Spaghetti & Meatballs with Chunky Veggie Tomato Sauce
I wanted to make a thick, chunky sauce with lots of vegetables, and to go with that, some juicy meatballs for the pasta! I basically used the vegetables I had left in my fridge - carrot, bell pepper and eggplant - but you can use others you like too! This makes enough for 4 good servings - You can easily reduce by half for a dinner for two, or just keep any extra sauce for later :)
Also, if you don't have the individual herbs (oregano, thyme, fennel seeds), you could replace them with 2-3 tsp Italian seasoning or other herbs you like. Same for the meatballs - if you don't have sage/paprika, use another spice you like or they will be great with just salt & pepper too.
NOTE:
If you don't have time, you can also add the meatballs directly to the sauce after the sauce is done cooking. I like to brown my meatballs before adding to the sauce to give them a little more flavor and crispier outside. It also keeps most of the oil from ending up in the sauce since it stays behind in the frying pan!
Spaghetti & Meatballs with Chunky Veggie Tomato Sauce
I wanted to make a thick, chunky sauce with lots of vegetables, and to go with that, some juicy meatballs for the pasta! I basically used the vegetables I had left in my fridge - carrot, bell pepper and eggplant - but you can use others you like too! This makes enough for 4 good servings - You can easily reduce by half for a dinner for two, or just keep any extra sauce for later :)
Also, if you don't have the individual herbs (oregano, thyme, fennel seeds), you could replace them with 2-3 tsp Italian seasoning or other herbs you like. Same for the meatballs - if you don't have sage/paprika, use another spice you like or they will be great with just salt & pepper too.
NOTE:
If you don't have time, you can also add the meatballs directly to the sauce after the sauce is done cooking. I like to brown my meatballs before adding to the sauce to give them a little more flavor and crispier outside. It also keeps most of the oil from ending up in the sauce since it stays behind in the frying pan!
Open in Cookpad AppSteps
- 1
If you have time, prepare the meatball mixture the night before (the salt/shio-koji will help tenderize the meat). If not, mix before you start cooking - Mix all the meatball ingredients in a bowl or tupperware.
- 2
Finely mince the garlic and onion. Chop the eggplant, carrot, and bell pepper into small cubes.
- 3
Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a sauce pan and saute the garlic and onion until onion is very soft. Add the other vegetables, herbs, and a pinch of salt & pepper. Saute for a couple of minutes.
- 4
Add the cans of whole tomatoes, a splash of wine (optional) and about 1/2 can water (~150 ml). Bring the sauce to a boil.
- 5
Turn to medium low and let the sauce simmer for about 15 minutes until it's the thickness you like. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Add a teaspoon or two of sugar if the tomatoes are too acidic/tart.
- 6
While the sauce is cooking, get the meatballs ready. Form the meatball mixture into about 16 meatballs.
- 7
Heat a frying pan with a little bit of oil. Add the meatballs to the pan and fry the first side. (fry in batches depending on the size of your pan. You don't want to crowd them too much)
- 8
When the first side is browned, flip the meatballs and brown the other sides.
- 9
Remove from the frying pan when done. The insides will be cooked later in the sauce.
- 10
Prepare a pot of boiling water for the pasta and toss the pasta in so it's cooking while you finish up the rest of the meatball sauce.
- 11
When the sauce has been thickened and the pasta is in the pot, add the meatballs into the sauce. Cover with a lid and simmer it on low for about 5 minutes to finish cooking the insides of the meatballs.
- 12
When the pasta is finished, dish it out onto plates and top with the meatball sauce. Garnish with grated parmesan cheese and a little parsley.
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