Spaghetti and Meatballs
This soul food spaghetti and meatballs recipe is perfectly flavorful and perfect for a weeknight or Sunday supper. It's ready in about 30 minutes for a dish the whole family will love.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 232kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Meatballs:
- ½ pound turkey or chicken sausage decased
- ½ pound ground turkey or chicken
- 1 large egg beaten
- 3 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon Italian herbs
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper for some heat
- ⅓ cup seasoned bread crumbs
For the Spaghetti Sauce:
- 1 cup chopped onions
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
- ⅓ cup red wine
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Cooked spaghetti
- Optional: Parmesan Cheese, Basil or Parsley to Garnish.
Instructions
- Add sausage, ground turkey or chicken, egg, worchestershire sauce, salt, garlic powder, black pepper, onion powder, italian herbs, red pepper and bread crumbs into a medium sized bowl and mix together using your hands until well combined.
- Scoop the mixture into small to medium sized meatballs and set aside on a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Wash hands and add 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil into a medium sized pan over medium high heat.
- Cook meatballs in batches until golden brown, turning over on all sides to make sure it is thoroughly cooked through. Add more olive oil if necessary to cook all meatballs. Remove meatballs from pan and drain on paper towels until all are done.
- Begin on the sauce by turning the heat to medium low and adding a bit more olive oil then chopped onions and cook until tender.
- Next add in garlic and cook for only 30 seconds making sure not to burn.
- Add in your crushed tomatoes, and stir in red wine, Italian seasoning, sugar and salt and pepper. Allow to simmer for about 4-5 minutes then add in your meatballs and cover to cook for 15-20 minutes over low heat to thicken and allow the flavors to come together.
- Either toss your cooked spaghetti pasta in or spoon spaghetti sauce and meatballs over cooked spaghetti. Garnish with parmesan cheese, basil and/or parsley and serve.
Notes
- Measure Your Meatballs: Use a scoop, measuring spoon, or scale to ensure that all the meatballs are about the same size. This makes the cooking time more even.
- Don't Overcook: Cook the meatballs just long enough to brown in the oil. They will continue to cook in the sauce. Since chicken and turkey have less fat they can easily turn out a bit dry when overcooked.
- Cook Your Pasta Al Dente: Pasta is meant to have a slight bite to it rather than being completely sauce. Check it a couple minutes before the package instructions indicate it should be done to avoid overcooking it.
- Salt Your Pasta Water: This is the key to flavorful pasta. It should be quite salty as most of it won't be absorbed by the pasta.
- Use Ground Sausage: You want to be sure to grab the right kind of sausage to make meatballs. Many stores carry an Italian style of sausage that's already spiced. If it comes in casings you can use a sharp knife to slice it open and remove the meat.
Nutrition
Calories: 232kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 78mg | Sodium: 1102mg | Potassium: 611mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 510IU | Vitamin C: 15.4mg | Calcium: 79mg | Iron: 3.3mg