Hi Friends! Here is a super quick meal, that can be made even faster if you use pre-made tomato sauce. Make it during the week or on Sunday and portion out into lunches for work. I usually have them over spaghetti squash but you can use pasta, or just a bed of spinach; throw them in a soup or in a hoagie roll with a piece of provolone or mozzarella (or both I won't tell anyone).
Anyway you serve these meatballs they are super quick and super yummy. The pumpkin helps keep the turkey moist, the apples and cinnamon add warm and comforting flavors.
I hope you enjoy!
Anyway you serve these meatballs they are super quick and super yummy. The pumpkin helps keep the turkey moist, the apples and cinnamon add warm and comforting flavors.
I hope you enjoy!
Meatballs:
1 green apple, peeled and diced
1 small onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1.5 pound ground turkey
1/2 can of pumpkin
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons parsley
Pre-heat oven to 375
Saute apple, onion and garlic in pan until soft (this step is completely optional, you can add the raw apple, onion and garlic to the turkey mixture). Set aside and allow to cool. (make the sauce while waiting for mixture to cool)
Once cool, mix all ingredients until just combined. Form the meatballs, I do a little smaller than a golfball. Place on baking sheet sprayed with oil or lined with parchment paper. Bake in oven, on the 2nd from top rack for about 10 minutes*, until lightly browned and cooked through.
*cooking time will depend on the size of your meatballs.
Sauce:
Oil
1 onion (diced)
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp salt
2 cloves of garlic (minced)
1 32 ounce can of tomatoes (I used whole but any will do)
1/2 can of pumpkin
1 tsp cinnamon
10 basil leaves
Put just enough oil to cover the bottom of the pot and heat to medium. Add onion, red pepper flakes, and salt. Allow to cook a few minutes until the onions become soft. Throw in garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Next add the tomatoes, 1/2 the tomato can of water, pumpkin, cinnamon and 5 whole basil leaves. Allow to hard simmer for 20 minutes stirring occasionally.
Combine cooked meatballs with sauce, or just spoon sauce over meatballs however you are serving. Top with remaining basil.
If using pre-made sauce add 1/2 can of pumpkin, a little water, cinnamon, and basil.
Add ins:
Feel free to add parmesan cheese to the meatball mixture
A tablespoon of maple syrup or brown sugar
Don't have any apples, use a pear or apple sauce
Fennel (diced small and cooked with apples and onion), anise seeds, or sage will just add more flavor
Don't like spice leave out the red pepper flakes, love spice add some more
Play around with the recipe the possibilities are endless!
1 green apple, peeled and diced
1 small onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1.5 pound ground turkey
1/2 can of pumpkin
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons parsley
Pre-heat oven to 375
Saute apple, onion and garlic in pan until soft (this step is completely optional, you can add the raw apple, onion and garlic to the turkey mixture). Set aside and allow to cool. (make the sauce while waiting for mixture to cool)
Once cool, mix all ingredients until just combined. Form the meatballs, I do a little smaller than a golfball. Place on baking sheet sprayed with oil or lined with parchment paper. Bake in oven, on the 2nd from top rack for about 10 minutes*, until lightly browned and cooked through.
*cooking time will depend on the size of your meatballs.
Sauce:
Oil
1 onion (diced)
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp salt
2 cloves of garlic (minced)
1 32 ounce can of tomatoes (I used whole but any will do)
1/2 can of pumpkin
1 tsp cinnamon
10 basil leaves
Put just enough oil to cover the bottom of the pot and heat to medium. Add onion, red pepper flakes, and salt. Allow to cook a few minutes until the onions become soft. Throw in garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Next add the tomatoes, 1/2 the tomato can of water, pumpkin, cinnamon and 5 whole basil leaves. Allow to hard simmer for 20 minutes stirring occasionally.
Combine cooked meatballs with sauce, or just spoon sauce over meatballs however you are serving. Top with remaining basil.
If using pre-made sauce add 1/2 can of pumpkin, a little water, cinnamon, and basil.
Add ins:
Feel free to add parmesan cheese to the meatball mixture
A tablespoon of maple syrup or brown sugar
Don't have any apples, use a pear or apple sauce
Fennel (diced small and cooked with apples and onion), anise seeds, or sage will just add more flavor
Don't like spice leave out the red pepper flakes, love spice add some more
Play around with the recipe the possibilities are endless!