Favorite Quick & Easy Spaghetti and Meatballs
"I've been enjoying spaghetti all my life! Been to Italy, and have tried numerous versions all around the globe including this one which remains my all-time favorite (perfected over the years by yours truly!). Hope you enjoy, too. Notes: I like to keep a bag of meatballs (see my Frankies Spuntino New York - Italian Meatballs recipe #452689) on hand in the freezer, for ease of prep. You can use your favorite fresh or frozen prepared meatballs, -or- crumbled & browned ground beef is also fine. Just add a tossed green salad and garlic bread (see recipe #109257), and a nice bottle of red wine to round out the meal. Salut! Tip: I use a jar of Classico Italian Sausage & Peppers Pasta Sauce, and whole wheat spaghetti noodles (De Cecco), but your favorite pasta sauce and regular spaghetti noodles is fine."
photo by lazyme
- Ready In:
- 50mins
- Ingredients:
- 12
- Serves:
-
8
ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 golden bell pepper, roughly diced (optional)
- 26 ounces of your favorite spaghetti sauce (I use a jar of Classico Italian Sausage & Peppers Pasta Sauce)
- 1 (14 1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green pepper celery and onion
- 1⁄2 cup dry red wine (such as Reggiano Lambrusco, Chianti, Red Rose or Burgundy)
- 1⁄4 teaspoon oregano
- 1⁄4 teaspoon basil
- 1⁄2 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 lb prepared italian meatballs (fresh or frozen, -or- use crumbled & browned ground beef)
- whole wheat spaghetti (such as De Cecco)
- grated parmesan cheese
- snipped fresh Italian parsley, to garnish (or snipped basil or oregano)
directions
- Heat olive oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Add the bell peppers, and saute them in the oil until slightly softened (5 to 10 minutes).
- Add spaghetti sauce, diced tomatoes, red wine, the oregano, basil and garlic. Partially cover pot; bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring often.
- Reduce heat, partially cover pot and simmer sauce for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Meanwhile in a separate pot, boil water and prepare noodles al dente; drain.
- Add fresh or frozen meatballs (or browned ground beef) to sauce; cook an additional 10-15 minutes, until hot and bubbly.
- In individual bowls, ladle sauce over hot noodles.
- Serve with grated Parmesan cheese and snipped fresh herbs (such as basil, parsley or oregano) at the table, as desired.
- Great served with a tossed green salad & Mom's Onion Parmesan Bread recipe #109257, and a nice bottle of red wine!
- Salut!
Questions & Replies
Got a question?
Share it with the community!
Reviews
-
Yum. This had great flavor but think that I would make more sauce next time. Thanks for sharing BecR. Made for Bargain Basement Tag.
RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
<p>Married to my sweetheart for almost forty years and we have two wonderful children who are grown and have flown the coop. Also, we have been blessed with a wonderful son-in-law and beautiful daughter-in-law, plus FIVE grandchildren: two beautiful granddaughters ages five and eight, and three sweet adorable little grandsons ages 2 months, 2 years and 3 years. My husband and I share a combination of English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh, Dutch, Swiss, Polish, Austrian, German and French heritage, and our son-in-law and daughter-in-law are both Hispanic. We've traveled extensively to many countries abroad (we lived in Germany), and have traveled and lived in several states here in the U.S.A. Many of the recipes I post here are influenced by our combined heritage or from our travels, or they are old family favorites that I want to share with you. I hope you enjoy! Have been to culinary school with many years of cooking (mostly for my family) under my belt, so know my way around a kitchen. And I'm very lucky to have the best sous chef in the world, dddddh! One of my favorite chefs of all time is Jacques Pepin! I have several of his cookbooks, and enjoy watching his television cooking show Fast Food My Way. Another top favorite is Julia Child (of course!). A few other chefs I read/enjoy watching on t.v. are: Giada At Home, Ina Garten's The Barefoot Contessa, Nigella Lawson's Nigella Bites, and Patti's Mexican Kitchen, and many more. On my bucket list is dining at Thomas Keller's establishment The French Laundry in Napa Valley, California... as well as Alice Waters' Chez Panisse in Berkeley, and the James Beard award winning Tartine Bakery and Cafe in San Francisco. One day!! Hobbies/Interests: Decorating with fresh flowers and herbs from the garden is my passion, and brings me deep joy! It's really hard to beat!! I love connecting with others who enjoy the same. Gardening, decorating, sewing, music, dancing, film, and reading are also up there. Spending quality time with my grandchildren, family, and friends (and cooking holiday meals!). Currently, a newfound passion has been so richly rewarding for me: genealogical research. I heart ancestry dot com. And last but certainly not least, I absolutely LOVE cats--we have two half-Siamese fur babies (cats) that allow us to live here!! A Note of Thanks~ I try to personally thank everyone who kindly makes and reviews my recipes, but sometimes I am busy, late, or may forget. Please know that I am always humbled that you would try one of my recipes, and I enjoy reading the reviews and seeing all the pretty photographs. Thanks so much! </p>
