Spaghetti with Mexican-Inspired Turkey Meatballs
Spaghetti with Mexican-Inspired Turkey Meatballs pairs tender turkey meatballs seasoned with guajillo and chili powders with a smoky chipotle-tomato sauce. The gentle heat from jalapeño and Anaheim chiles balances the rich pasta and bright tomatoes, perfect for a cozy weeknight dinner or a casual weekend gathering.
- Prep30 mins
- Cook45 mins
- Serves6
- DifficultyMedium
easyChef Pro health score
Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Spaghetti with Mexican-Inspired Turkey Meatballs, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.
- Glycemic ImpactFair
- 53 / 100
- Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
- Nutritional DensityPoor
- 31 / 100
- Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
- Energy DensityGood
- 87 / 100
- Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
- NOVA Processed Culinary Ingredients
- 2 / 4
- Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.
How it scores for each health goal
The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.
- 43
- Heart Health
- 77
- Metabolic
- 56
- Digestive
- 47
- Inflammatory
- 55
- Performance
- 54
- General Wellness
- 1
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly coat it with cooking spray.
- 2
Put the ground turkey in a large mixing bowl and season with the Mexican chili powder, guajillo chile powder, salt, black pepper, and Parmesan cheese. Add the egg, olive oil, chopped onion, jalapeno pepper, and Anaheim pepper. Mix thoroughly with your hands until evenly combined, then sprinkle in the tostada crumbs and bread crumbs. Mix again until the bread crumbs are incorporated. Shape the mixture into 1-inch meatballs and arrange them on the prepared baking sheet.
- 3
Bake in the preheated oven until the meatballs are lightly browned and no longer pink in the center, about 40 minutes.
- 4
Turn the meatballs over after 20 minutes to promote even cooking.
- 5
Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring it to a rolling boil over high heat. When the water is boiling, add the spaghetti and return to a boil. Cook the pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until cooked through but still slightly firm, about 12 minutes. Drain well in a colander set in the sink.
- 6
After flipping the meatballs, combine the diced tomatoes, diced onion, chipotle chile, spaghetti sauce, and taco seasoning in a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then lower the heat to medium-low and simmer 10 to 15 minutes until the onion is tender.
- 7
When the meatballs are done, stir them into the sauce and cook 5 minutes more. Spoon the meatballs and sauce over the spaghetti to serve.
- Calories 572.57 kcal High 29%
- Protein 30.62 g Good Source 61%
- Carbohydrate 79.62 g 29%
- Total Fat 15.16 g Moderate 19%
- Saturated Fat 3.46 g Moderate 17%
- Trans Fat 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Cholesterol 114.99 mg High 38%
- Sodium 1226.74 mg High 53%
- Dietary Fiber 8.4 g Good Source 30%
- Total Sugars 8.47 g --
- Added Sugars 0.38 g Low Source 1%
- Calcium 96.68 mg Low Source 7%
- Iron 6.65 mg Good Source 37%
- Potassium 666.4 mg Moderate 14%
- Vitamin A 144.81 mcg Moderate 16%
- Vitamin C 13.98 mg Moderate 16%
- Vitamin D 0.15 mcg Low Source 1%
Values are per serving. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
- Eggs 🥚
- Milk 🥛
- Wheat 🌾
- Gluten
- Tomatoes 🍅
- Onions 🧅
About This Recipe
Spaghetti with Mexican Inspired Turkey Meatballs is made with 18 ingredients and serves 6. It takes about 1 hr 15 mins and is rated medium. Key ingredients include Anaheim Chile, Black Pepper, Bread Crumbs, and Chipotle Peppers in Adobo. Each serving provides about 572.57 kcal, and is a good source of protein.
Recipe Questions
- What is Spaghetti with Mexican-Inspired Turkey Meatballs made of?
- The main ingredients are Anaheim Chile, Black Pepper, Bread Crumbs, Chipotle Peppers in Adobo, Diced Jalapeño Peppers. The full list of 18 is above.
- How long does it take to make Spaghetti with Mexican-Inspired Turkey Meatballs?
- About 1 hr 15 mins in total: 30 mins to prepare and 45 mins to cook.
- How many calories are in one serving?
- One serving provides about 572.57 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
- Is Spaghetti with Mexican-Inspired Turkey Meatballs easy to make?
- This recipe is rated medium, with 18 ingredients and 7 steps.
- Is Spaghetti with Mexican-Inspired Turkey Meatballs healthy?
- Spaghetti with Mexican-Inspired Turkey Meatballs has an easyChef Pro health score of 55/100. Per serving, it provides 572.57 calories and 30.62 g of protein, or 61% of the Daily Value. It is a good source of dietary fiber and iron. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 1226.74 mg (53% of the Daily Value) and saturated fat at 3.46 g (17% of the Daily Value). It contains Eggs, Milk, Wheat, Gluten, Tomatoes and Onions, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.
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