VF Food – Italian Turkey Zoodles

This is an easy low-carb pasta with tomato meat sauce that is so yummy, and has a mild kick.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 3 zucchini
• 1 tablespoon salt, or more as needed
• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 (3 ounce) can tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 cup small-curd cottage cheese
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

Prep: 15 min

Cook: 38min

Ready in: 1 hr 18 min

1. Make zucchini noodles using a spiralizer or julienne peeler. Place noodles in a colander and cover liberally with 1 tablespoon salt. Let sit until noodles release some moisture, about 20 minutes. Rinse noodles and pat dry.
2. Place ground turkey, garlic salt, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, and red pepper flakes in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir until turkey is browned and juices run clear, about 5 minutes. Drain grease.
3. Push turkey to the sides of the skillet to make an empty space in the center. Add olive oil and minced garlic; cook until garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute.
4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
5. Stir diced tomatoes, tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, parsley, basil, Italian seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and black pepper into the skillet. Bring to a boil; cook until sauce thickens, about 15 minutes. Stir in noodles. Cover with cottage cheese. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese evenly on top.
6. Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is melted, about 15 minutes. Turn on broiler and broil until cheese is golden brown, about 2 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Nutrition

Amount per serving (4 total)

• Calories:380 kcal

• Fat: 17.2 g
• Carbs: 17.1g

• Protein: 40.2 g

Tips

• Ricotta cheese can be used in the place of cottage cheese, and ground beef or ground chicken can replace the ground turkey if desired.
• Substitute 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil for the dried if preferred.
• A jar of spaghetti sauce can also be used in the place of the tomatoes, tomato paste, and spices to speed things up, but I don’t feel that it’s quite as good.
• Aluminum foil helps keep food moist, ensures it cooks evenly, keeps leftovers fresh, and makes cleanup easy.