Description
These Garlic Butter Meatballs with Parmesan Pasta offer a comforting Italian experience with tender meatballs in a luscious garlic butter sauce, tossed with pasta and Parmesan. This recipe is easy to make and sure to impress.
Ingredients
Scale
- 500g (1.1lb) ground beef
- 4 cloves (2Tbsp) garlic, minced
- 2Tbsp (30ml) fresh parsley, chopped
- 1Tbsp (15ml) fresh basil, chopped
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup (60g) breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup (25g) grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ tsp (2.5g) smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp (1g) red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp (5g) kosher salt
- ½ tsp (2.5g) black pepper
- 300g (10.5oz) spaghetti or linguine
- 1Tbsp (15ml) olive oil
- 4Tbsp (60g) unsalted butter, divided
- 2 cloves (1Tbsp) garlic, minced
- 1 tsp (5g) lemon zest
- 1Tbsp (15ml) lemon juice
- ¼ cup (25g) grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra
- 1Tbsp (15ml) toasted pine nuts
- 1 tsp (5g) microgreens or parsley
Instructions
- Prepare Meatball Mixture: Combine beef, garlic, parsley, basil, egg, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, paprika, flakes, salt, and pepper gently.
- Form Meatballs: Roll mixture into 20-22 meatballs (approx. 20g each).
- Chill Meatballs: Refrigerate meatballs for at least 15 minutes.
- Cook Pasta: Boil pasta until al dente, reserving 1 cup pasta water.
- Sear & Finish Meatballs: Sear meatballs in oil & 1 tbsp butter, then cook through (8 mins).
- Create Garlic Butter Sauce: Melt remaining butter, sauté garlic, add zest, juice, & paprika.
- Deglaze & Reduce Sauce: Add pasta water, scrape up browned bits, and reduce.
- Combine Pasta & Sauce: Toss pasta with sauce, Parmesan, and pasta water.
- Glaze & Serve: Return meatballs to sauce, heat through, and garnish.
Notes
Chilling the meatballs helps them hold their shape and enhances flavor. Reserved pasta water creates a creamy sauce.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Italian
- Method: Skillet
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 650 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 35 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 60 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 100 mg