Makes: 4
Ready in: 40
Ingredients
For the Main
- 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
Nutrition
% of RDI
Calories
472 kcal
24
Fat
17g
26
Saturated Fat
5g
25
Carbs
51g
17
Fibre
10g
36
Sugar
11g
N/A
Added Sugar
0g
0
Protein
32g
64
Sodium
399mg
17
Calcium
187mg
17
Iron
5mg
36
Vitamin D
19UI
3
Magnesium
96mg
23
The % RDI is the recommended daily intake for an adult consuming ap-prox. 2000 calories/day. You may need to adjust serving sizes depending on your individual health goals.
Introduction
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.
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.
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.