Spaghetti-O's with Turkey Meatballs
Servings 8
Equipment
- Large Dutch oven
- Large skillet
Ingredients
Mushroom Marinara:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ yellow onion diced
- 8 oz of button or cremini mushrooms sliced thinly
- 3-4 cloves of garlic chopped finely
- 1 (28-oz can) of crushed tomatoes
- 1 (15-oz can) of tomato sauce
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
- 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp fennel seeds crushed
- 1 tsp white sugar
- 1 pinch of red pepper flakes
- Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
Mini Turkey Meatballs:
- ¼ cup of button mushrooms chopped finely
- ¼ cup of Parmesan cheese grated
- 3 tbsp yellow onion diced finely
- 1 clove of garlic minced
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
- ½ tsp dried basil
- ¼ tsp dried oregano
- Sea salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1 egg well beaten
- ¼ cup of Italian-style bread crumbs
Other Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 package of Anelletti pasta cooked per instructions
- Fresh parsley chopped
- Parmesan freshly grated
Instructions
- Make the marinara by heating the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and mushrooms and saute until tender. A
- Add the garlic and cook for 60 seconds, stirring frequently.
- Stir in the tomatoes, tomato sauce, parsley, vinegar, basil, oregano, crushed fennel seeds, sugar, crushed red pepper flakes, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper to taste.
- Simmer for at least 2 hours before making the meatballs.
- Make the meatballs by combining the mushrooms, parmesan, onion, garlic, parsley, basil, oregano, sea salt, and freshly cracked pepper in a food processor. Blend until well chopped and combined.
- In a large bowl, combine the mushroom mixture with the ground turkey, well-beaten egg, and breadcrumbs.
- Roll the turkey mixture into small balls.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Cook the meatballs once the large skillet is hot, cook the meatballs for 2 minutes on each side, then remove them from the skillet and place them on the baking sheet.
- Place the meatballs in the simmering mushroom marinara to finish cooking and to soak up the flavors.
- Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain.
- You can either add the cooked pasta to the sauce and combine, or add pasta to individual serving bowls and ladle sauce & meatballs on top.
- Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and some fresh parsley sprinkled on top. Enjoy.