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Nothing beats from-scratch meatballs and spaghetti sauce — and our easy recipe makes it a cinch to serve up a classic, homemade!
Ingredients
- 3 slices soft sliced Italian bread, from 20-oz. loaf
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1/2 c ricotta cheese
- 1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese, and additional
- 1/4 c chopped fresh parsley
- 1 egg
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 tsp fennel seeds, crushed
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 can (28 oz.) tomato sauce
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 can (28 oz.) whole peeled plum tomatoes
- 12 oz spaghetti or other pasta, cooked
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In large bowl, soak bread in 1/3 cup water; let stand 5 minutes. Break bread into small pieces. Stir in beef, ricotta, 1/4 cup Parmesan, parsley, egg, garlic, 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper until blended. Coat hands with cooking spray; shape into 18 balls. Transfer to pan. Bake 25 minutes or until no longer pink in centers.
In large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and remaining fennel seeds; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 8 minutes. Add tomato sauce, salt, and remaining pepper; crush tomatoes and add to pot with their juice. Bring to boil; reduce heat to low. Cook, partially covered, 15 minutes. Add meatballs; cook, partially covered, 1 hour; uncover during last 20 minutes. Serve over pasta with cheese.
Notes
Calories: 563. Protein: 31 g. Fat: 18 g. (6 g. sat.) Chol.: 91 mg. Carbs.: 69 g. Sodium: 1,252 mg. Fiber: 7 g. Sugar: 10 g.