Turkey Meatballs with Whole-Wheat Spaghetti

Ingredients

0 of 20 out on the counter

• 1 lb 93% lean ground turkey
• ½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• ½ cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• ½ cup finely grated carrot
• ¼ cup finely chopped onion
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup, 150 g)
• 2 cans (15 oz each) no-salt-added tomato sauce
• 2 tbsp no-salt-added tomato paste
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp dried oregano, for the sauce
• ¼ tsp salt, for the sauce
• 1 tbsp cider vinegar
• 12 oz whole-wheat spaghetti (340 g dry)
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

All set! Everything is out. Time to bake.

Method

1. 1Heat the oven to 400 °F and line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment.
2. 2Mix the turkey, oats, spinach, carrot, chopped onion, egg, garlic powder, oregano, pepper and the ½ tsp salt with your hands, just until combined. Roll 24 meatballs, about 1½ in across, and set them on the pan.
3. 3Bake 18 to 22 minutes, until browned and the middle of a meatball reads 165 °F. The oven runs the same at altitude.
4. 4While they bake, warm the oil in a large pot over medium heat and cook the chopped onion 5 minutes. Add the tomato sauce, paste, basil, the sauce oregano and the ¼ tsp salt. Simmer 15 minutes, stirring now and then.
5. 5Slide the baked meatballs into the sauce and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in the vinegar.
6. 6Boil the spaghetti in unsalted water. At 5,300 ft water boils near 203 °F, so allow 1 to 2 minutes beyond the package time and taste for tender. Drain.
7. 7Serve the spaghetti topped with 4 meatballs and sauce, and a sprinkle of parsley.
8. 8Cool leftovers no more than 2 hours, then refrigerate. Reheat each serving to 165 °F, and bring the sauce to a boil.