Zoodles Series: Courgetti and Meatballs

Happy Saturday, folks! It’s time for yet another zoodle recipe, the last of the series for the time being. I’ve been a little irregular with my Saturday posts, but all those times I have gotten around to writing have been zoodles recipes. Even though I continue to enjoy it on a a weekly (if not daily) basis, I’m looking forward to stepping back and writing about other things!

Today’s recipe is a zoodles-twist on the classic spaghetti & meatballs; zoodles are called courgettes in some parts of the world, hence: courgetti & meatballs. After I made my pizza mummies, I had some leftover ground beef mixture so I went ahead and made meatballs out of them. I baked and froze them, and now I have some ready to go whenever I want a quick meal. I’m not specifying the number of zucchinis to use because this is largely a matter of preference; if you like equal proportions of zoodles & meatballs, use about 2-3 zucchinis. 

You will need:

For the meatballs (makes about 12 meatballs):

• Ground beef — 250g (just over ½lb)
• Red peppers — 2tbsp, chopped finely
• Onion — 1tbsp, chopped finely
• Soya sauce — 2tsp
• Garlic powder — ½tsp
• Bread — ½ slice, soaked in just enough milk to moisten (optional)
• Salt — ¼tsp
• Black pepper & cayenne pepper — pinch of each

For the sauce:

• Spinach — 1 cup, chopped
• Mushroom (any kind) — 1 cup, sliced
• Onion — 1 small, sliced
• Garlic — 3-4 cloves, minced
• Tomatoes — 1 cup, diced (or use 2 tbsp tomato paste)
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Oil — 1tbsp

For the courgetti:

• Zucchini, spiralized into thin noodles

Steps:

1. As with any zoodles recipe, start by prepping the zoodles (it’s courgetti this week). Spiralize your courgette into spaghetti noodles using the thin setting on your spiralizer, sprinkle some salt over it and leave it in a strainer/colander for 10-15 minutes to drain the excess water. Cut the courgetti strips in half lengthwise to make them more manageable.

2. To make the meatballs, mix all the meatball ingredients in a bowl. The milk-soaked bread is optional, but lends moisture to the meatballs and acts as a binding agent. Shape into meatballs and place on a lined baking sheet. Spray lightly with oil. Heat your oven to 400F and bake for 20-22 minutes, uncovered.

3. To make the sauce., start by warming 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and stir until brown. Add the onions and sautée for a minute or until translucent. Add in the mushroom and sautée for 2-3 minutes. Throw in the diced tomatoes and cook for about 10 minutes or until the sauce has thickened. If you are using tomato paste instead of fresh tomatoes, add the tomato paste along with a enough water to make a runny sauce and cook it down. After 10 minutes, add the spinach, stir to coat and let cook for a minute.

4. In a small pot, boil some water, then add salt. Cook the courgetti in the salt water for 1-2 minutes. Alternatively, you can microwave it with a sprinkling of salt for 1 minute. Transfer the courgetti to a dish or plate. Place as many meatballs as you like over the courgetti, then pour a generous helping of the sauce on top. Serve immediately & enjoy!