Spaghetti w/Turkey Meatballs in Spicy Tomato Sauce

By Treebs

Ellie Krieger

Ingredients

• FOR THE SAUCE:
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 med onion, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced (about 4 tsp)
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• One 28 oz can crushed fire-roasted tomatoes, with their juice
• 1 tsp finely minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce, or more to taste
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup torn fresh basil
• FOR THE MEATBALLS:
• Cooking spray
• 1 lb lean ground turkey meat
• 1 slice whole-wheat bread, crusts removed and pulsed into crumbs in a food processor
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 1/2 cup finely grated carrot
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 2 lg cloves garlic, minced (about 2 tsp)
• 2 tbsp minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 tsp minced fresh thyme
• 1 lg egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• FOR THE SPAGHETTI:
• One 16 oz box whole-wheat spaghetti
• 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• Minced fresh flat-leaf parsley for garnish

Preparation

Step 1

1.) To make the sauce, in a 4 qt saucepan heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring a few times, until translucent, about 3 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste, tomatoes, chipotle, oregano, and rosemary, bring to a low boil, reduce the heat to low, and cook until the liquid has evaporated slightly, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

2.) While the sauce is cooking, make the meatballs. Preheat the broiler. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Combine the ingredients for the meatballs in a large bowl. Form into 2 1/2" balls and place on a baking sheet. Broil until browned and almost entirely cooked through, about 10 minutes.

3.) Meanwhile, remove the rosemary sprig from the sauce and stir in the basil. Add the meatballs to the sauce, cover, and cook until the sauce has slightly thickened and the meatballs have absorbed some of the sauce, about another 10 minutes.

4.) While the meatballs are cooking, cook the spaghetti according to the package directions. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Add the sauce and meatballs, toss together, and heat through over medium heat. Divide evenly among 6 pasta bowls, sprinkle with the Parmesan, garnish with parsley, and serve.