Skip to main content

Coconut Zucchini Noodles and Spiced Meatballs

3.8

(6)

Image may contain Food Meatball Dish and Meal
Photo by Vanessa Stump

Zucchini "noodles" keep this fragrant curry soup gluten-free. The spiced lamb meatballs are just as good in a wrap or on a salad.

Recipe information

  • Total Time

    30 minutes

  • Yield

    2–3 servings

Ingredients

For the spiced meatballs:

1 pound ground pasture-raised lamb
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
2 scallions, sliced paper-thin
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 tablespoon wheat-free tamari
1 tablespoon fish sauce (Red Boat is a Clean-approved brand)
1 tablespoon lime juice

For the noodles:

2 to 3 tablespoons coconut oil
1/2 cup sliced onions
2 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons minced lemongrass
1 red chile pepper, minced (optional)
1 (13.5-ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk
1/4 cup water
1 broccoli crown, cut into small florets (about 2 cups)
3/4 to 1 pound zucchini, ends removed and sliced lengthwise with a peeler or mandoline into long pappardelle-like “noodles”
Sea salt to taste
1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro
1 lime, cut into wedges

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    First, prepare the meatballs. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients for the meatballs and mix them thoroughly with your hands or a wooden spoon. Wet your hands, then form even-size balls. I usually go for about the size of a golf ball.

    Step 2

    Heat a 4-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Melt the coconut oil, and once it’s nice and hot, add the meatballs. Cook them for 30 to 45 seconds on each side, until they are all nicely browned. When they are about halfway done browning, make some space in the center of the pan and add the onions, garlic, lemongrass, and optional red chile. Continue to cook the mixture for 1 to 2 minutes, then move the meatballs back into the center of the pan and add the coconut milk and water. Cover the pan and simmer for about 5 more minutes before adding the broccoli. Within a few minutes the broccoli should be tender and the coconut milk reduced and starting to thicken. Carefully fold in the zucchini noodles and allow them to cook in the liquid. Cook them just until the zucchini is tender. Salt to taste.

    Step 3

    Serve with a garnish of cilantro and a squeeze of lime.

Image may contain: Advertisement, Poster, Paper, Brochure, Flyer, Plant, and Text
From Clean Eats: Over 200 Delicious Recipes to Reset Your Body's Natural Balance and Discover What It Means to Be Truly Healthy Copyright © 2014 by Alejandro Junger, M.D. Published by HarperOne, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. Buy the full book from HarperCollins or from Amazon.

See Related Recipes and Cooking Tips

Read More
Scoop up these warmly spiced chickpeas with any flatbread or spoon them onto rice.
Serve with crusty bread to dip in the golden sauce.
A satisfying weeknight dinner from Tiffy Chen. Serve with rice or noodles.
Chewy noodles, tinned fish, and hardy greens in an umami broth.
Developed in the 1980s by a chef in Hong Kong, this sauce is all about umami.
Leftover rotisserie chicken finds new purpose in this endlessly comforting dish.
Curry paste, coconut milk, and fresh spinach yield a vibrant sauce for tender fish.
This one-pot South Asian dish is simple and celebratory.