Best Ever Spaghetti and Meatballs

Best Spaghetti and Meatballs

Difficulty: EASY
Servings: 8

Nutrition Information--excluding pasta
Calories: 452
Protein: 33g
Carbohydrates: 28g; Fiber 6g
Fat: mono 6g; poly 1g; sat 9g
(See pasta package for Nutrition Information)



About this Recipe

---

Everyone loves good old-fashioned spaghetti and meatballs. These meatballs have a flavor similar to my Northern Italian Stuffed Pasta Shells and our family's homemade meat ravioli (recipe coming soon). For a quick after-work meal, cook this in your slow cooker--pair it up with a nice salad and maybe some whole-grain garlic bread, and you're good to go!

Ingredients

---

Meatballs

• 1 Pound Ground Pork
• 1 Pound Ground Sirloin
• 1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese
• 1/2 Cup Italian Seasoned Bread Crumbs
• 4 Cloves Garlic (pressed or finely minced)
• 3 Large Eggs
• 1-1/2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon Dried Oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon Ground Cloves
• 1 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• 1/4 Cup PACKED Minced Fresh Parsley

Sauce

• 5 Cloves Garlic (pressed)
• 1 (12-oz) Can Tomato Paste
• 4 (14.5-oz) Cans Crushed Tomatoes (or petite diced)
• 2 teaspoons Salt
• 1 teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
• 1 Tablespoon Dried Basil (crushed)
• 1 Tablespoon Italian Seasoning (crushed)
• 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano (crushed)
• 2 Dried Bay Leaves
• 1/4 Cup Dry Red Wine
• 1-1/2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
• 2 (4-oz) Cans Button Mushrooms (stems and pieces are fine)

• 1 Pound (about 1.25 14.5 oz boxes) Barilla Plus Pasta (comes in a yellow box).  Or try your hand at HOMEMADE HIGH PROTEIN NOODLES <--recipe here

Directions

---

1. Make Meatballs: Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Using clean hands, thoroughly mix together all the meatball ingredients in a medium bowl. Form mixture into 24 balls and place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake 15 minutes until meatballs are nicely browned on the outside.
   
   

   

   Mix all Meatball Ingredients Together in a Medium Bowl

   

   Form Meat Mixture into 24 Balls
   Brown at 425 degrees F. for 15 Minutes

   
   
2. Make Sauce: Into a medium mixing bowl, stir together all sauce ingredients until thoroughly incorporated.
   
   
3. Cook Sauce and Meatballs:
   Method 1:  Place browned meatballs into a 5 qt. or larger dutch oven with cover, pour the sauce over, cover and bake at 325 degrees F for 2-1/2 hours.
   
   Method 2:  Place browned meatballs into a large slow cooker, pour the sauce over, cover, and cook at low setting for 6-8 hours.
   
   
4. Prepare one pound pasta according to package directions. Divide pasta among 8 pasta bowls, top with a generous ladle of sauce, and 3 meatballs. Garnish with freshly-grated Parmesano Reggiano Cheese.