Whole-Food Turkey Meatball Pasta

Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, combine the ground turkey, beaten egg, half of the minced garlic, chopped parsley, oregano, half of the salt, and half of the black pepper. Mix gently with your hands just until incorporated, being careful not to overwork the meat.

Roll the mixture into golf-ball-sized meatballs (about 16 to 18 meatballs total) and place them evenly spaced on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until cooked through and lightly browned on top.

While the meatballs bake, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the whole-wheat spaghetti and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water before draining.

While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and sauté for 5 minutes until soft and translucent. Add the remaining minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.

Pour in the crushed canned tomatoes and season with the remaining salt and black pepper. Simmer the sauce over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir the torn fresh basil into the tomato sauce, then gently fold the baked turkey meatballs directly into the sauce to warm through for 2 minutes.

Add the drained whole-wheat spaghetti to the skillet, tossing gently to coat the pasta in the sauce, using a splash of the reserved pasta water if needed to loosen. Serve warm.