Last night’s dinner was so yummy that I had to share with you all today. I always thought that zucchini noodles didn’t really stand up to regular spaghetti, but boy was I wrong. Paired with fresh tomato sauce and hearty meatballs, it is “really quite extraordinary”, as my husband proclaimed at dinner last night. And, the best part is that you get to indulge in a big bowl of pasta without the sluggish carb coma. Delicious pasta that makes you feel good….I’ll take it! I used beef and pork to make the meatballs (all pastured, of course), but you could really use any combination of ground meet for this recipe. And, if the kids aren’t really feeling zucchini noodles, than make some regular spaghetti for them. Enjoy!
Gramma Sonsini’s Meatballs with Zucchini Pasta
Meatballs with Zucchini Pasta Author: Liza Cannata, Three Hungry Boys Serves: 4-6 servings
Ingredients
- Meatballs:
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 lb ground pork
- ¾ cup breadcrumbs
- ½ cup grated Parmesan
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- 1 onion finely diced
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup whole milk
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- ¼ cup Italian parsley finely chopped
- ¼ cup fresh basil finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Fresh ground pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil and more
- Marinara Sauce:
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 cup chopped onions
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1-28 ounce can crushed tomatoes (3 cups)
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- Salt and pepper to taste.
- Zucchini noodles or spaghetti
- Parmesan cheese and fresh basil for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees
- Grease a large sheet pan with olive oil. Combine ALL ingredients in a large bowl. (Pulsing the onion garlic and herbs in a food processor is best). Using hands, gently form meatballs into 1.5 inch balls - a little smaller than a golf ball. No need to space the meatballs far apart on the sheet pan. Drizzle the meatballs with olive oil and bake for 15-20 min until they start to brown.
- Carefully transfer the meatballs to a plate.
- Meanwhile, make the sauce. Heat olive oil in a large sauce pan. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until soft and translucent. Add the tomatoes, sugar, salt and pepper and bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings and carefully transfer the meatballs and juices into the sauce.
- Cook the meatballs covered for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- While the meatballs are cooking, prepare zucchini noodles or regular spaghetti.
- Plate the warm noodles evenly into pasta bowls, top with a large spoonful of sauce, a few meatballs and serve with fresh grated parmesan and basil.
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