Zucchini Spaghetti and Meatballs

This version of spaghetti and meatballs nixes the processed carbohydrates of your typical spaghetti and uses zucchini instead. Make sure to soak up excess moisture from your zucchini before heating it up, or else it will be too watery when combined with the sauce. Cooking the zucchini a little less than you normally would will also help with the liquid problem, as will serving sauce on top of noodles rather than tossed.

Serves 4 (makes 14 meatballs)

Ingredients for Meatballs

1 pound grass-fed ground beef

1 large cage-free egg

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

1⁄2 cup bread crumbs

1⁄2 teaspoon red chili flakes

1⁄2 teaspoon oregano

1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper

Ingredients for Sauce

1⁄2 medium onion

3 cloves garlic

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

11⁄2 cans diced tomatoes (about 20 ounces)

1 tablespoon whole-wheat flour

1 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon black pepper

1⁄2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Ingredients for Noodles

6–8 medium zucchini

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F. In a large bowl, combine beef, egg, parsley, garlic, bread crumbs, red chili flakes, oregano and black pepper. Using your hands, shape beef mixture into golf-ball-sized spheres and place onto an aluminum-foil-lined baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes.
  2. While meatballs are cooking, prepare sauce: Finely chop onions and garlic. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pan on medium heat, add onions and garlic, and cook for about 2–3 minutes or until onions are translucent. Add tomatoes, whole-wheat flour, thyme, oregano, and black pepper. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cover and let cook for about 10 minutes. When sauce is finished, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and Parmesan cheese and mix well.
  3. Cut zucchini in half crosswise and slice off both ends. Spiralize using a small-noodle blade. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pan. Add noodles and cook for about 2 minutes until noodles are just beginning to get soft. Remove from heat. Sauce will help warm and soften noodles. Transfer noodles to a bowl and top with meatballs and sauce.
9781440594380 Zucchini Spaghetti and Meatballs

Zucchini Spaghetti and Meatballs