Healthy Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs and Zucchini Noodles

Votes: 7

Time: 40 min.
Complexity: easily
Quantity: 12 meatballs

Thanks to the air fryer, your turkey meatballs will turn out deliciously crispy on the outside and juicy and tender on the inside, all without any excess fat! Delicious and healthy. Toss them with warm tomato sauce and serve with zucchini noodles (available in the produce section or spiralizer), generously sprinkled with Parmesan cheese. This low-calorie yet nutritious dish, rich in protein and fiber, is perfect for dinner.

The recipes use measuring containers with the following volumes:
1 glass (st.) - 250 ml.
3/4 cup (st.) - 180 ml.
2/3 cup (st.) - 160 ml.
1/2 cup (st.) - 125 ml.
1/3 cup (st.) - 80 ml.
1/4 cup (st.) - 60 ml.
1 tablespoon (tbsp) - 15 ml.
1 teaspoon (tsp) - 5 ml.
1/5 teaspoon (tsp) - 1 ml.

Ingredients for the recipe:

700 g zucchini noodles (about 3 medium zucchinis); see Note
1/3 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup whole milk
220 g of ground turkey
1/4 cup ricotta
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 tbsp finely grated Parmesan cheese + extra for serving
0.5 tsp dried oregano
1 and 1/4 cups store-bought tomato sauce
Special equipment: air grill with a capacity of 3.5 liters.

Ingredient Substitution Suggestions

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Recipes with similar ingredients: ground turkey, zucchini, zucchini, ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, milk, tomato sauce, oregano

Cooking the dish according to the recipe:

In a large bowl, toss the zucchini noodles with a generous pinch of salt. Let sit until the zucchini begins to soften and release liquid, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the breadcrumbs and milk and let sit until the breadcrumbs bloom, about 5 minutes. Add the ground turkey, ricotta, parsley, Parmesan, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and a pinch of freshly ground black pepper to the breadcrumb mixture, then mix thoroughly with your hands. Form into 12 meatballs (each about 1.5 tablespoons thick and 2.5 cm in diameter).

Preheat the air fryer to 200°C. Spray the inside of the air fryer basket with cooking spray and add the meatballs, spacing them out to allow air circulation. Fry until golden brown on the outside and cooked through on the inside, about 10 minutes, turning halfway through.
Meanwhile, heat the tomato sauce in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the meatballs to the sauce, reduce the heat to low, and keep warm.
Sprinkle the zucchini with 1/4 teaspoon salt and a little freshly ground black pepper. Air fry at 200°C (400°F) until the noodles begin to brown around the edges, stirring halfway through, 5-6 minutes.
Divide the zucchini noodles among 2 plates or shallow bowls, top with 6 meatballs, and drizzle with warm tomato sauce. Serve sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.

Note

Some grocery stores sell pre-made zucchini noodles. You can also use a spiralizer to cut them. You'll need three zucchini, each weighing 200 grams.