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Easy-Spaghetti-And-Meatballs-Recipe
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5 from 1 vote

Easy Pork Meatballs Pasta With Sauce

Easy pork meatball pasta with tomato sauce, with flavors of basil, oregano, and cinnamon!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Greek, International
Keyword: pasta, Pork
Servings: 3
Calories: 965kcal

Ingredients

For The Meatballs:

  • 500 grams (1.1 pounds) ground pork
  • 1 egg
  • 3 tablespoons breadcrumbs
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 40 grams (¼ cup) leek minced
  • 40 grams (¼ cup) onion minced
  • 1 tablespoon parsley minced
  • 1 large garlic clove minced or pressed
  • 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
  • 2-3 basil leaves minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
  • ⅕ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ⅓ teaspoon ground pepper

For The Tomato Sauce:

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 40 grams (¼ cup) onion minced
  • 40 grams (¼ cup) green bell pepper minced
  • 400 grams (14 oz) tin of peeled whole tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2-3 large basil leaves finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon parsley finely chopped
  • OPTIONAL: 2 cups vegetable, chicken, or beef stock
  • coarse sea salt
  • 200 grams (7 oz) dried spaghetti
  • Parmesan, Pecorino, grated Mizithra, or finely crumbled Feta cheese to serve with

Instructions

Prepare The Meatballs:

  • Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a frying pan.
  • Saute onion and leek over moderate heat for 2 minutes then add a splash of water and cook until water drains completely.
  • Mix the ground pork in a bowl together with the cooked leeks and onions, as well as all of the remaining ingredients for the meatballs.
  • Optional: Refrigerate for an hour or up to overnight to marinate.

Cook The Pasta:

  • Boil pasta 1 minute less than what's stated on the package instructions. Drain and set aside.

Cook The Meatballs:

  • Preheat oven to 200°C 400°F.
  • Shape into small round meatballs (weighing about 40 grams/ 1.4 ounces each).
  • Add the meatballs to a parchment paper-lined pan.
  • Bake for 15-20 minutes until meatballs get a nice color on top. Meanwhile, start to prepare the sauce.

Make The Tomato Sauce:

  • Add the tin of tomatoes to a small food processor or a blender and pulse until smooth.
  • Heat olive oil in a saute pan over high heat.
  • Add onion and drop the heat to medium, saute until softened.
  • Add the bell pepper, and cook for a minute.
  • Add the pulsed tomatoes and raise the heat to medium-high. Season with coarse sea salt.
  • Cook for 4-5 minutes stirring occasionally until the tomatoes start to drain.
  • Add 2 cups of hot water or stock (500ml) and the oregano and bring to a boil.
  • Add the meatballs and drop the heat to low. Simmer covered for 15 minutes.
  • Add the basil and parsley and raise the heat to medium.
  • Cook partly covered until the sauce thickens.
  • Mix in the pasta and take off the heat.
  • Serve with hard, grated cheese, grated Mizithra cheese, or finely crumbled feta cheese.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 965kcal | Carbohydrates: 69g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 57g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 30g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 175mg | Sodium: 389mg | Potassium: 1061mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1125IU | Vitamin C: 32mg | Calcium: 152mg | Iron: 6mg