Pasta sauces with meatballs are often heavy dishes to enjoy for an occasional indulgence. But meatballs made with a few tasty ingredients and paired with a fresh, light sauce can be part of a flavorful, fast, and not-so-heavy pasta dinner.
This recipe uses only three-quarter pounds of ground beef for five to six servings. The addition of just two ounces of pancetta and a half-cup of shredded cheese gives delicious depth and flavor to the meatballs without overdoing the quantities. They also help moisten the meat, keeping the meatballs tender and juicy. Instead of frying in oil, the meatballs are baked in the oven.
The sauce in this recipe consists of fresh tomatoes simmered with shallots and garlic. It’s light, simple, and full of flavor.
The meatballs can be rolled a day ahead and refrigerated, covered, overnight. Bring them to room temperature before baking, and dinner will be ready in less than 30 minutes.
Pasta with Cheese-and-Pancetta Meatballs and Fresh Tomatoes
Serves 5-6
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- 3/4 lb ground chuck
- 2 oz finely chopped pancetta
- 1/2 cup finely shredded provolone or mozzarella cheese, chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh sourdough breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
For the Pasta
- 12 oz angel hair pasta or thin spaghetti
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1 large shallot, thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 12 oz campari tomatoes, chopped (or cherry tomatoes, halved)
- sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp thinly sliced fresh basil
- 1 tbsp chopped Italian parsley
Preparation
For the Meatballs
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl. Roll the meat mixture into balls, about 1 inch in diameter (should make 20 meatballs).
- Place the meatballs on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake 15 minutes. Turn the meatballs over and bake 10 minutes longer.
For the Pasta
- Boil the pasta according to package directions and drain.
- Heat a large, deep skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the shallot and garlic and sauté 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper.
- Cook until some of the juices are absorbed and the sauce has thickened slightly, 7-8 minutes.
- Add the drained pasta, meatballs, basil, and parsley to the skillet and toss well to combine.
- Divide the pasta among 5 to 6 bowls, with 3 or 4 meatballs in each. Drizzle with more olive oil and serve.
Pamela Steed Hill - Pamela Steed Hill is an editor, freelance writer, and home cook. She has published over 250 food articles and recipes online.
