Spaghetti Marinara with Pork Meatballs
Spaghetti Marinara with Pork Meatballs is a hearty but easy dinner recipe. It's the perfect dish to tackle on a busy weeknight, and it's loaded with flavour.
Equipment
10-inch non-stick skillet
Deep skillet or sauté pan with lid
Large mixing bowl
Large pot
Baking sheet or cutting board
Instant-read meat thermometer
Ingredients
1 pound ground pork - minced pork, about 450g
12 oz spaghetti - 340g, we used whole wheat
1 small yellow onion - diced
1 clove garlic - minced
1 medium egg
2 tablespoons breadcrumbs - 15g
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese - finely grated, 10g
1 jar Marinara sauce (tomatoes, garlic, herbs, and onions - pasta sauce in southern hemisphere for Italian seafood dish) - 24 oz / 680g
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon oregano - or Italian seasoning, optional
3 tablespoons olive oil - 45ml
Instructions
- Dice the onion and mince the garlic clove. Measure out the salt, pepper, oregano, breadcrumbs, and Parmesan so everything is ready to go.1 small yellow onion, 1 clove garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon oregano, 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
- Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and soften half of the diced onion for 3-4 minutes until translucent. Transfer the softened onion to a small bowl and place in the freezer for 2 minutes to cool quickly — you don't want hot onion partially cooking the egg in the meatball mixture.3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 small yellow onion
- In a large bowl, combine the ground pork, cooled softened onion, minced garlic, salt, pepper, Parmesan, breadcrumbs, and egg. Mix gently with clean hands until just incorporated — do not overmix or the meatballs will be dense. Roll into golf ball-sized meatballs (about 1.5 inches / 4cm diameter — you should get 12-15 meatballs). Place on a baking sheet or cutting board.1 pound ground pork, 1 small yellow onion, 1 clove garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs, 1 medium egg
- Heat the medium skillet over medium-high heat and bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta. Add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil to the hot skillet and carefully place the meatballs in, leaving space between each. Brown on all sides, turning every 2-3 minutes, for about 6-8 minutes total. The meatballs will not be cooked through — they will finish in the sauce.3 tablespoons olive oil
- Heat a deep skillet or sauté pan over medium heat and add ½ tablespoon of olive oil. Add the remaining diced onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened. Reduce heat to medium-low and pour in the marinara sauce, stirring to combine. Nestle the browned meatballs into the sauce, cover the skillet, and simmer on medium-low (reduce to low if the sauce bubbles aggressively) for 10-12 minutes.3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 small yellow onion, 1 jar Marinara sauce (tomatoes, garlic, herbs, and onions - pasta sauce in southern hemisphere for Italian seafood dish)
- While the meatballs simmer, cook the spaghetti in the boiling salted water according to the packet instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.12 oz spaghetti
- Check the internal temperature of the largest meatball with an instant-read thermometer — they are done when they reach 160°F (71°C). Serve the meatballs and sauce over the cooked spaghetti. Top with extra grated Parmesan if desired.
Notes
Storage: Meatballs and sauce keep in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The flavour improves overnight as the pork absorbs more of the tomato sauce.
Freezer: Cool completely, then freeze meatballs and sauce together for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Make-ahead: Shape meatballs the night before and refrigerate on a lined tray, covered. Brown and simmer them when ready to cook.
Reheating: Warm gently in a covered skillet over low heat with a splash of water to loosen the sauce, or microwave covered in 90-second bursts, stirring between each.
Pro tip: Don't overmix the meatball mixture — mix just until the ingredients are incorporated. Overworking ground pork makes the meatballs dense and tough.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 1044kcalCarbohydrates: 105gProtein: 49gFat: 51gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 26gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 166mgSodium: 1685mgPotassium: 1435mgFiber: 4gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 1107IUVitamin C: 19mgCalcium: 162mgIron: 9mg
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