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Recipes Nugget Markets Signature Recipes

Oven-Roasted Meatballs with Marinara & Zoodles

Prep time
20 minutes PT20M
Cook time
2 hours 30 minutes PT30.033333333333M
Yield
4 servings
Difficulty
3 out of 5 on the difficulty scale
beef meatballs in marinara sauce over zucchini noodles Nugget Markets signature recipes

Make the marinara ahead of time and this delicious dish can be a quick and healthy meal any day of the week. 

Ingredients

Marinara Sauce:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ yellow onion, small-diced
  • 1 carrot, small-diced
  • 1 stalk celery, small-diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 cup red wine
  • 2 cans (28 ounces each) diced tomatoes in juice
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 bunch basil, sliced thin, plus more for garnish
  • Kosher salt, to taste
  • Cracked black pepper, to taste

Oven-Roasted Meatballs:

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • ½ cup minced yellow onion
  • ½ cup beef stock
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan, plus more for garnish
  • 2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Zoodles:

  • 6 medium zucchini

Preparation

For the marinara sauce, heat olive oil in a 4-quart sauce pot. Add onion, carrot, celery, and garlic and sauté for 8–10 minutes, until the onions begin to caramelize. Add the tomato paste and cook 3–4 minutes to brown the paste. Deglaze with red wine and reduce to a light syrup, 8–10 minutes. Add the canned tomatoes, thyme, oregano, and bay leaf. Partially cover with a lid and simmer gently for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Puree with a hand blender to desired consistency, then add basil and simmer 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Preheat oven to 450°F and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with foil. 

For the meatballs, combine beef, onion, stock, Parmesan, parsley, garlic, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper in the bowl of an electric mixer. Mix on low until well incorporated. Form into 2-ounce balls, coat with the vegetable oil, and place on the prepared sheet. Roast 8–10 minutes, turning halfway through, until meatballs are browned all over and reach an internal thermometer of 160°F.

For the zoodles, trim the flower end off the zucchini, but leave the stem end intact to use as a handle. Using a spiralizer, twist the zucchini to make the zoodles. Alternatively, a mandolin with teeth can be used to make long thin strips. To heat quickly, dip zoodles into a pot of boiling salted water for no more than 10–20 seconds. Drain well, then toss on a clean towel to remove any excess water. 

Toss meatballs with marinara sauce and serve over warmed zucchini noodles garnished with basil and Parmesan.