Spaghetti & meatballs – one of the most FUN foods on the planet! I mean… who doesn’t love this dish?! Well…maybe the keto people won’t love the pasta & the vegetarian/vegan people won’t love the meatballs, but the rest of us are definitely on board. Yes, this dish is a bit of work to make. But I promise – it is so worth your efforts! Yum-O!
Serves 4
Ingredients
For Meatballs:
- 3/4 c panko bread crumbs
- 1/2 c buttermilk (to make, see NOTE below)
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1/2 c Parmesan cheese, finely grated
- 2 T parsley, minced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 t powdered gelatin, dissolved in 1 T cold water
- Salt & Pepper
- 1 T olive oil
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- red pepper flakes, to taste
- 1/2 t dried oregano
- 1 28-oz can tomatoes, crushed
- 1 T red wine vinegar
- A pinch of sugar
- Salt & Pepper
- chopped fresh basil, for serving
- chopped fresh parsley, for serving
- grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
Combine panko & buttermilk in large bowl & let sit until paste forms, about 10 min.
Add egg, beef, Parmesan, parsley, garlic, gelatin mixture, salt & pepper to panko mixture. Mix with hands until combined. Form mixture into 1-1/2″ round meatballs (approx 10-12 meatballs) & place, evenly spaced, onto wire rack. Roast in oven until browned, about 30 min.
While meatballs roast, heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion & cook, stirring occasionally, until softened & golden around edges, 6-8 min. Add garlic, red pepper flakes & oregano; cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 30 sec. Stir in tomatoes, vinegar, sugar, salt & pepper. Bring to simmer, then cook until slightly thickened, about 15 min.
Remove meatballs from oven. Add meatballs to sauce & cover pot. Simmer until meatballs are firm & sauce has thickened, about 1/2 to 1 hr.
Serve over pasta. To make this even more special, make your own noodles – here’s my recipe for homemade pasta! Top with basil, parsley & Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!!
NOTE: To make buttermilk, use ratio of: 1 T acid (lemon juice or vinegar) to 1 c milk. For this recipe, combine 1/2 T acid & 1/2 c milk.
Recipe adapted from Cooks Illustrated.
If you’re into meatballs, here are a few more recipes for you to try: