Description
Creamy Tomato Meatball Pasta is a hearty and indulgent dish featuring juicy homemade meatballs, tender pasta, and a luscious tomato cream sauce. It’s a family-friendly comfort food perfect for cozy meals or casual entertaining.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 lb ground beef or mixed beef and pork
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
For the Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste or 1 cup crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh basil or parsley (optional)
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
For the Pasta:
- 12 oz pasta (spaghetti, penne, or your choice)
- Salt for pasta water
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine ground meat, breadcrumbs, egg, garlic, onion, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Mix well and form into small meatballs.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook meatballs in batches until browned on all sides and cooked through. Remove and set aside.
- In the same skillet, melt butter and sauté garlic for 1 minute. Stir in tomato paste or crushed tomatoes. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add cream, salt, and pepper. Stir and cook for another 5 minutes until the sauce is creamy and heated through.
- Return meatballs to the pan and simmer in the sauce for 5–10 minutes to absorb flavor.
- Meanwhile, cook pasta in salted water according to package directions. Drain and reserve 1/4 cup pasta water.
- Add pasta to the sauce and meatballs, tossing to coat. Use reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce if needed.
- Top with grated Parmesan and fresh herbs. Serve warm.
Notes
- For extra indulgence, use cheese-stuffed meatballs.
- Add red pepper flakes to the sauce for heat.
- Use turkey or plant-based meat for dietary alternatives.
- The sauce and meatballs can be made ahead and frozen.
- Short pasta shapes hold the sauce well, but any pasta works.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion
- Calories: 560
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 520mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 13g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 48g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 95mg