This is another simple and straightforward recipe for the 9jafoodie 30-minute meal series. Spaghetti and meatballs is a classic Italian combination that is pleasing to kids and adults alike. I made use of ground turkey in my version, feel free to use ground beef or ground pork if you prefer.
I know the ingredients list looks a little long but it’s really not, I promise. Most of them are repeated. I only sectioned off the list to make the recipe a little easier to approach.
Spaghetti and Meatballs
Recipe Type: Main
Author:
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4
Ingredients
- For the meatballs:
- 2 cups ground beef or ground turkey
- 1 cube maggi
- Salt – to taste
- ½ teaspoon black or Cameroon pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground garlic (or 2 minced cloves)
- ¼ cup breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg
- Other
- 1 handful raw spaghetti
- 4 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
- 1/3 cup sliced onions
- 4 large tomatoes (chopped)
- 1 cup Tomato or https://www.9jafoodie.com/roasted-no-boil-base-for-nigerian-stew/
- ½ cup water
- 1 teaspoon curry
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1 teaspoon basil (optional)
- Salt & Maggi – to taste
Instructions
- Place a large pan on medium-high heat, add in 5-6 cups of water and bring to a rolling boil. Add in some salt, a little oil and the spaghetti. Boil pasta briefly for 10 minutes. Drain and set aside
While pasta is boiling:
- Thoroughly combine all ingredients for the meatballs. Portion out one tablespoon of mix at a time and roll between your palms to form a ball. Set aside and repeat until all formed.
- Place a large pot on medium heat and heat up oil. Add in the meatballs. Fry until brown on all sides. Add the onions and fry until fragrant.
- Add the tomatoes and left over ingredients excluding pasta and cook for 10 minute. Add in pasta. Combine. Cover and simmer for another 5 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy
hmmm this looks yum yum. gonna try it asap.
How to make the meatball?
hi 9jafoodie…i’m a huge fan. i tried your jollof recipe yesterday and it was amazing. i’ve always wanted to try spaghetti and meatballs. I was just wondering though if minced meat can be used instead of ground meat. i live in ukraine and i have only seen minced meat in the meat market as well as the supermarket.
Awww.. thanks for the feedback. Yes, minced meat and ground meat are thesame.
Amazing recipe, thanks for sharing
You are welcome anytime
Thanks 9jafoodie for this fast yet delicious looking recipe. I guess I will use a food processor to break my beef to required size. And thanks to Chicanita I know d alternative to getting bread crumbs
great! happy cooking
I tried this today…yum yum and very easy to prepare. I couldn’t find bread crumbs so I cut pieces of bread soaked in milk( I think I saw it on master chef or food network, can’t remember) and my meat balls came out moist and juicy.
Hooooo!! that’s a smart idea… thanks for the hint. Glad you enjoyed the recipe.
I just prepared this meal. My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Please keep up the good job. I’d love to see the recipe for Basmati Fried Rice. Thanks in advance.
I am a bit of a longtime lurker and I generally really enjoy your recipes. However, you are seriously overcooking that pasta. Pasta requires about 9 minutes to be al dente, a couple more if you want it uber soft (which I understand is how most Nigerians like it), but that’s it. Subsequent to that, it should be tossed with the sauce – which should be ready before you boil the pasta – for about 30 seconds over low heat, then served immediately.
Strange. I used this recipe and it came out just fine. Recipe calls for 10mins in boiling water then simmering with sauce.
I guess there’s more than one way to make pasta. Who knew?
I hope I’m not coming across as rude, as I certainly don’t mean to be! However, I live in England, where pasta is essentially the lazy man’s shortcut dinner, my partner is Italian and I have done Italian cookery courses. I genuinely don’t understand how spaghetti can be cooked for 35 minutes and still be edible.
Pasta sheets, as used in baked dishes like lasagne, are generally thicker and used dry (as opposed to boiled prior to baking), so the result is entirely different, but that’s not what this recipe calls for.
However, I suppose it comes down to individual taste. If you like it, then I suppose my blathering on about the ‘proper’ way is a bit inconsequential. :-) Have a lovely Saturday.
You know what they say medua, there is more than one way to skin a cat. This recipe might not appeal to an Italian who is used to al dente pasta but this recipe was developed for the Nigerian palate.
That being said, I have a major brand of spaghetti at hand right now, it is said to be made in Italy, the cooking instruction on the packaging says 10-12 minutes of boiling, that is already over your prescribed 9 minutes, now I am sure these people have multi-million dollar test kitchen.
PS: the recipe doesn’t call for the pasta to be cooked for 35 minutes. and I am not sure what significance cooking the sauce before or after has. The pasta is cooled completely in cold water to stop cooking. Whether the sauce is prepared before or after doesn’t make any difference.
Thanks for your comment, I always appreciate feedback. Do share some of your Italian recipes with us sometime.
I believe that I mentioned catering to the Nigerian palate and that individual taste was the important factor in both my previous posts.
I stated 9 minutes for al dente, a couple more if you like it softer – very much within the time frame of said multi-million dollar test kitchens (although, to be fair, if its actually good pasta, that would be ‘euro’ as opposed to dollar). The quality pasta brand with the largest overseas market share is Barilla, and you’ll see from this link that they share my views: http://www.barilla.com/content/product/spaghetti
The reason that it makes a difference whether or not the sauce is cooked first is that pasta should not be cooled down prior to saucing. It’s supposed to be cooked, tossed in the sauce and served immediately. Simple explanatory video: http://www.mariobatali.com/videos/saucing-pasta/
There is, according to both modern chefs and tradition, a ‘right’ and a ‘wrong’ way to cook pasta. And, as a foodie and food writer, I thought you’d like that pointed out. However, as previously stated, what’s important is the way you like it, which I’m perfectly happy to respect. I come here for your Nigerian recipes, of which I’m a fan, and I’ll stick to reading those.
PS: I’d be delighted to share some recipes, Italian or otherwise.
Good points. Italians the pasta authority know best when it comes to making pasta.
agreed
Great food! What’s d alternative to d ground beef. Couldn’t find one in my area. Can I blend cooked beef or chicken?
Cooked mine kids loved it thanks.
awesome! you are welcome
two thumbs up! :)
You can add sliced green pepper to the meat balls , the aroma is solo nice. Kudos.
Thanks! I will try that.
This was easy to make and delicious. I had to add more bread crumbs than the recipe suggested. It turned out well though. Thanks for sharing this.
Thanks for the feedback. I usually use just enough breadcrumbs to bind the meat, if you use too much the balls will easily dry out. you are most welcome.
I have been patiently waiting for meatballs recipe. Thank you so much. I haven’t bought bread crumbs before. Do you know where i can find them? I live in Edmonton and shop at the Superstore regularly.
Hi Mimi…. you can find bread crumbs in the bulk bins at superstore. They also have packaged ones where they have bread.
hmmmmm………..am speechless. Abeg send me some….*winks* pls how dd u gt d meat ground nd bread crumbs? Is it dt u blend d raw meat to mak one and also for d bread crumbs cant figure ow to get dt too. Pls reply asap so i can make it for 2mao dinner. Thank you
You can buy both from major supermarkets in your neighborhood. Where do you live?