Hi there, it’s Madeline, 21 Acres intern!

I’m a huge fan of a classic meatball dinner. But as a busy college student, I can’t usually spare the time to form them one by one and cook them in a pot of sauce. A couple of years ago, I experimented by cooking them in a muffin tin, and haven’t made regular meatballs since! I love using cabbage instead of pasta to use up a huge head of cabbage and get some more veggies, too.

A veggie-packed and allergy-friendly version of spaghetti and meatballs, this recipe is a delicious, easy twist on a classic weeknight dinner.

Turkey Mini Meatloaves with Green Cabbage and Marinara

Serves 4

Ingredients

Marinara:

• 2 tablespoons oil, such as grapeseed (olive works too)
• 1/2 onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes (maybe some you canned yourself!)
• 1 small bunch fresh basil, chopped
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 head green cabbage, finely shredded

Turkey:

• 1lb ground turkey breast
• 1 egg, whisked
• 1 tablespoon oil, such as grapeseed (olive works too)
• 1/2 onion, finely chopped
• 4 large carrots, finely chopped
• 1 small bunch fresh basil, chopped
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• Hefty pinch salt

Directions

Heat the oil in a saucepan and sauté the onion until translucent, then add the garlic and sauté until fragrant. Add the tomatoes, herbs, and salt, and simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes. Then add the shredded cabbage and simmer for another 20-30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. If you have a food processor, use it to chop the onions, garlic, carrots, and herbs; it’ll save a lot of time! Mix all of the ingredients in a large bowl with your hands. Then scoop the meat mixture into a 12-cup muffin tin that’s either lined with muffin liners (easiest cleanup) or lightly greased with oil. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the turkey muffins reaches at least 165 degrees F. Let rest for 10 minutes before removing from the tin, taking off the muffin liners if you used them, and adding to the pot of marinara and cabbage. These make great leftovers, too.

Did you try this recipe? Let us know in the comments below!