Spaghetti and meatballs is, of course, an all-time favorite comfort food where each strand is wrapped in childhood memories (and stained clothing and red lips!). I used fettuccine pasta for this dish, which gives it more of a bite. The meatball mixture is so forgiving, and you can add whatever spices and flavors your heart so desires. The key to making the meatballs flavorful is low and slow cooking in the tomato sauce itself. I initially fry the meatballs ever so slightly to give a golden color, but they continue to cook and simmer in the sauce, where each component takes on the flavor of the other!
Fettuccine with Spiced Meatballs
Wrapped in childhood memories, this comfort food is a crowd pleaser! The meatballs can be spiced with so many different flavors, to your liking, and simmering them in the tomato sauce will give a deliciously moist and tangy bite!
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground beef *85% lean
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin powder
- 1/2 tsp Kashmiri Lal Mirch
- 1/2 tsp garam masala powder
- 1 tsp Kosher salt *to taste
- 1 tsp fresh garlic paste
- 1/2 tsp fresh ginger paste
- 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions
- 1/2 cup golden fried onions *homemade
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt
- 1 jar spaghetti sauce (*Bertolli's Olive Oil and Garlic or any Bertolli flavor is the best!) *24 oz jar or see tomato sauce recipe below
- 1/4 cup vegetable stock
- 1 lb Fettuccine pasta
- Canola oil *for deep frying meatballs
- Grapeseed oil *for cooking, as needed
Instructions
For Meatball Mixture
- Wash and completely pat dry the ground beef (place in a colander with bowl underneath and keep for 20 minutes until all excess water is removed, and then place in mixing bowl). Add the spices (coriander, cumin, Kashmiri Lal Mirch, Kosher salt, and garam masala), add the ginger/garlic paste, scallions, and Panko breadcrumbs.
- In grinder or blender, blend the golden fried onions and yogurt together to make a thick paste (may add a few drops of water if needed but very little). Add fried onion paste to ground beef mixture. Mix all ingredients well to combine, but don’t over mix.
- Place a few drops of grapeseed oil in palm of your hands and make the meatballs (roll gently in palms of hand until desired size and shape is achieved). Since meatballs do have some moisture (yogurt and onion mixture), it is a good idea to make the meatballs slightly larger in size as they will get smaller when fried). Place meatballs on sheet pan, cover with clear plastic wrap and place in fridge for 2 hours.
For Tomato Sauce
- Remove meatballs from fridge and let rest for 10-15 minutes. In a saucepan, heat 1 tbsp grapeseed oil on medium high heat. Once oil is heated, add the spaghetti sauce and vegetable stock, turn heat to medium high and cook, uncovered for 3-4 minutes. Once sauce reaches a boil, turn heat to medium low, cover and cook for an additional 10 minutes. (You can fry your meatballs at this point while sauce is simmering). *If you would like to make your own tomato sauce, please see tomato sauce recipe below.
For Frying Meatballs
- Heat Canola oil for deep frying in wok (or any frying vessel) on high heat. One oil is hot, gently place meatballs in oil and cook for 1 minute. Then turn heat to medium and fry meatballs for an additional 4-5 minutes until golden brown. The goal here is to seal the flavors and obtain a light golden color-not to cook the meatballs. The meatballs will continue to simmer and finish cooking in the tomato sauce. Take caution not to burn meatballs, turn several times as needed. Monitor and adjust the heat setting as needed during the frying process.
- Remove meatballs (remove excess oil by placing on paper towel lined sheet for a few minutes) and then gently place in simmering tomato sauce. Continue to cook meatballs in sauce on low heat (simmer), for additional 20 minutes until meatballs are cooked thru. You can make your pasta while sauce continues to simmer.
For Pasta
- Boil water in large pot. Once water comes to a rolling boil, add 2 tbsp grapeseed oil in water. Add Fettuccine in boiling water and cook per package instructions. If you like al dente pasta (with a little bite to it), cook for 9-10 minutes. If you like your pasta softer and completely cooked, then just boil pasta for a little longer, 12-14 minutes. Drain pasta into a colander and run cold water over pasta. Place colander with pasta under a bowl and let all excess water strain out.
Assembling Dish
- Place some of the sauce in serving dish, add and evenly spread pasta, and top with the remaining sauce and meatballs. Dish is ready to serve. A delicious fusion recipe with layers of flavorful ingredients. Nosh Farma’aiye! Enjoy!
Notes
*Tomato Sauce Recipe
In saucepan, heat 2 tbsp grapeseed oil on medium high heat. Once oil is hot, turn heat to medium and add 2 cloves finely chopped garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add 1 small finely chopped onion and fry until translucent (3-4 minutes). Now add 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, 1/2 tsp Kosher salt (or to taste), 1/4 cup vegetable stock and 1 can whole or diced tomatoes (approximately 20 oz). Once sauce comes to a boil, cover and cook on medium low heat for 20 minutes. You can blend sauce to desired consistency using hand blender. You may add your meatballs at this point and continue to simmer.