Healthier Alternatives: Turkey Meatballs With Angel Hair Pasta

Pin It

A simple, yet delicious and satisfying meal: good 'ol angel hair and meatballs.  In this recipe, the meatballs have been made a bit healthier by using ground turkey as opposed to ground beef.  These mouthwatering meatballs are set on top of angel hair pasta, and topped with my homemade sauce.

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds ground turkey
• 1 small onion
• 1/4 cup unseasoned dry bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese 
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 teaspoons of jarred garlic
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1  teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• cooked angel hair pasta (or whatever kind of pasta you prefer)
• homemade sauce (Its really not that hard, and it is oh-so-yummy.  I suggest making the sauce from the above link minus the meat.)

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease a 9X13 baking dish with the olive oil.

While the oven is pre-heating, place the greased baking dish into the oven to heat the oil.  

Chop the onion into large chunks, and place the chunks into the blender.

Puree the onion.  You could just mince the onion if you wish, but I like to puree it because I really don't like to find little bits of onion in my food.

In a large bowl, combine the ground turkey, the pureed (or minced) onion, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, beaten egg, garlic, oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper.

With clean hands, mix throughly.

Form the mixture into 2 inch balls.

Remove the baking dish from the oven, and carefully place the prepared meatballs into the hot dish.  Remember the dish will be hot, so be very careful!

Place the dish into the oven.

Bake for 15 minutes, then turn them, and bake for an additional 6 minutes or until slightly browned.

Place the meatballs on top of a bed of freshly cooked angel hair pasta, and smother with tomato sauce (use this recipe, and omit the meat.)  Be sure to serve some nice bread to go with your pasta and meatballs.

Enjoy!

   ~ Chef Megs