Our healthy twist on spaghetti and meatballs. Turkey isn’t just to be enjoyed at Christmas - it’s a great source of lean protein and contains an amino acid called Tryptophan which may help those who are struggling with their sleep.

Turkey Meatballs & Veggie Pasta

Makes 4 Servings Ready in 40 minutes

Ingredients

350g butternut squash
1tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 red onion - diced
1 red bell pepper - diced
1 courgette - diced
500g extra lean turkey mince
2tsp dried oregano
1/4tsp chilli flakes
1/2tsp fennel seeds
400g chopped tomatoes
1tbsp apple cider vinegar
40g feta cheese
100ml water
20g fresh parsley and/or;
20g fresh basil
70g whole wheat dry pasta

Substitutions

There are lots of options and swap outs for this recipe to tailor it for a range of diets and flavour preferences; all without impacting it’s nutritional qualities.

Make it Vegan: Omit the feta or replace with a plant based cheese instead. Replace the meatballs with diced tofu, tempeh or another plant based protein. Make it Gluten-Free: by using a gluten-free pasta. Don’t Fancy Pasta?: Serve with bulghur wheat or wholegrain sourdough bread.

Method

Step 1. Heat olive oil in a frying pan on a medium heat and sweat the squash while you prepare the other vegetables.

Step 2. Add the other vegetables (excluding tinned tomatoes) to the pan and cook for 10 minutes, stirring regularly to prevent them from sticking.

Step 3. Add the tin tomatoes, rinse the tin with the water and add to pan, and then add the apple cider vinegar. Place the lid on the pan and let simmer.

Step 4. Make the meatballs by mixing the Turkey and herbs together so that 3-4 meatballs per serving size are made with the mixture. Season with salt and pepper.

Step 5. Add to the pan of vegetables and cover. Cook for 15-20 minutes until the vegetable has softened and the meatballs are cooked through.

Step 6. Cook the pasta in boiling water for the time indicated on the packet whilst the meatballs cook.

Step 7. Add all to serving dish and crumble the feta on top, together with some fresh parsley or basil if desired.

Chef Gino's Top Tip

make a big batch of the turkey meatballs, freeze them on a tray and then keep them in a bag for an easy dinner. To add flavour to the squash and courgette, roast them in the oven for 20 minutes at 200c (or in air fryer) with a touch of olive oil. They should get some nice crispy edges.