove excess moisture.
Mix the turkey, grated zucchini, onion, half the garlic, egg, parmesan, oregano, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Roll into 16 meatballs.
Place on a lined baking tray and bake for 20 minutes until golden.
Heat the olive oil in an ovenproof skillet, sauté the remaining garlic for 1 minute, then add the marinara and simmer 5 minutes.
Nestle the meatballs into the sauce, top with mozzarella and broil 3 to 4 minutes until bubbly.
Toss the spiralized zucchini noodles in the hot sauce for 2 minutes until just softened.
Serve the meatballs over the noodles and garnish with fresh basil.
These juicy baked turkey zucchini meatballs turn weeknight dinner into something you will actually crave — and they prove that healthy comfort food does not have to taste like a compromise. The secret is beautifully simple: finely grated zucchini melts right into the lean ground turkey, keeping every meatball unbelievably tender and moist with no breadcrumbs and no extra oil. A little grated parmesan, dried oregano and garlic powder give the mixture a savory Italian-style backbone, while a single egg binds everything together so the meatballs hold their shape. They bake up beautifully golden in about twenty minutes, then take a quick simmer in a garlicky marinara sauce that soaks into every bite. A blanket of shredded mozzarella goes on top for a final blast under the broiler, turning bubbly and golden while the sauce bubbles underneath. Instead of heavy pasta, the meatballs land on a tangle of fresh zucchini noodles that soften in just two minutes in the hot sauce — keeping the whole plate light, low-carb and full of vegetables. Torn fresh basil over the top adds the perfect aromatic finish. Each serving delivers 35 grams of protein for just 420 calories, alongside 18 grams of carbs, 18 grams of fat and 4 grams of fiber. This is a high-protein dinner that fills you up without weighing you down, and it reheats beautifully for meal-prep lunches the next day.
