Print
Italian Meatballs with Zoodles (Whole30) | The Real Food Dietitians | https://therealfooddietitians.com/italian-meatballs-zoodles-whole30/

Italian Meatballs with Zoodles (Whole30)

This dish takes a little longer to prepare but all of the steps are simple (and trust us, it’s worth the extra effort!) Spiralized zucchini makes a wonderful Whole30-compliant substitute for pasta plus it’s a great way to get more vitamins, minerals and fiber in your diet. Use the extra meatballs to top a salad, toss in a soup or enjoy alongside your favorite roasted vegetables when you need a quick and easy protein option later in the week.

Prep: 20 minsCook: 25 minsTotal: 45 mins
Servings: 4 1x

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. grass-fed ground beef or bison
  • 1 lb. Whole30-compliant bulk Italian sausage*
  • ¼ tsp. black pepper
  • 6 medium zucchini, spiralized or cut into thin ribbons with a vegetable peeler.
  • 1 Tbsp. avocado or olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 pints grape or cherry tomatoes
  • Small handful of fresh basil, torn
  • Optional: Extra Virgin Avocado or Olive oil for drizzling

* To make your own Italian sausage combine:

  • 1 lb. ground pork
  • ¾ tsp. salt
  • ½ tsp. paprika
  • ½ tsp. dried fennel, lightly crushed
  • ½ tsp. garlic powder

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375℉.
  2. Combine ground beef or bison and Italian sausage (or pork plus salt and spices) in a medium bowl, sprinkle with black pepper and mix well. Using your hands or a small scoop, shape meat mixture into 32 meatballs (slightly smaller than a golf ball).
  3. Place a large skillet (cast iron works best) over medium heat. When pan is hot, add half of the meatballs and cook 10-12 minutes, turning occasionally until cooked through.
  4. Remove cooked meatballs to a paper towel-lined plate and repeat with remaining meatballs.
  5. While meatballs are cooking, spread spiralized zucchini on a large rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Toss with avocado oil and bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes, tossing halfway through, until noodles are just tender.
  6. After meatballs are cooked, pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat remaining in the pan. Turn heat up to medium-high. When pan is hot add tomatoes. Allow tomatoes to cook 4-5 minutes or until their skin starts to blister and they begin to burst. Stir and cook an additional 3-4 minutes. Add garlic, stir and cook for 30 seconds.
  7. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add zucchini noodles and half of the meatballs to the tomatoes in the pan. Toss well to coat and sprinkle liberally with fresh basil.
  8. Drizzle with extra virgin avocado oil or olive oil, if desired, before serving.

Notes

All photos and content are copyright protected. Please do not use our photos without prior written permission. If you wish to republish this recipe, please rewrite the recipe in your own unique words and link back to the source recipe here on The Real Food Dietitians. Thank you!

Dietary

© The Real Food Dietitians