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Turkey and Zucchini Meatballs in Tomato Sauce


Course Main
Difficulty Low
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 3 people
Author Lorena Salinas from Cravings Journal

Ingredients

For the vegetable stock

  • 100 g onion coarsely chopped
  • 100 g carrots coarsely chopped
  • 100 g celery coarsely chopped
  • 1 bayleaf
  • water enough to cover nicely

For the meatballs

  • 250 g ground turkey I used turkey breast
  • 120 g zucchini grated with skin on
  • 50 g oat flour can be replaced with wheat or quinoa flour
  • 1 egg
  • 1 lemon zest
  • 2 sprigs thyme leaves only
  • 2 tbsp olive oil + more to sear them
  • salt and pepper

For the tomato sauce

  • olive oil
  • 1/2 medium onion finely chopped
  • 1 garlic clove grated or minced
  • 2 bayleaves
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 kg tomatoes really ripe, peeled, deseeded and finely chopped
  • 300 ml vegetable stock from above
  • salt and pepper

Instructions

For the vegetable stock

  1. Bring everything to a boil and let simmer on low heat for 30min. Set aside.

For the meatballs.

  1. Mix everything for the meatballs.

  2. Heat a pan on medium-high heat with olive oil and shape them using a cookie scoop or with your hands with a bit of olive oil to keep them from sticking.

  3. Sear the meatballs on all sides until golden and set aside.

For the tomato sauce

  1. In the same pan where we seared the meatballs add more olive oil if needed and cook the onion on low heat until soft, translucent and sweet in smell.

  2. Add the garlic and bayleaf and cook for a minute.

  3. Add the tomato paste and cook for another minute.

  4. Add the chopped tomatoes and increase the heat to medium. Mix until it's hot and letting out a lot of steam.

  5. Add enough vegetable stock to cover and let it cook until the tomato starts to disintegrate. When it starts to thicken add the meatballs, cover and let them finish to cook in the sauce.