Spaghetti with Parmesan Meatballs

Spaghetti with Parmesan Meatballs

If you want to make this all in one go, timing works best to cook the pasta right after you put the meatballs in the oven to bake. You can also make the meatballs a day or two ahead of time, then reheat them with the sauce when you cook your spaghetti. Either way works great.

Make sure to not pack the meat so tight when rolling them into balls. The meat will be too dense and heavy. Roll them gently into balls. Cast iron pans are our favorite for cooking these meatballs. Meatball recipe makes about twenty 1 1/2" meatballs.

Prep Time30

Cook Time40

Total Time1 10

Servings: servings

Calories: 625kcal

Ingredients

For the meatballs:

1 pound (454 g) ground Beef, Pork, Chicken or Turkey
2 large Eggs
1/2 cup (50 g) shredded Parmesan Cheese
1/2 cup (54 g) Breadcrumbs (or Panko Breadcrumbs)
2 teaspoons (10 ml) Worcestershire sauce
1/2 small Onion , minced
1-2 cloves Garlic , minced or crushed
1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) smoked Paprika
2 Tablespoons (30 ml) Minced Parsley, extra for garnish
1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) Kosher Salt , or to taste
Fresh cracked Black Pepper

For the Sauce & Topping

2 Tablespoons (30 ml) Oil , to sear meatballs
24 ounces (680 ml) Marinara or Pasta Sauce (about 3 cups)(or more if you like)
1/4 cup (25 g) Parmesan Cheese , for topping
chopped Italian Parsley , for topping

For the Spaghetti

1 pound dried spaghetti
generous amount of salt

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 450°F/230°C.
In a bowl, combine all meatball ingredients (ground meat, eggs, parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, Worcestershire sauce, onion, garlic, paprika, parsley, salt & and pepper). Mix together well. Add a little oil to your hands to prevent sticking and roll meatballs into about 1 1/2” balls (4 cm). Try to keep the meatballs all the same size for even cooking.
Heat a large oven-safe skillet on medium-high heat. Add oil then add meatballs. Sear the outside of the meatballs until browned on all sides, gently rolling the meatballs around the pan occasionally so that all the sides are seared evenly. Remove pan from heat.
Transfer the pan of meatballs to the oven. Bake at 450°F/230°C for about 15 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked through. If the meatballs are larger than 1 1/2-inches, cooking time will be longer.
Cook the Spaghetti: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a generous amount of salt (you should noticeable taste the salt in the water). Add the dried spaghetti and give it a good stir to help the strands separate and keep from clumping.
Boil the pasta for about 1 minute less than package instructions (usually 8-10 minutes). Check for doneness, and when cooked to your liking, strain.
Add Sauce to Meatballs: When meatballs are cooked through, add the pasta sauce and bake for another 3 minutes or until the sauce is heated (the meatballs with the sauce can also be heated on the stovetop for about 3 minutes or until heated through).
Finish the Meatballs & Spaghetti: Remove the meatball pan from the oven. Either add the cooked spaghetti to the pan, or plate the spaghetti and add the sauce and meatballs to the plated spaghetti. Top with the additional grated parmesan and chopped parsley.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Italian

Nutrition