Best meatball recipe | Easy pasta ideas | Jamie Oliver (2024)

FAQs

Which pasta is most widely used with meatballs? ›

If you're making something then like marinara, spaghetti is a no brainer. A thick ragu will do better with a wider noodle.

To make the tomato sauce, heat the olive oil in a pan and gently fry the shallots, garlic and chilli for 2-3 minutes until soft. Deglaze the pan with a splash of white wine, then add the tinned tomatoes along with the basil, oregano and some seasoning.

Letting your meatballs cook on the stove in a simmering sauce is the way to go. You'll end up with the most tender meatballs because as they simmer they soak up so much of that tomato sauce.

Among the most popular types of pasta follow penne rigate and fusilli. The wooden medal goes to the rigatoni and the ranking also includes farfalle, linguine, bucatini and lasagna. In Southern Italy ziti and ditalini, orecchiette and mixed pasta also triumph, almost impossible to find in the North.

But browning the meatballs on the stovetop first creates a crust that creates a more complex flavor and helps the meatballs hold their shape as they simmer.

The longer the simmer, the more tender and succulent the meatballs become. 3. Concentration of Flavors: Simmering at a low temperature for an extended period also encourages the sauce to reduce and thicken.

Italian-style meatballs often include additional ingredients such as milk, olive oil, ground pork, fresh parsley, red pepper flakes, Italian herb seasoning, and sometimes a combination of ground beef, veal, and pork [2].

What is the secret of a tender meatball? ›

They are super flavorful but what makes them so so tender and moist is this: Plain Greek Yogurt. The lactic acid from the yogurt tenderizes the meat while adding subtle flavor. The addition of egg and parmesan cheese help keep the meat together so that you get delicious weeknight meatballs in minutes.

Milk: Adds moisture and tenderizes the meat, making our meatballs juicy and tender once cooked. Egg: Adds more moisture and helps the mixture firm up once cooked.

Baking will result in meatballs with a crunchy exterior, though the caramelisation achieved from frying will be superior. Baked meatballs take the least amount of effort, as you'll only need to turn them once or twice throughout the cook and you can make a larger batch at once.

I prefer pappardelle here because it is a large, very broad and flat pasta noodles. And they are also similar to wide fettuccine. But you can also make it with egg noodles, fettuccine or spaghetti. I sauted onions before adding them to the meatballs and the sweetness of the caramelized onions was mouthwatering!

In Italy, meatballs are most often a stand-alone dish. Called polpettes, Italian meatballs are often served sauceless and are much smaller than the meatballs you're probably used to.

The dish evolved as Italian immigrants combined their culinary traditions with American ingredients. They began serving spaghetti with larger American-style meatballs and tomato sauce, creating a satisfying meal.