Spaghetti Balls with Meat Sauce is a backwards take to your traditional Spaghetti with Meatballs. They’re quirky, fun and completely delicious!
Oh my heavens, y’all!!!
This recipe right here is so good that it just made me sound like an old Southern grandma. The kind of grandma that is famous for her traditional spaghetti and meatballs, then just found out that she can switch the two by making SPAGHETTI… BALLS!
A few weeks ago my husband and I were watching this show on the Food Network where this guy goes from restaurant to restaurant trying out all these famous dishes. He stopped at this one restaurant and tried these Spaghetti Balls, and I knew instantly that I needed to make them.
The spaghetti balls are nothing more than cooked spaghetti noodles in a mixture that’s very similar to my Classic Lasagna ricotta filling. I added a touch of pesto in there to bring some ridiculous flavor.
Then I took my ice cream scoop (cause I’m classy like that), and formed giant balls. I lightly fried them in oil, but I’m fairly sure if you spritzed them with a little oil and baked them at a high temp you could get away with baking rather than frying.
The meat sauce is so simple to make. I used a combination of ground beef and italian sausage, with some classic herbs in a rich tomato sauce.
All you have to do is ladle the meat sauce into a bowl, then top with your spaghetti balls! The outsides of the spaghetti balls are crisp while the insides are soft, cheesy and fluffy. When mixed with the meat sauce – it’s a match made in heaven!
Grab your leftover pasta, (or go make some) and turn your Spaghetti Night upside down!
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Spaghetti Balls with Meat Sauce
Ingredients
For the Meat Sauce:
- 1/2 lb. ground beef
- 1/2 lb. Italian sausage
- 28 oz tomato sauce
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp salt, garlic powder, onion powder, basil, oregano
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 bay leaves
For the Spaghetti Balls:
- 4 cups cooked and cooled spaghetti noodles
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp pesto sauce
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
For the Meat Sauce:
- In a large pot brown the ground beef and sausage until no longer pink, drain any excess fat. Return pan to heat and add the remaining ingredients, stir and bring to a slight bubble, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking. Remove bay leaves before serving.
For the Spaghetti Balls:
- Heat oil (at least 2 inches deep) to 375 degrees F.
- Combine all the ingredients except the oil into a large bowl and use your hands to incorporate. Use a sharp edged ice cream scoop to scoop out a good portion of spaghetti, and press against the side of the bowl to cut off any straggling noodles. Put ball in your hand, and press tightly to secure.
- Gently place in hot oil and let cook until golden brown on all sides. Use a slotted spoon to remove and drain on a paper towel lined plate. Don't over crowd your fryer, only do 3 to 4 balls at a time.
- Serve hot with sauce and a sprinkle of fresh parmesan. Enjoy!
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