Turkey Meat Balls with Spinach-Tomato Sauce

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Eating healthy isn’t all that hard. Sometimes small changes can yield big results. Let’s take a family favorite, spaghetti and meatballs. We can give it a mini makeover in 4 easy steps. The meat balls become turkey, we bake them instead of frying them, we add Dole Baby Spinach to both the meatballs and the sauce and we serve it over whole grain pasta. Look at that! We’ve turned a family favorite into a super healthy family meal.

Here’s a tip- Add spinach whenever and wherever you can. It’s a superfood for your immune system and as the school year is in full swing, we can all use a little immunity boost. And while homemade meatballs may not be practical on a busy weeknight, they’re a perfect Sunday afternoon project with the kids. Use a cookie scoop to make shaping them a snap and while you’re at it, make extra and freeze them for future meals. You’re freezer now contains the quick and easy fixings for yummy turkey meatball sliders, or turkey meatball soup. You can find more healthy family meal ideas featuring Dole Salad blends at Dole.com

Tip: Substitute ground beef, sausage or pork for the turkey- or use a combination. A small cookie scoop makes it easier to shape the meatballs.

Directions

Heat oven to 375°F. Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray; set aside.

Set aside 1 cup spinach; add remainder to marinara sauce. Simmer until spinach is wilted and sauce is heated through. Keep warm.

Chop reserved spinach; place in a large mixing bowl. Add all the meatball ingredients except the grated Parmesan cheese. Mix thoroughly until well combined. Shape into 1 ½ -inch meatballs. Roll each meatball in reserved Parmesan. Place in prepared pan; bake 15 minutes, turning once or twice during baking.

To serve: Toss hot pasta with Spinach-Tomato sauce. Divide pasta between 4-6 plates; top each with meatballs. Serve with additional grated Parmesan cheese.

Yield:	Serves 4-6

What's Needed:

1 pound spaghetti, cooked and drained according to package directions

Spinach-Tomato Sauce:

1 (6-ounce) bag Dole Baby Spinach, divided

2-3 cups marinara sauce, purchased or homemade

Meatballs:

1 pound ground turkey

3 green onions, minced

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried basil

¼ cup ketchup

1/2 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

½ cup seasoned bread crumbs

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

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Recipe brought
to you by Amy Tobin

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