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Spaghetti and Mini Meatballs
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5 from 1 vote

Spaghetti and Mini Meatballs

Author: Marinka
It doesn't get more Italian-American than Spaghetti and Meatballs. I just tweaked the classic recipe a little bit, by making mini meatballs that are still juicy and full of flavor.
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
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Servings: 2 people

Ingredients

  • 4 ounces ground beef
  • 6 ounces ground pork
  • 1 tablespoon breadcrumbs plain
  • 1 tablespoon milk (NOTE 1)
  • 1 tablespoon cottage cheese (NOTE 2)
  • 1/2 egg lightly beaten
  • 1/4 onion finely chopped
  • 1 clove garlic (NOTE 3) minced
  • 2 ounces Parmigiano Reggiano grated
  • 1/4 tablespoon parsley finely chopped
  • 1/4 tablespoon basil finely chopped
  • 1/4 tablespoon oregano (NOTE 4) finely chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • pepper
  • 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 ounces spaghetti
  • 1.5 cups marinara sauce home-made or store-bought

Instructions

  • Mix the breadcrumbs with the milk in a bowl.
  • Add ground beef, ground pork, chopped onion, egg, cottage cheese, garlic, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, salt, pepper, oregano, parsley and basil to the bowl. Mix until combined – not longer.
    The more you mix the chewier/denser the meatballs will become.
  • Now make the meatballs. Use a measuring spoon, the size of a teaspoon (see detail image) and start rolling the mini meatballs in with your hands. They will be a little bigger than 1-inch in diameter.
    Place the meatballs on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. There will be about 45-50 meatballs.
  • Brush each meatball with a tiny bit of olive oil.
    Slide the baking sheet in a pre-heated oven of 400 degrees F and bake for approx. 15 minutes. The balls will not become brown. If you prefer that, I suggest you bake them on the stove in a skillet.
  • While the meatballs are in the oven, cook the spaghetti according to the directions on the packaging.
  • Heat the marinara sauce (your own creation or store-bought) and add finely chopped parsley and basil as well as the meatballs. Check whether the sauce needs some additional salt & pepper.
  • Drain the spaghetti – divide over 2 plates or bowls and cover with the mini meatballs in marinara sauce. Enjoy!

Notes

  1. You can use broth or water instead
  2. You can use ricotta instead
  3. 1 clove of garlic equals 1 teaspoon of garlic paste
  4. If you don't have fresh oregano, use 1/4 teaspoon dried

Nutrition

Calories: 716kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 2074mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 9g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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