These delicious turkey meatballs are packed with flavor and totally gluten-free. Add zoodles and a smoky spiced tomato sauce, and you’ve got a fiesta in your mouth!
Can meatballs make your life easier? I think so! They’re simple to mix up and fun to roll—recruit a helper if you can—and you can even do a lot of the prep ahead. And my important meatball rule? Never make just one batch; double the recipe and freeze half for another day. It’s a great time saver, and since almost everyone loves meatballs (especially turkey ones!), you know you’ve got an ace in the hole.
Enter these delicious morsels packed with popular Mexican flavors. Known as albondigas in Spanish, Mexican meatballs are typically made with pork or a combination of pork and beef and often served in a spiced tomato sauce made with smoky chipotle in adobo. Serving them over zucchini noodles is definitely not traditional but makes an amazingly colorful and healthy meal. You may have Italian meatballs down, and maybe even Swedish meatballs or Middle Eastern kofta. Add this to your repertoire, and you’ll have another meatball option that’ll make everyday dinners easier and more delicious. Here’s everything you need to know.
Are Mexican Meatballs With Zucchini Noodles Healthy?
These meatballs with zoodles make a very healthy meal that emphasizes nutrient-dense ingredients. Ground turkey is typically lower in saturated fat than beef but still packs a good amount of protein per serving. The spiced tomato sauce is low in fat and adds sweet corn for additional fiber. Zucchini noodles are low in calories and high in fiber, making the whole meal very veggie-forward. And the dish is gluten-free as long as you check the labels on ingredients like chipotle en adobo and cream cheese to ensure your brand is compliant. The recipe is somewhat high in sodium. If this is a concern, you can opt for crushed tomatoes and salsa labeled “low-sodium” and decrease or omit the salt added to the meatballs, sauce, and zoodles.
How To Make Tender Meatballs
The first rule for tender meatballs is not to pack your meat mixture. Use a folding motion, not a stirring one, to combine your ingredients. You can use your hands or a large rubber spatula. An ice cream scoop can help you portion out your mixture evenly, and then you can gently roll each portion into a ball. The mixture may be sticky; using damp hands will keep it from sticking so you can handle the mixture without compacting it. And make sure to cook the meatballs just until they’re cooked through but still very juicy. Overcooking will cause the meat to dry out.
How Do I Store Leftovers?
The meatballs and sauce can be stored in airtight containers for up to 4 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer. The noodles can be stored in an airtight container lined with paper towels for up to 4 days. Freezing is not recommended.
Serving Suggestions
Although this meatball and zoodle dish shines all on its own, if you want to add a side dish to round out the meal, you have a lot of choices. Cilantro-Lime Instant-Pot Rice is a popular side, as is this Mexican Rice Recipe. Anything with avocados will probably make you a hero with your crowd. Try a classic Easy Guacamole Recipe or a zesty Avocado Salad.
Ingredients
For The Meatballs:
- 1 pound 93% lean ground turkey
- 1/4 cup cheddar cheese grated
- 3 tablespoons low-fat cream cheese softened
- 3 tablespoons diced green onion
- 1/4 cup diced red onion
- 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
For The Sauce:
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/3 cup diced red onion
- 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 1/2 cups crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 cup mild salsa
- 1 tablespoon chile in adobo sauce diced
- 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup frozen corn
For The Zoodles:
- 8 medium zucchinis
- Salt
- Cilantro and additional cheddar for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Mix all the meatball ingredients together until well mixed. Form the mixture into about 20 small balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet; a cookie scoop is useful for portioning the mixture out.
- Bake for 10 to12 minutes until golden brown and no longer pink inside.
- While the meatballs cook, make the sauce. Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat.
- Add the red onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until soft, about 3 minutes.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, salsa, diced chile in adobo sauce, and the adobo sauce. Stir until well combined.
- Add the cumin, paprika, salt, and frozen corn (no need to thaw it). Stir until everything is well mixed. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer 10 minutes.
- While the sauce simmers, spray a large pan with cooking spray and heat over high heat.
- Add the zucchini noodles and cook, stirring frequenly, until golden brown, about 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to paper towels and gently press out as much moisture as you can.
- Divide the noodles among plates and top with tomato sauce and meatballs. Garnish with cilantro and additional cheddar cheese if desired. DEVOUR!
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