How to Make Meatballs for Your Spaghetti

Make your meatballs the star of the pasta pile.

Nothing says traditional Italian cuisine like meatballs piled on a mound of pasta, topped off with tomato "gravy" and grated Parmesan. Deliver on the promise with well-flavored meatballs that complement the rest of the dish, or hide a surprise inside for an extra touch. Vary your meatballs for each dish, as well, by changing the meat choices.

Things You'll Need

• 1 lb. ground meat
• 1/3 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 egg
• 2 to 3 tbsp. herbs
• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F.

2. Break up the ground meat into a mixing bowl. Choose all beef, or mix any combination of beef, pork and veal. Ground chicken and turkey substitute as healthy choices, as well, although you may need a little more seasoning for them.

3. Sprinkle breadcrumbs over the meat.

4. Beat the egg and pour it into the bowl.

5. Chop fresh herbs of your choice. Traditionally, thyme, rosemary, oregano, garlic and marjoram are associated with Italian cooking. Use 2 to 3 tablespoons of mixed herbs for each pound of meat or add them to your personal taste. Add kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper as well.

6. Mix all the ingredients with your hands to blend them thoroughly.

7. Roll the mixture into 1-inch balls. Place the meatballs on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

8. Bake the meatballs until browned, about 15 minutes.

Tips & Warnings

• Add a surprise to your meatballs. Wrap the meat mixture around bocconcini, tiny balls of mozzarella cheese. Bake them the same way you would if they were made only of meat.

• Mix a little grated Parmesan or Romano cheeses into the meat before forming the balls for an added depth of flavor.

• Cook the meatballs slightly underdone and cool them before placing them in freezer zipper bags. Add the frozen meatballs to your pasta sauce and heat them through.

• If your meat mixture isn't lean, place a baker's cooling rack on the baking sheet. Place the meatballs on the rack to cook them, as this will let the fat run into the bottom of the pan without the meat absorbing it.

References

• Easy Italian Cooking: Making Meatballs
• Tip Deck: How to Make Meatballs
• Taste of Home: Make-Ahead Meatball Recipe