Spaghetti with Turkey Pesto Meatballs

Ingredients

• Ground turkey

  raw

  1 ½ lb or 680g

• Basil pesto

  Classico brand, ready-to-serve

  ⅔ cup or 165g

• Panko breadcrumbs

  365 Everyday Value

  ⅔ cup or 40g

• Salt

  table

  1 dash or 0.4g

• Black pepper

  ground

  1 dash or 0.1g

• Diced tomatoes

  canned, Del Monte

  43 ½ oz or 1.23kg

• Olive oil

  1 tbsp or 14g

• Sweet onion

  raw

  1 onion or 331g

• Garlic

  raw

  4 cloves, minced or 12g

• Crushed red pepper flakes

  ¹⁄₁₆ tsp or 0.02g

• Spaghetti

  dry, unenriched

  16 oz or 454g

• Basil

  3 tbsp, chopped or 8g

Directions

1. Gently mix turkey, pesto, panko, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in bowl using hands until uniform. Shape mixture into eighteen 1½-inch meatballs.
2. Pulse 2 cans diced tomatoes in food processor until mostly smooth, about 12 pulses; set aside. Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until just smoking. Brown meatballs well on all sides, about 10 minutes; transfer to paper towel-lined plate.
3. Add onion and ⅛ teaspoon salt to fat left in skillet and cook over medium heat until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in processed tomatoes and remaining 1 can diced tomatoes and their juice. Bring to simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Return meatballs to skillet, cover, and simmer gently until meatballs are cooked through, about 10 minutes. (Sauce and meatballs can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month.)
4. Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain pasta and return it to pot. Add several large spoonfuls of tomato sauce (without meatballs) to pasta and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste and add reserved cooking water as needed to adjust consistency. Divide pasta among individual bowls. Top each bowl with remaining sauce and meatballs, sprinkle with basil, and serve.