Meatballs are a comfort food around the globe. Consider the Swedish kottbullar, the Mexican albondigas, the Indian koftes, the Israeli ktzitzot or the French boules. They all use ground meat and are rolled into balls. From there, the meatball varies according to different tastes and available ingredients.

These meatballs are an easy-to-prepare weeknight dish. Ground turkey (instead of beef) lightens these meatballs that are roasted rather than fried. Grated Parmesan cheese, Dijon mustard, herbs and a simple tomato sauce give these airy, fluffy meatballs an Italian touch. Much of their flavor and moistness come from shredded carrot and zucchini that replace the usual fat or cream. Make sure to shred or grate the carrot and zucchini finely.

Use a good-quality marinara sauce, and add some thyme and basil for a fresh touch. Serve these meatballs alone, with your favorite pasta or on a baguette with the tomato sauce spooned over them. This recipe can also be adapted to make meatloaf. Form the mixture into a large loaf shape, place it in a baking pan, and bake it for 1 hour at 400 F. For extra flavor, spoon over some of the sauce while the meatloaf is cooking.

Roasted Turkey Vegetable Meatballs

Makes about 30 meatballs

Serves 8 to 10

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 medium carrots, peeled and finely shredded

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