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Zucchini Noodles with Meatballs

This recipe is highly recommended for the Spiral Vegetable Slicer (Spiralizer) but if you do not have one, you can try using your food processor or vegetable peeler for the zucchini. This recipe should yield about 15-18 meatballs.
Course: Main
Servings: 4
Author: Hip Foodie Mom

Ingredients

For the marinara sauce: click here

    For the meatballs:

    • 1 pound lean ground beef or turkey
    • 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
    • 1/2 cup Panko or bread crumbs
    • 2 large eggs
    • 2-3 cloves garlic minced
    • 1/4 cup fresh chives diced
    • season lightly with salt and pepper

    For the zucchini noodles:

    • 3 medium sized zucchinis
    • very light drizzle of extra virgin olive oil if desired
    • fresh parsley for garnish
    • freshly grated parmesan cheese for garnish if desired not pictured here

    Instructions

    For the meatballs:

    • Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or your silicone baking mat and set aside.
    • Using a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, olive oil, panko, eggs, minced garlic, chives, and salt and pepper. Using your hands (with plastic kitchen gloves if desired), mix until well combined. Roll the ground beef mixture into 1 1/4-to-1 1/2-inch meatballs, forming about 15-18 meatballs.
    • Place the meatballs onto the prepared baking sheet and bake for about 12-14 minutes, or until all of the sides are browned and the meatballs are cooked through.

    For the zucchini noodles:

    • Using your spiral vegetable slicer (you will have to experiment with the blades to get the thickness of the spiral ribbon cuts you want), insert the zucchini onto the spiral vegetable slicer and turn the wheel while pushing the base toward the blade. You'll want to have a bowl underneath to catch the zucchini ribbons/curls as they fall out. You can very lightly drizzle some olive oil (if desired) over the zucchini noodles and set aside. If cooking your zucchini noodles, using a large sauté pan over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Add the zucchini noodles and sauté for just a few minutes, or until heated through slightly.

    To serve:

    • Place the desired amount of zucchini noodles into a shallow bowl, place a few meatballs on top and cover with some hot marinara sauce. Garnish with fresh parsley and freshly grated parmesan cheese and enjoy immediately.