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    Home » Pasta

    Pesto Meatballs and Spaghetti

    Published: Jun 1, 2022 by Ashley Havecker

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    Delicious, yet easy spaghetti and meatball dinner. This inexpensive dinner recipe is perfect for busy weeknights, and you can even double the recipe and freeze half of the meatballs for later.

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    • Serving Ideas and Suggestions
    • What to do with Leftovers
    • You Might Also Like
    • Pesto Meatballs and Spaghetti
    Serve Meatballs

    A classic spaghetti and meatball dinner with a twist, pesto meatballs. In my opinion pesto makes everything better, and adds so much flavor. Meatballs that I have made in the past don't always come out very flavorful. I usually just guess when seasoning them, and then I end up relying on the sauce to be the star of the show. These meatballs on the other hand are anything but bland. They are packed full of pesto and parmesan. I can guarantee they will be a crowd pleaser.

    This recipe is on regular rotation in my house of weeknight dinners for multiple reasons. It is a good staple so that you don't have to stress about what to make, it's inexpensive, and is quick, and easy. You can also have peace of mind knowing it's something the whole family will love, even picky eaters; so make sure you add this recipe to your list of dinners to make this week.

    Serving Ideas and Suggestions

    Garlic Bread - It's a classic for a reason, and perfect for soaking up any leftover sauce.

    Side Salad - This would be great with a classic Italian chopped salad, but if you want to try something new, pair this recipe with my Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad Skewers.

    Roasted Vegetables - Green beans, broccoli, zucchini, and eggplant are a few of my favorites. You could also cook the vegetables and add them to the sauce.

    What to do with Leftovers

    This recipe is great for leftovers and has so many possibilities for repurposing the meatballs. You could simply eat the leftover spaghetti for lunch the next day, or make a larger batch of meatballs for the rest of the week. I love doing this because it makes prep just that much easier when the last thing you want to do is cook dinner. Try using some leftover garlic bread to make meatball subs, throw them in a pot of soup, or chop them up and put them on homemade pizza!

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    Serve Meatballs

    Pesto Meatballs and Spaghetti

    Delicious, yet easy spaghetti and meatball dinner. This inexpensive dinner recipe is perfect for busy weeknights, and you can even double the recipe and freeze half of the meatballs for later.
    No ratings yet
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 45 mins
    Total Time 55 mins
    Course Dinner
    Cuisine American
    Servings 18 meatballs

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 lb lean ground beef
    • ½ c italian breadcrumbs
    • ¼ c basil pesto
    • ¼ c grated parmesan cheese
    • ¼ tsp pepper
    • ¼ tsp salt
    • 24 oz spaghetti sauce
    • fresh basil leaves to garnish
    • 1 lb spaghetti noodles

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
      Ingredients
    • In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, breadcrumbs, basil pesto, parmesan cheese, pepper, and salt. Mix well.
      Combine Ingredients
    • Form mixture into 1 inch balls, and place on baking sheet.
      Form Meatballs
    • Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven.
    • Set cooked meatballs in a large skillet, and cover with pasta sauce.
      Top Meatballs with sauce
    • Fill a large pot halfway with water and boil over high heat. Add noodles, and cook until al dente, approximately 10 minutes. 
      Add noodles
    • Strain water.
    • Serve noodles with meatballs and sauce over it, or mix it all together in a large bowl.
      Serve Meatballs
    Keyword Pesto meatballs, Pesto meatballs and spaghetti, Spaghetti
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    About Ashley Havecker

    My name is Ashley Havecker. I'm a self-taught cook with decades of experience. It's a bonding experience when family and friends can gather together for a meal. This simple yet powerful bonding is why I’ve built Saving Mealtime to make mealtime more convenient and a precious time of day.

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