Garlic Butter Turkey Meatballs with Courgetti

Serves 4

Preparation time: 20 mins

Cooking time 10 mins  

This is a Guest Recipe from Eat Well and I can never resist anything with Garlic and Butter!

Ingredients:

• 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)
  
  
• Lemon Quarters to serve with each serving plate

AND THIS IS WHAT YOU DO…

To make the turkey meatballs:

1. 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.
   
   
2. Mix well with your hands or fork and form medium balls.
   
   
3. Arrange the turkey meatballs on a plate and set aside.
   
   
4. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large frying pan over medium-low heat.
   
   
5. Cook the turkey meatballs for 8 – 10 minutes on all sides, until browned and cooked through.
   
   
6. While cooking, baste the meatballs with the mix of butter and juices.
   
   
7. Remove to a clean plate and set aside.
   
   
8. In the same pan,  melt remaining tablespoon butter; then add lemon juice, hot sauce, minced garlic, and red pepper flakes (if you want).
   
   
9. 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.
   
   
10. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and garnish with more cilantro or parsley if you like.
    
    
11. Push zucchini on one side of the skillet and add the turkey meatballs back to the pan and reheat for a minute or two.
    
    
12. Serve the garlic butter turkey meatballs with lemon zucchini noodles immediately with a lemon slice on the side. Enjoy!