Description
A vibrant and comforting dish featuring tender zesty turkey and creamy ricotta meatballs paired with garlicky spinach rigatoni. Ready in under 40 minutes, this recipe combines wholesome ingredients and bright flavors for a quick, nutritious, and family-friendly weeknight meal.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Meatballs
- 1 lb lean ground turkey
- 1/2 cup fresh ricotta cheese
- 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tsp fresh lemon zest
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Pasta and Spinach
- 12 oz rigatoni pasta
- 4 cups fresh spinach leaves
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1/4 cup reserved pasta cooking water (optional)
Finishing Touches
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the Meatball Mixture: In a large bowl, combine lean ground turkey, ricotta cheese, finely chopped parsley, lemon zest, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Gently mix to combine, ensuring ricotta is evenly distributed for a creamy texture inside each meatball.
- Form and Cook Meatballs: Shape the turkey mixture into evenly sized meatballs, about 1 to 1.5 inches wide. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and sear the meatballs, turning occasionally until browned on all sides. They will finish cooking later, so don’t worry if they’re not fully done in this step.
- Cook the Rigatoni and Garlic Spinach: In a large pot, boil salted water and cook rigatoni according to package instructions until al dente. During the last 2 minutes of cooking, add fresh spinach to the pasta water to wilt slightly. Meanwhile, sauté minced garlic in 1 tablespoon olive oil in a separate pan to infuse flavor into the oil.
- Combine and Simmer: Drain rigatoni and spinach together and toss with the garlic-infused olive oil. Add the browned meatballs back into the skillet along with a splash of reserved pasta water to create a light sauce. Allow everything to simmer together for 5 minutes so the flavors meld and the meatballs finish cooking through.
- Finishing Touches: Sprinkle freshly grated Parmesan cheese and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice over the entire dish for a final pop of freshness and savory depth before serving.
Notes
- Don’t overmix the meatball mixture to keep them tender and avoid toughness.
- Use fresh herbs like parsley and lemon zest to brighten the dish more than dried herbs.
- Reserve pasta water to create a silky sauce that clings beautifully to the pasta and meatballs.
- Browning the meatballs first adds rich flavor and an attractive color before simmering.
- Wilt spinach just right by adding it late in the cooking process to maintain its vibrant color and nutrients.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg