Karina's Gluten-Free Turkey Meatball Recipe with Stir-Fry Pasta/Noodles

Gluten-Free Turkey Meatballs with Stir-Fry Pasta, anyone?

How about some super savory goodness tonight? From my pantry-inspired art school recipe from the 1970's, to you, dear reader. Tasty, tender turkey meatballs on top of gluten-free pasta lightly tossed in a non-tomato soy-free sauce spiked with ginger and lime. Sure to wake up your winter weary taste buds...

And while we're imagining bowls of steaming pasta, let's talk noodles, shall we?

Gluten-free alternatives to wheat based pasta can be gummy. Or sticky. Or just plain blah.

But here's the thing. The trick to perfect gluten-free pasta is to keep the noodles a tad al dente- not chewy, per se, but a pleasing texture that will hold up to sauce, pan tossing, and fork twirling. In other words, oh-so-lovely Reader... anything but mushy.

Squishy isn't good either.

Cooked to death (too soft) gluten-free noodles get too darn gummy for words.

The secret?

Test! Test! Test!

Don't guess.

Love,

Karina xo

Gluten-Free Turkey Meatballs Recipe with Lime, Mint and Ginger on a bed of Pasta, Baby Spinach and Fresh Herbs

Recipe posted 2010 by Karina Allrich.

I whipped up an easy stir-fry sauce without soy. But you could easily substitute my molasses and balsamic blend with gluten-free wheat-free tamari sauce, if you so desire. See below.

Ingredients:

2 pounds free range organic ground turkey
1 1/2 cups gluten-free bread crumbs
1 large spring onion or scallion (or 2 small), diced fine
1 medium large carrot, processed or diced very fine
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
2 tablespoons fresh chopped mint leaves
2 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro leaves
1 organic free-range egg, beaten
Juice from 1 fresh medium lime
1 tablespoon molasses (or wheat-free tamari sauce)
1 tablespoon raw agave nectar or real maple syrup
Sea salt and ground pepper, to taste (use less salt if you use tamari sauce)

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a baking sheet Exopat or Silpat. Or double up baking sheets and line the upper pan with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, break apart and blend the ground organic free-range turkey with the gluten-free bread crumbs, using a sturdy metal spoon. Add in the diced spring onion, processed carrot, minced garlic, grated ginger, and fresh herbs. Mix just until blended. Add in the egg, fresh lime juice, molasses (or wheat-free tamari), agave. Mix lightly. Season with salt and pepper as you go- but don't add too much salt- especially if you use tamari sauce, which is already salty.

Form 28 meatballs using the palms of your hands to roll and round spoonfuls of the mixture. They should be roughly the size of a golf ball. Place the turkey meatballs on the lined baking sheet as you roll them. Wash your hands in hot soapy water- you know this, right?

Bake the meatballs in the center of a pre-heated oven for about 20 to 30 minutes until no longer pink inside. Place the baking sheet on a cooling rack and brush them with a little olive oil.

Serve immediately with lightly sauced noodles, recipe follows.


Note::

For FODMAPs friendly, omit onions and agave as necessary.

Recipe Source: glutenfreegoddessrecipes.com

 

In art school I lived on simple stir-fry suppers. Based on whatever I had on hand in my pantry. A wheat-free tamari sauce would be delicious in this quick stir-fry sauce. Sub the molasses with the gluten-free tamari sauce. Or just add in some gluten-free tamari, to taste.

Note: I don't add extra sauce on the turkey meatballs when I serve them like this- but if you prefer your meatballs saucy, make extra stir-fry sauce.

Ingredients:

1 package gluten-free pasta noodles (I use spaghetti style)
Coconut or peanut oil, as needed
2-3 spring onions or scallions, sliced (white and light green sections)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 fresh diced chile, or hot pepper flakes, to taste
1-2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger- or to taste
3-4 carrots sliced into matchsticks
3 tablespoons molasses or gluten-free Tamari
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Sea salt, to taste
1 12-oz. bag of baby spinach leaves
2 tablespoons each of fresh chopped parsley, mint and cilantro

Instructions:

Bring a pasta pot of water to a rapid boil. Add a dab of vegetable oil. Add the noodles and stir. Cook the noodles until they are al dente- firm to the bite and tender- not mushy! 4 to 6 minutes. Don't overcook. I mean it.

Meanwhile, heat a tablespoon of coconut oil in a large wok style pan or skillet over medium-high heat and add in the spring onions, garlic, chile, ginger, and carrots. Stir-fry until the carrots are tender-crisp. They should be done roughly in 4-5 minutes.

Add in the molasses and balsamic vinegar (or if using GF tamari sauce, use that in place of molasses) and stir to coat. Taste test to see if the carrots need a little salt.

Drain the al dente noodles and quickly add them into the wok/skillet mixture, tossing lightly to coat the strands. Add or adjust seasonings to taste.

Add in the baby spinach and toss again- just to heat through to barely wilting- not even a minute. 

Add in half the chopped fresh herbs and toss a bit.

Plate the noodles immediately. Add the turkey meatballs.

Sprinkle with the remaining fresh herbs.

The noodle recipe serves 4, with leftover meatballs.

Notes:

Freeze leftover meatballs for an easy weeknight supper.

For FODMAPs friendly, omit onions and agave as necessary.

Recipe Source: glutenfreegoddessrecipes.com

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