Spicy Turkey Meatballs & Butternut Squash Noodles with Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce

I know, another meatball recipe. Even Nick noticed– when I was making these for dinner the other night, he went: “Wow, you really love meatballs, don’t you?” Errr…. yes :)

I am proud of him for trying all my new recipes lately. Even the funky ones. The other day I made zucchini noodles with roasted bell peppers and spicy pork sausage crumbles, which sounds delicious, but after a few bites we made a face at each other. Too many bell peppers, and as Nick put it, “too many vegetables”. I’ll admit, yes, there were probably an overload of peppers.

He was also a champ when I tried to make brown rice and corn patties with pureed pinto beans. Which I tried to pan fry, but they fell apart so I had to bake them in muffin tins in the oven. Let’s just say we whipped out the frozen chicken strips and sweet potato fries after that one.

Along with all my recipe flops, there are my winners! After posting my Spicy Asian Meatballs with Veggie Fried Rice (which got a huge positive response, and my friends Lauren and Jessica actually made the recipe and loved it as well!) I just had to post my latest meatball success!

I want to sing from the rooftops that I love butternut squash noodles. I think more than zucchini noodles, and more than spaghetti squash. Which says a lot, because I’m in love with both. I’m pretty sure they’re my favorite veggie noodle.

One cup of butternut squash noodles has 60 calories and 15 grams of carbohydrate, versus spaghetti which has 220 calories and 43g of carbohydrate per cup. The taste is nutty and sweet and pairs nicely with so many different sauces. And meatballs! :)

Let’s just be honest here and say that cutting and spiralizing butternut squash can be a b*tch. I made the mistake of buying the largest butternut squash I could find at Sprouts, and it was so big that the handle of my spiralizer couldn’t handle it. I had to push the thing through the spiralizer by hand and it was a workout. I was seriously sweating afterwards. My shoulders were sore the next morning.

So when you make this recipe, do yourself a favor and PLEASE choose a medium size butternut squash. Ali over at Inspiralized has a great video on how to choose the best squash for spiralizing, which I should have watched first!

By spiralized the butternut squash into thin noodles, it cooks in ten minutes versus the 30ish minutes it can take to roast it diced. The noodles retain their shape, and it actually tastes like pasta! Especially when you have a delicious sauce to top it off with (and meatballs!).

[Tweet “Check out this recipe for #spiralized butternut squash noodles & spicy meatballs!”]

Here’s the recipe for Spicy Turkey Meatballs & Butternut Squash Noodles 

Spicy Turkey Meatballs & Butternut Squash Noodles

2015-03-24 20:51:57

Serves 2

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For the meatballs

1. 1.25 lb lean ground turkey
2. 1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs
3. 3 egg whites
4. 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
5. 2 Tbsp ketchup
6. 1/2-1 tsp red pepper flakes
7. 2 Tbsp butter
8. 2 tsp olive oil

For the sauce

1. 1 14-oz can fire roasted tomatoes
2. 12oz jar roasted red bell peppers
3. 2 tsp minced garlic
4. 1/2-1 tsp red pepper flakes
5. 1/2 tsp onion powder
6. 1 tsp dried basil
7. 1/4 tsp dried oregano
8. 1/2 cup half and half

For the noodles

1. 1 medium butternut squash, spiralized with smallest blade
2. olive oil for drizzling
3. freshly ground black pepper
4. garlic salt
5. parmesan cheese, chopped parsley for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, combine the turkey, breadcrumbs, egg whites, parmesan cheese, ketchup, and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine well. Form into 1" (tablespoon size) meatballs. Makes about 25.
3. In a large skillet, melt the butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add the meatballs, and brown on both sides for about 5 minutes. Remove and set on a plate with paper towel.
4. In a food processor, puree the tomatoes and bell peppers until smooth.
5. Add the tomatoes and peppers to the skillet, along with the garlic, red pepper flakes, onion powder, basil, and oregano. Simmer for 3-4 minutes. Add the half and half, stir, then add the meatballs. Place lid on skillet and turn heat to low. Let simmer while the noodles cook.
6. In another large bowl, combine the butternut squash noodles, a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper. Use your hands to combine. Spread noodles out on a large oiled baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until noodles are al dente.
7. Serve with a sprinkle of parmesan and chopped flat leaf parsley.

By Emily @ Zen & Spice

Zen & Spice https://zenandspice.com/

Emily Weeks, RDN, LD

Hi! I’m Emily, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and self-taught intuitive chef. I firmly believe that cooking is the simplest and most important step we can take to improve our minds and bodies and build healthier communities. Join me and let’s bring food back to the kitchen!