Homemade Spaghetti and Meatballs with Veg Loaded Sauce
Juicy homemade meatballs simmered in a rich veggie loaded tomato sauce and served over silky pasta. This is the ultimate comforting homemade dinner.
Ingredients
Pasta
Option 1: Store Bought
- 500 g store bought spaghetti pasta
Option 2: Homemade Fresh Pasta
Whole Egg Pasta
- 300 g tipo 00 flour
- 3 whole eggs
- 1 tsp olive oil optional
- Pinch salt optional
Meatballs
- 500 g minced beef I use extra lean beef mince
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 1 small zucchini grated
- 2 garlic cloves crushed or minced
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp salt
- Cracked black pepper
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil for cooking
Veg Loaded Tomato Sauce
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil for cooking
- 1 small onion finely diced
- 1 –2 celery sticks finely diced
- 1 carrot finely diced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 zucchini finely diced (or 1 small eggplant, or a mix of the two)
- 2 garlic cloves crushed
- 2 x 400g tins crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup water
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp salt or to taste
- Black pepper
To Serve
- Fresh parmesan
- Fresh parsley leaves to garnish
Instructions
Make the Pasta Dough (if using fresh pasta)
- Place flour onto a bench and make a well in the centre.
- Add eggs and olive oil.
- Slowly whisk the eggs with a fork, gradually incorporating the flour.
- Knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Wrap or cover with a bowl and rest for 30 minutes.
- Alternatively, you can make the dough in your stand mixer using the flat beater first to bring the dough together, then switch to the dough hook to knead.
Roll the Pasta
- Divide dough into 4 pieces.
- Flatten slightly.
- Feed through your KitchenAid pasta attachment on the widest setting.
- Fold and repeat a few times.
- Gradually move thinner through each setting until desired thickness is reached.
- Run through the spaghetti cutter attachment.
- Dust lightly with flour and place onto a tray.
Make the Meatballs
- While the pasta dough rests, prepare the meatballs.
- Combine beef, breadcrumbs, egg, zucchini, garlic, oregano, thyme, salt and pepper in a bowl.
- Mix gently with your hands until just combined.
- Roll into meatballs.
- Makes approximately 15 large meatballs (approx 50g each). You can make them smaller if preferred.
- Set aside while you prepare the sauce.
Make the Sauce
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
- Cook onion, celery and carrot for a few minutes until softened.
- Add garlic and zucchini and/or eggplant.
- Cook for a few more minutes until softened and lightly caramelised.
- Add tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
- Add crushed tomatoes, water, oregano, thyme, salt and pepper.
- Simmer for 10-20 minutes.
Cook the Meatballs
- Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat.
- Cook meatballs for 6–8 minutes, turning until lightly browned all over.
- They don’t need to be fully cooked through yet.
- Add meatballs into the sauce and simmer for another 10 minutes until cooked through.
Cook the Pasta
- Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to the boil.
- Cook fresh pasta for 2–3 minutes only. (if using store bought, cook according to pack)
- Reserve some pasta water before draining.
Assemble
- Toss pasta through the sauce with a splash of pasta water.
- Serve topped with meatballs, parmesan, and fresh parsley
