390 Calorie Spaghetti and Meatballs
Spaghetti and meatballs works in a calorie deficit when you are losing weight. Lean turkey meatballs, baked instead of fried, sit on a full portion of spaghetti with a simple tomato sauce, and a plate with four meatballs comes to about 390 calories.
Nutrition values are estimates and may vary depending on ingredients and brands.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Four real meatballs on every plate, plus a full 60 g (2.1 oz) of dry spaghetti.
- Baked, not fried, so the meatballs do not need any oil.
- Grated mushrooms keep the lean turkey juicy.
- Meatballs and sauce keep well, so it is easy to make for the week.
Ingredients
- 8½ oz (240 g) spaghetti
- 7 oz (200 g) lean ground turkey (93%)
- 3 oz (80 g) mushrooms, grated or very finely chopped
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons (15 g) plain breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons (10 g) grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 small onion (80 g), finely diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 can (14 oz / 400 g) crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¾ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper
How to Make It
- Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Mix the turkey, mushrooms, egg, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, 1 minced garlic clove, ½ teaspoon of the salt and the pepper in a bowl. Mix only until combined, because overmixing makes the meatballs tough.
- Roll into 16 meatballs, about 1 heaped tablespoon each, and place them on the baking sheet. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until browned and cooked through (165°F / 74°C).
- While the meatballs bake, soften the onion in a saucepan with 2 tablespoons of water for 4 minutes. Add the remaining garlic for 30 seconds, then the crushed tomatoes, oregano and the remaining salt. Simmer for 12 minutes.
- Cook the spaghetti in salted water until al dente and drain.
- Add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer for 3 minutes. Serve over the spaghetti, 4 meatballs per plate.
Lose weight. Keep the pizza.
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See What’s Inside →Illustrative image. Individual results may vary.
Tips & Substitutions
Keep the mixture loose. Mix it with your hands just until the ingredients come together. Packing it tight makes dense meatballs.
Wet your hands before rolling. The mixture is soft because of the mushrooms, and wet hands keep it from sticking.
Bake, do not fry. The oven browns them without added oil and you can cook all 16 at once.
Sauce too sharp? A pinch of sugar softens the tomatoes. It adds almost nothing to the calories.
How to Make It More Filling
Serve the plate with a big green salad or roasted zucchini on the side. Both add volume and very few calories, so you can eat a bigger plate without changing the numbers.
Storage
Keep the meatballs in the sauce, and the spaghetti separate, in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Freeze the meatballs in sauce for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight and reheat gently on the stove, then cook fresh spaghetti.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use ground beef?
Yes. Lean ground beef (96%) works the same. Regular 85% beef adds about 30 calories per serving.
Can I use gluten free breadcrumbs?
Yes, any breadcrumbs work in the same amount.
Why are my meatballs dry?
They were mixed too much or baked too long. Check them at 15 minutes and take them out at 165°F (74°C).
Can I freeze the meatballs?
Yes. Freeze them in the sauce for up to 3 months and reheat on the stove.
Tight jeans? Let’s fix that.
Bye Weight is a weight loss community. No gym, no strict diet, no guilt. Just short lessons and simple walks.
See What’s Inside →Illustrative image. Individual results may vary.
