Saucy Spaghetti and Meatballs Is the Cozy Dinner That Wins with the Entire Family
Welcome to Rollover Dinners, a new monthly series to help you make smart use of leftovers. This week, we’re using leftovers from this spaghetti and meatballs to make warm, cheesy meatball subs that come together in next to no time. Read the intro here.
There’s just something about a pot of meatballs simmering in sauce on the stovetop that immediately evokes feelings of cozy kitchens and time spent at home with family. It’s comfort food at its very best; the process of making meatballs from scratch is an instant signifier of love and wanting to feed those around you with care.
Spend less than an hour making a big batch of meatballs and you’ll get to sit down to a tried and true pasta dinner that’s especially simple and delicious thanks to thick and delicious Prego® Traditional Italian Sauce. The classic jar pours on thick, enveloping each tender, juicy meatball in saucy goodness. Serve the meatballs over your favorite spaghetti to twist and twirl, and dinner is oh-so-satisfying.
Roll Over Meatballs into Another Family-Friendly Dinner
Thanks to Prego® Pasta Sauce, you can be sure these meatballs will stay moist and flavorful well after Sunday dinner. That’s a major win since you’ll have enough left over to make an entirely new dinner the next night. Save 20 meatballs and 3/4 cup sauce in a single airtight container. You’ll use the saucy meatballs as the base for warm, cheesy sub sandwiches on night two. All you’ll need is crusty rolls and shredded cheese to turn them into another family-friendly meal.
Rollover dinner recipe: Meatball Subs
Spaghetti and Meatballs
Prep time 30 minutes
Cook time 18 minutes to 20 minutes
Serves 4 to 5
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 1
small yellow onion
- 2 cloves
garlic
- 1/4 cup
fresh parsley leaves or 4 teaspoons dried parsley leaves, plus more for serving if using fresh (optional)
- 2
large eggs
- 2 1/2 pounds
lean ground beef
- 2 ounces
grated Parmesan cheese (about 1/2 cup), plus more for serving
- 1/2 cups
dried panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon
kosher salt, plus more for the pasta water
- 2
(24-ounce) jars Prego® Traditional Italian Sauce, divided
- 1 pound
dry spaghetti
Instructions
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 425°F. Finely chop 1 small yellow onion (about 3/4 cup) and 2 garlic cloves. Coarsely chop 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, then chop some more for garnish if desired.
Whisk 2 large eggs in a large bowl until combined. Add 2 1/2 pounds ground beef, 2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (about 1/2 cup), 1/2 cup dried panko breadcrumbs, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, onion, garlic, and parsley to the bowl and mix with your hands until combined, making sure not to overmix.
Form the mixture into 1-inch wide meatballs (about 2 tablespoons each). Place the meatballs in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet.
Roast until browned and cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, add 1 pound dry spaghetti to the boiling water and cook until al dente according to package directions, 9 to 11 minutes. Drain the pasta, then return to the now-empty pot. Add 1/2 (24-ounce) jar Prego® Traditional Italian Sauce and toss to coat.
Add the remaining 1 1/2 jars Prego® Traditional Italian Sauce to a large, high-sided skillet or Dutch oven and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and spoon the sauce over the meatballs to coat. Transfer 20 meatballs and 3/4 cup sauce into a single airtight container and refrigerate for the Rollover Dinner.
Transfer the spaghetti to shallow serving bowls and top with meatballs and sauce. Serve garnished with more Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh parsley.