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Spaghetti with Homemade Meatballs and Sauce

Spaghetti with Homemade Meatballs and Sauce

This is the quintessential Sunday night supper. I use ground poultry for the meatballs because it has considerably less fat than ground beef. But trust me, the many herbs in this sauce lend a nice spicy kick and so much flavor that you’ll never miss the beef. Spaghetti with Homemade Meatballs and Sauce recipe takes some time – but for an Italian inspired, family meal – you simply can’t beat all of these real, home cooked tastes. A great chef once told meal that the secret ingredient in the fantastic pasta sauces that you get at restaurants is carrots. So I tried it out, and she was right!!
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 368
Ingredients Equipment Method Video Notes

Ingredients
  

To Make the Sauce:
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 can crushed tomatoes, undrained (if you can find the fire-roasted canned tomatoes, they give this dish the best flavor)
  • 1 teaspoon finely minced canned chipotle in adobo and sauce
  • 2 teaspoons chopped oregano leaves
  • 1 sprig fresh rosemary
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼ cup torn fresh basil leaves
  • ¼ cup shredded asiago cheese
To Make the Meatballs:
  • 1 pound ground chicken or turkey
  • 1 slice fresh whole-wheat bread, made into crumbs in a food processor or blender
  • ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 2 medium carrots, very finely chopped (if you dug out the food processor for the bread, use it chop the carrots as well!)
  • 1 large red onion, finely chopped
  • 2 large garlic cloves, minced or pressed
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced (or 2 teaspoons dried)
  • 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, minced  (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
  • 1 whole large egg, lightly beaten
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 box whole-wheat spaghetti

Equipment

  • 1 large saucepan
  • oven
  • 1 baking sheet
  • 1 large bowl
  • tongs or a spoon
  • 4 large plates or pasta bowls

Method
 

To Make the Sauce:
  1. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large saucepan. Add the onions to the pot and saute until slightly tender (about 3 minutes), then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
  2. Add the tomato paste, tomatoes, chipotles, oregano, rosemary, salt and pepper. Bring the pot a low boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes (until a little bit of the liquid has evaporated). While the sauce simmers, start making the meatballs.
To Make the Meatballs:
  1. Preheat the broiler on your oven and spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. Combine the turkey, bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, carrots, onion, garlic, parsley, thyme, egg, salt and black pepper in a large bowl. Mix all of the ingredients well and then form into balls (about 2 1/2 inches around). Place the meatballs on a baking sheet, and put them in the oven for 10 minutes (until browned and almost entirely cooked through.)
  3. While the meatballs cook, return to the sauce. Remove the rosemary sprig from sauce using tongs or a spoon, and stir in the torn basil. Once the meatballs finish cooking, add them to the sauce, cover the pot, and let the whole thing cook for another 10 minutes (until the sauce has thickened a little more). While waiting for the sauce to finish, add the pasta to the boiling pot and cook according to the package directions.
  4. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Add the sauce and meatballs to the pasta and toss it all together well. Divide evenly among 4 large plates or pasta bowls and garnish with the shredded asiago cheese and the whole basil leaves.

Video

Notes

Experiment with Meat Choices: While traditional meatballs use a combination of ground beef, pork, and veal, feel free to customize your recipe. You can opt for ground turkey, chicken, or even a meatless alternative for a vegetarian twist. Be creative and adapt the flavors to suit your preferences.