Spaghetti-O’s with Turkey Meatballs

I found some anelletti pasta at Trader Joe’s recently that’s in the shape of O’s. I envisioned a healthy version of spaghetti-o’s with meatballs. I used ground turkey for the meatballs and made them as small as I could. I made a mushroom marinara sauce that was tangy and delicious, while the meatballs were very tender and juicy. If you don’t feel like making the marinara, substitute it with your favorite store-bought marinara. The kids loved this dinner, and it paired nicely with a tossed salad and fresh-baked bread.

Spaghetti-O’s with Turkey Meatballs

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

How to Make Spaghetti-O’s with Turkey Meatballs

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.

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 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.

Spaghetti-O's with Turkey Meatballs

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Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Course: Main

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: 8

Author: Pam - For the Love of Cooking

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.

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