Spaghetti and Mini Meatballs
Spaghetti and Mini Meatballs – This classic, comforting dish is the ultimate family dinner any night of the week. This dish gets a fun spin with the use of mini meatballs, and uses a fresh, homemade cherry tomato sauce that adds so much flavor to the dish. The mini meatballs are moist, tender and full of fresh herbs, and are hard to resist in their bite size form.
There’s something about classic, cozy meals. Perhaps, it’s because a lot of these dishes are ones we grew up on and it brings back a lot of nostalgia. Or, perhaps it’s just because they are good, and most people like eating them. Either way, spaghetti and meatballs is a dish that holds a lot of memories for me.
Growing up pasta was a staple in my household. My brother and i both ran on the track and cross country team, and while now I don’t think it was necessary, we would both “carb load” as they call it, the night before a race. This carb loading isn’t really necessary for the short races we were running. In track I ran the 800 meter event, which only takes a touch over 2 minutes to run. My body certainly didn’t need to dive into extra energy stores during those fast 2 minutes. Besides, carb loading was really only effective if you did so 3-5 days prior to your event. The night before didn’t offer much benefit.
I digress. For me, spaghetti and meatballs was that comfort meal before my big races. It helped me put some of my pre-race jitters aside for a few minutes while I enjoyed my meal. It provided me lots of conversation around the dinner table and it provided me with a meal, time and time again, that I truly enjoyed eating.
Here’s what you need to know…
This meal comes together quickly. The first thing I recommend making, is the mini meatballs. These are easy to make. Simply add the ingredients for the meatballs to a large shallow bowl and mix with your hands. You can use a spoon, but I find it easiest to get a little messy and use your hands to mix everything together. Form the meat into mini meatballs, then cook in a large skillet until browned on all sides and cooked through. You will have to cook these in probably 2 batches, as you do not want to overcrowd the pan when cooking. Remove the meatballs and set aside.
Next, you’ll boil the pasta and cook according to package directions. While the pasta cooks, you’ll make the Homemade Cherry Tomato Sauce. You may use the same skillet you used for the meatballs, but I recommend doing a quick rinse to clean the pan. Add the ingredients for the Homemade Cherry Tomato Sauce to a large skillet and cook over medium heat. Stir frequently so that the ingredients don’t burn on the bottom. The cherry tomatoes will get softened before the shallot and garlic. That’s okay, keep cooking. The garlic takes a bit longer to get softened. I found mine softened around 10 minutes. You may have to cook a few minutes more, depending on how large the garlic is.
Once the sauce is done, you’ll gently mash with a spoon or fork, then add 1/4 to 1/2 cup reserved pasta water and stir to combine. Add in the pasta and mini meatballs and toss to combine.
That’s it! This meal is simple, classic and delicious. It’s a great meal to make any night of the week.
If you make this recipe, please rate and comment below. I would love to hear your feedback! Make sure you find me on instagram so that you can see the cooking video for this dish as well as fun behind the scenes.
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Spaghetti and Mini Meatballs
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
Spaghetti and Mini Meatballs – This classic, comforting dish is the ultimate family dinner any night of the week. This dish gets a fun spin with the use of mini meatballs, and uses a fresh, homemade cherry tomato sauce that adds so much flavor to the dish. The mini meatballs are moist, tender and full of fresh herbs, and are hard to resist in their bite size form.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces spaghetti
Mini Meatballs
- 1/2 pound ground hamburger
- 1/2 small yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup plain bread crumbs
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (or 2 teaspoons dried)
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried)
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried)
- 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and pepper
Homemade Cherry Tomato Sauce
- 3 cups cherry tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 small shallots, cut into smaller pieces
- 2 small cloves garlic, peeled
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped (or 2 teaspoons dried)
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (or 2 teaspoons dried)
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried)
Instructions
1. In a large bowl, add all ingredients for mini meatballs. Mix meat together with hands, until well combined. Form into mini meatballs.
2. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil shimmers, add mini meatballs, without over crowding the skillet. You will have to cook in batches. Cook until meatballs are browned on all sides and cooked through. Remove mini meatballs from skillet and set aside.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve ¼ – ½ cup pasta water.
3. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, add all ingredients for Homemade Cherry Tomato Sauce. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until ingredients are softened, roughly 10-15 minutes. Using a fork or spoon, gently mash the garlic, shallot and cherry tomatoes (be careful, sometimes the tomato juice can squirt out and it is hot). Add reserved ¼ cup pasta water. If you would like your sauce thinner, add ½ cup. Stir to combine. Add pasta and mini meatballs and toss to coat.
4. Serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 20
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stove Top
