Garlic Butter Turkey Meatballs with Lemon Zucchini Noodles – This easy and nourishing skillet meal is absolutely fabulous in every way imaginable! Cheesy turkey and pork meatballs just melt in your mouth and zesty zucchini help keep carbs low. Gluten-free, paleo, low-carb, keto-friendly and ready in 30 minutes or less – These easy and healthy turkey meatballs dinner is a clear winner with the whole family! Enjoy!
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Ingredients list for the Garlic Butter Meatballs with Lemon Zucchini Noodles
- 1/2 lb (220g) ground turkey meat
- 1/2 lb (220g) ground pork meat (optional, see recipe notes)
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella (or cheddar, provolone…)
- 4 cloves garlic, grated + 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon red crushed chili pepper flakes, optional
- 1 crumbled bouillon cube, optional
- Salt and fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
- 1 cup fresh chopped cilantro (or parsley), divided
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 4 medium zucchini, spiralized
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce of your choice (we used Sriracha)
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Directions
1. To make the turkey meatballs: In a large bowl, combine ground turkey and ground pork, cheese, grated garlic, Italian seasoning, bouillon cube, red chili pepper flakes, chopped cilantro and black pepper. Mix well with your hands or fork and form medium balls. Arrange the turkey meatballs on a plate and set aside.
2. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Cook the turkey meatballs for 8 – 10 minutes on all sides, until browned and cooked through. While cooking, baste the meatballs with the mix of butter and juices. Remove to a clean plate and set aside.
3. In the same skillet melt remaining tablespoon butter; then add lemon juice, hot sauce, minced garlic, and red pepper flakes (if you want). Add the zucchini noodles and cook for 3 or 4 minutes, stirring regularly, until zucchini is done but still crisp and juices have reduced a bit. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and garnish with more cilantro or parsley if you like.
4. Push zucchini on one side of the skillet and add the turkey meatballs back to the pan and reheat for a minute or two. Serve the garlic butter turkey meatballs with lemon zucchini noodles immediately with a lemon slice on the side. Enjoy!
Note:
- Ground pork in this recipe allows the meatballs to be more juicy and tender. If you don’t eat pork, just double the amount of ground turkey, it’s delicious too!
- Zucchini tends to render some water when cooking, so you can sprinkle with salt after spiralizing and allow to sit for a couple of minutes to take off excess water. Rinse well to get rid of salt and drain thoroughly in a colander before cooking.
- Make sure to cook the meatballs on medium fire to avoid burning them while still raw in the inside.
- This recipe is also perfect for a meal prep lunch on the next day. Check this meatball meal prep recipe for a variant with chicken.
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Leave a Reply
Megan
2021-01-15 15:09:42
This are so yummy! Even my picky kid will eat them? I was wondering if someone could give me a tip though. My meatballs don't really stay firmly togetherSo when I'm turning them in the pan a lot of times they fall apart. Does anybody have any tips for getting them to stay more stuck together?
Terry
2020-12-24 13:05:11
Karen, the recipe is for 4 people, so make whatever size meatballs you want & divide the number you make by 4. That will let you know how many for each serving. Hope this helps.
Dan
2020-12-14 20:15:46
Made this tonight and it is AWESOME!! So easy to make and tastes so good!!
Nysha
2020-11-22 19:45:32
Recipe looked straightforward enough but when cooking realized the quantity of meatballs was not indicated. How large or small was intended? My experience cooking Zucchini noodles loose their crispness before the two minute mark so when these directions say three minutes till crisp is bewildering. Not a fan.
karen
2020-11-19 08:43:46
I am going try these, wish it was noted how many meatballs in a serving
