Wild Green Turkey Meatballs in a Rich Tomato Gravy
Weeds from the yard add a bright and earthy bite to meatballs that are skillet browned to deepen the flavor. A generous pour of red wine in the sauce sends this dish soaring.
I used gluten-free black soybean noodles because I avoid gluten and the 24 grams of protein per serving, but this recipe is delicious no matter which pasta you use. I find that plenty of wild greens eliminates the need for panko or bread crumbs, but do expect the meatballs to be somewhat loose until they cook a bit. Keeping the turkey very cold helps it hold together.
Young dandelion greens, wild violet leaves, lambs quarters, and nettles are good options for this recipe. And you can use your favorite red sauce - I love to use a mushroom spaghetti sauce.
Wild Green Turkey Meatballs in a Rich Tomato Gravy Recipe
yield: 4-6 servings
Ingredients
1 lb ground turkey
1 egg
1/2 onion diced small
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 cup finely chopped wild greens
1 tbs chopped fresh oregano
2 tbs chopped fresh basil
Red pepper flakes, salt, black pepper to taste
Olive oil
Marinara sauce - homemade or your favorite store brand
1/2 c dry red wine
Directions
In a large bowl, combine turkey, egg, garlic, salt, pepper, oregano, basil, and red pepper flakes. Blend with your hands until well mixed.
Form mixture into meatballs, each about 1 1/4-inches in diameter.
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large sauté pan. When the oil is hot, add meatballs to fit in a single layer without overcrowding, and brown them on all sides, about 8 minutes total. Transfer cooked meatballs to a plate. Repeat until all meatballs are browned, adding more oil to the pan as needed.
When all the meatballs are browned and removed from the pan, add marinara sauce to the pan and bring to a simmer, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Pour in the red wine and let simmer for a few minutes.
Add meatballs and their juices back to the pan, and gently cover the meatballs with sauce. Lower the heat to a gentle simmer and partly cover the pan. Simmer for 20 minutes.
Serve over pasta with Parmesan, or however you like to eat meatballs!
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