~Amanda~
One of my favorite types of cuisine is Asian. I love all of the ingredients associated with it from rice and ginger to chilies and vegetables as well as the cooking styles used like stir frying and steaming. I also really enjoy that you can make incredibly healthy dishes and they are so packed full of flavor. So when I came across a recipe on The Gluten Free Goddess for Gluten-Free Turkey Meatballs with Asian Style Noodles a few years ago, I had to try it. Not only is it made using so many of my favorite Asian ingredients, but it was gluten free and such an interesting twist on your traditional spaghetti and meatballs. I was instantly hooked and have been making it regularly from then on.
Now on to these delicious Asian Turkey Meatballs; I absolutely love them because they are filled with so many vibrant flavors. You start with a ground turkey as the base (but you can always substitute chicken or beef if you prefer those meats more…it’s been found over time that turkey really doesn’t have many health benefits over beef so I use it because I like the lighter flavor in this recipe, not because it’s better for you). You then add diced carrots, green onion, ginger (my FAVORITE), cayenne, parsley, mint, cilantro and other tasty Asian ingredients. Roll them into balls and bake them and then you put them on top of the Asian Pasta. *Side Note: I always make a larger amount than the recipe calls for because they are just so incredible and I love to keep them in my freezer to have for a quick lunch, in a sandwich, or as a great addition to soups.
While the meatballs are cooking you move on to making the Asian style pasta. The pasta is made with a lot of the same ingredients you use to make the meatballs, so make sure you prepare all the ingredients for the meatballs and pasta at the same time so you can save yourself a lot of time. This also means that you end up with a pasta that goes so cohesively with the meatballs. My favorite part of the pasta is definitely the tamari and balsamic vinegar ‘sauce’. I would never expect to have balsamic vinegar in an Asian pasta dish, but I was so pleasantly surprised by how well it goes with the dish and by the incredible pop of flavor it adds. Once your pasta is prepared, place it on a plate, top with the meatballs hot out of the oven, and the fresh herbs (and as always, some hot sauce) and enjoy this Asian twist on spaghetti and meatballs!
- 1 1/2 pounds ground turkey
- 1 cup bread crumbs (I use gluten-free)
- 1 large green onion, diced
- 1 medium carrot, diced
- 1 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, finely diced
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 tablespoon tamari (soy) sauce (low sodium)
- 1 tablespoon agave
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 package spaghetti noodles (I use gluten free quinoa noodles)
- Coconut oil, as needed
- 3 green onions, sliced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- dash of cayenne, to taste
- 2 teaspoons ginger, minced (or grated depending on preference)
- 3 carrots, julienned
- 3 tablespoons tamari (soy) sauce (low sodium)
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- Salt, to taste
- 3 cups baby spinach leaves
- 2 tablespoons each of fresh chopped parsley, mint and cilantro
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- In large bowl combine the ground turkey and bread crumbs using your hands. Add the green onion, carrot, garlic, ginger, cayenne, and herbs and combine. Then add the egg, lime juice, tamari, and agave and season with salt and pepper.
- Using your hands, roll about 24 meatballs and place on baking sheet. Bake for about 25-30 minutes until cooked through.
- While the meatballs are cooking, prepare the Asian Pasta.
- Cook the spaghetti noodles according to package directions. You want them to be al dente (slightly under cooked, NOT over cooked)
- Meanwhile, heat a tablespoon of coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the green onion, garlic, cayenne, ginger, and carrots and stir-fry until slightly tender, abdout 5 minutes.
- Add in the tamari and balsamic vinegar and stir to combine. Then add the noodles and toss to combine and add the spinach and toss again until it begins to wilt, this should only take about a minute.
- Add in half the herbs and toss gently.
- Place the noodles on a plate, then top with the meatballs and remaining herbs (and some hot sauce if you desire). Serve and enjoy.
