Spaghetti & Meatballs

This is my favorite meatball recipe ever. It's my version of Meatball Shop in NY and ricotta cheese is the secret ingredient.

Notes:
This recipe, with two pounds of meat, makes a large 9x13 pan of meatballs so we always eat leftovers the next day. One less night of cooking. You're welcome! Feel free to make your own spaghetti sauce, but who needs more cooking? I love Rao's marinara, but use whatever jarred sauce you like. I prefer using meatball mix for the meat if you can find it. It is a mix of veal, pork and beef. Makes the meatballs more tender. But regular ground beef will work fine too. Ground fennel is impossible to find. If you don't have a spice grinder or a mortar and pestle to grind the fennel, you can skip it. But it does add great flavor. You can make these meatballs earlier in the day and warm them up in the sauce. I serve this meal with a big caesar salad and garlic bread. See my caesar salad post if you want to make a FANTASTIC homemade caesar dressing and/or homemade croutons. And finally, if you have any leftover meatballs after leftover night (I doubt you will)  they freeze beautifully.

Meatball Recipe:

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 pounds meatball mix if you can find it. If not - 80% lean ground beef
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup regular plain bread crumbs 
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano 
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon ground fennel
• Large jar of Raos marinara sauce (or two smaller jars) You will need a decent amount to cover meatballs and a decent amount for spaghetti 
• Bag of Shredded Mozzarella
• spaghetti/pasta of choice

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450F. Drizzle the olive oil into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and use your hand to evenly coat the entire surface. Set aside. 

Combine the ground beef, ricotta, eggs, bread crumbs, parsley, oregano, salt, red pepper flakes, and fennel in a large mixing bowl and mix by hand until thoroughly incorporated.

Roll the mixture into round, golf ball-size meatballs (about 1 1/2 inches), making sure to pack the meat firmly. Place the balls in the prepared baking dish, being careful to line them up snugly and in even rows vertically and horizontally to form a grid. The meatballs should be touching one another.

Roast for 20 minutes, or until the meatballs are firm and cooked through. A meat thermometer inserted into the center of a meatball should read 165F.

While the meatballs are roasting, heat the jar of marinara sauce in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring often.

When the meatballs are firm and fully cooked, remove them from the oven and drain the excess grease from the pan. Pour enough of the tomato sauce over the meatballs to cover them. Return the meatballs to the oven and continue roasting for another 10 minutes. Top with shredded mozzarella and roast for 5-10 more minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Modifications:

Low Carb: skip the pasta and just eat the meatballs or serve over zoodles

GF: Use GF bread crumbs, pasta, and bread for garlic bread

Vegan: skip the meatballs and just eat the pasta with marinara sauce, and use a vegan based caesar dressing for salad
pescatarian: skip the meatballs and just eat the pasta with marinara sauce, caesar salad and garlic bread

Picky Kids: I don't think you need to change much. If they don't like meatballs, just serve them spaghetti with marinara.