Meatball Marinara with Spiralized Courgette and Wholewheat spaghetti
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This rich turkey meatball marinara recipe perfectly combines health and comfort, subbing in spiralized courgettie and wholewheat pasta to boost the fibre and cut the calories.
Table of Contents
Why this recipe works
Turkey meatball marinara is the perfect simple yet satisfying dinner for guests or a relaxed evening in! If you can’t find pre spiralised courgettes in the supermarket then make your courgettie spaghetti at home using a peeler to create thin tagliatelle strips. You can also easily make this meatball dish veggie by using plant-based meatballs and veggie stock.
Love this meatball recipe? You may also love my One Pot Meatballs and Rice Recipe, Swedish Gravy Spaghetti with Pork and Courgette Meatballs and Turkey Meatball Marinara
Ingredients
Turkey Mince
I’ve opted for turkey mince with this recipe as it’s such a great lean source of protein.Lean pork mince or beef also make great alternatives.
Passata
I like how quickly passata can be cooked in comparison to chopped tomatoes, which we would have to spend a lot of time cooking/reducing to get the same rich, tomatoey flavour for this meatball marinara.
Courgette
Spiralized courgettes it adds nutrients, bulk and flavour to the dish and is perfectly disguised with the spaghetti once spiralized.
Wholewheat Spaghetti
Rich in nutrients and nutty in flavour, this complex carbohydrate will keep you fuller for longer and is the perfect carb to pair with the meatball marinara.
Mozzarella
Every meatball marinara has to be served with cheese. Mozzarella is perfect with this pasta recipe as it acts as an amazing binding agent within the meatballs, and also melts perfectly to serve with the best cheese pull.
See the recipe card for full information on all ingredients and quantities.
How to make this recipe
- Start by combining the mince, egg, finely diced onion, 1 clove of minced garlic and 50g of the mozzarella in a large mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper (Image 1).
- Coat the base of a non-stick frying pan with rapeseed oil and then using your hands, start to mix up the ingredients and roll the meatball mix into around 15 meatballs. Place them directly into the pan as you go (off the heat) (Image 2).
3. Once you have evenly distributed the meatballs around the pan, turn on the heat to medium/high. Leave the meatballs for 5 minutes to brown (without stirring) and then rotate and repeat for another 5 minutes (Image 3).
4. After the meatballs have browned, remove them from the pan and set aside. Add the remaining minced garlic into the same pan to gently fry before adding the passata, chicken stock cube, oregano and honey. Season with a pinch of salt and stir to combine. Then add the meatballs back into the pan with the marinara sauce and leave to cook (Image 4).
5. Meanwhile add the whole grain spaghetti to a saucepan of salted boiling water and set your timer to 2 minutes minus the packet time (Image 5).
6. Transfer the spaghetti into the sauce along with round 2 ladles of pasta water. Stir to combine and continue to cook until perfectly al dente and then add the spiralized courgettie (Image 6).
Tips and Tricks
Use low fat mince as this will ensure you make the best quality, high protein meatballs.
Make sure you don’t over cook the spaghetti. Cook the spaghetti until it’s al dente (firm to the bite) as this will help prevent it from falling apart.
Spiralize the courgette just before cooking and remove any excess moisture using a paper towel or tea towel to pat dry/squeeze out excess moisture.
Browning the meatballs in a hot pan before adding them to the marinara sauce is essential, as this will help create an amazing flavour and you can use the fond left in the pan (the tiny sticky bits of meat left) to mix in with the sauce.
Here are some othe main course recipes with pasta for you to try after this one: Rigatoni Fiorentina, Creamy Tomato & Spinach Pasta and Pasta with Peas
How to meal prep this recipe
To meal prep this meatball marinara, divide the recipe into 5 microwavable meal prep containers. Store in the freezer or fridge (consume within 4-5 days in the fridge) and when it’s time to eat, top with mozzarella and pop in the microwave for 2-3 minutes. Serve with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Other easy meal prep recipes for you to try; Healthy Noodle Bowls, Low Carb Mexican Inspired Chicken Meal Prep Bowls and Crispy Soy Tofu, Aubergine & Rice
FAQs
Yes definitely, you can prepare the meatballs, sauce and spiralize the courgette ahead of time to save time.
You can freeze the leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat in the microwave ensuring heated throughout.
Add your favorite vegetables such as bell peppers, mushrooms, peas, bean for added flavor and nutrition.
If you don’t have time to make your own sauce, look for a high-quality sauce with no added sugar or preservatives and follow the same method.
If you tried this Meatball Marinara with Spiralized Courgette recipe, it would be mean so much to me if you could leave a review & a star rating to let me know how you found it! I love hearing about your experiences – it motivates me to keep creating more and more recipes for you guys 💛 Let’s get cooking! – Mimi x
Meatball Marinara with Spiralized Courgette and Wholewheat Spaghetti
Ingredients
- 500 g (less than 7% fat) turkey mince (£2.25)
- 1 egg (£0.88/6)=(££0.15)
- 1 white onion, finely diced (£0.09)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (£0.69/3)=(£0.23)
- 250 g mozzarella, grated (£0.49x2)(£0.98)
- 2 courgettes, spiralised (£0.90)
- 1 kg passata (£0.40x2)=(£0.80)
- 250 g wholegrain spaghetti (£0.55)
Cupboard Essentials
- 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
- 1 chicken stock cube
- 2 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp honey
- Salt & pepper
Method
- In a large mixing bowl, start by combining the mince, egg, finely diced onion, 1 clove of minced garlic, 50g of the mozzarella and season with salt and pepper.
- Coat the base of a non-stick frying pan with rapeseed oil and roll the meatball mix into around 15 meatballs, placing them into the pan as you go (off the heat).
- When all of the meatballs are added to the pan and evenly distributed, turn on the heat to medium/high. Leave the meatballs for 5 minutes to brown (without stirring) and then rotate and repeat for another 5 minutes.
- Remove the meatballs from the pan and set aside. Add the remaining minced garlic into the same pan to gently fry before adding the passata, chicken stock cube, oregano and honey. Season with a pinch of salt and stir to combine.
- Pop the whole grain spaghetti into salted boiling water and set your timer to 2 minutes minus the packet time. At this stage, also add the meatballs back into the pan with the marinara sauce.
- Transfer the spaghetti into the sauce along with the courgettie and around 2 ladles of pasta water. Stir to combine and continue to cook until perfectly al dente.
Notes
- Use low-fat mince to create high protein meatballs of the best quality.
- Cook spaghetti al dente to prevent it from falling apart.
- Brown meatballs in a hot pan before adding them to the marinara sauce to create amazing flavour and use the fond to mix in with the sauce. Also, spiralize courgette just before cooking and remove any excess moisture.
Nutrition
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