How do I make healthy spaghetti and meatballs without sacrificing taste?

Discover our guilt-free spaghetti and meatballs recipe! Packed with nutritious ingredients and bursting with flavor, you won't even miss the extra calories.

You'll need

Items needed to answer the question, How do I make healthy spaghetti and meatballs without sacrificing taste. Items include: lean ground turkey breadcrumbs grated Parmesan cheese chopped fresh parsley minced garlic large egg salt black pepper olive oil diced onion crushed tomatoes dried oregano dried basil whole wheat spaghetti grated Parmesan cheese (for garnish) chopped parsley (for garnish)

lean ground turkey 1 pound
breadcrumbs 1/2 cup
grated Parmesan cheese 1/4 cup
chopped fresh parsley 1/4 cup
minced garlic 4 cloves
large egg 1
salt 1/2 teaspoon
black pepper 1/4 teaspoon
olive oil 3 teaspoons
diced onion 1
crushed tomatoes 1 can
dried oregano 1 teaspoon
dried basil 1 teaspoon
whole wheat spaghetti 8 ounces
grated Parmesan cheese (for garnish)
chopped parsley (for garnish)

Take note
Be careful not to overcook the spaghetti, as it can become mushy. Also, make sure to handle the meatballs with clean hands to avoid any cross-contamination.

1

Prepare the meatballs

In a mixing bowl, combine 1 pound of lean ground turkey, 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup of chopped fresh parsley, 2 cloves of minced garlic, 1 large egg, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper. Use your hands to mix everything together until well combined.

2

Shape and cook the meatballs

Roll the meat mixture into small balls, about 1 inch in diameter. Heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the meatballs to the skillet and cook for about 8-10 minutes, or until browned and cooked through. Make sure to rotate them occasionally for even browning.

3

Prepare the sauce

In a separate saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add 1 diced onion and 2 minced garlic cloves. Cook until the onion becomes translucent. Then, add a can of crushed tomatoes, 1 teaspoon of dried oregano, 1 teaspoon of dried basil, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper. Stir well and let the sauce simmer for about 15-20 minutes.

4

Cook the spaghetti

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add 8 ounces of whole wheat spaghetti and cook according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain the spaghetti, reserving a small amount of pasta water.

5

Combine and serve

Add the cooked spaghetti and meatballs to the saucepan with the sauce. Toss everything together until well coated. If needed, add a splash of reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce. Serve hot, garnished with grated Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley. Enjoy!