Easiest Hands-Off Spaghetti & Meatballs
The fastest, easiest way to enjoy homemade(ish) spaghetti and meatballs that we know. By cooking the noodles right in the sauce in the baking dish, you get a brilliant one-pan meal that will make everyone smile when you set it on the table. Juicy, flavorful meatballs get a fast-tracked boost from store-bought pesto, and come together in a snap, baking right along with the noodles in this cozy, easy-as-pie dinner. If you want to make it even faster – just use store-bought meatballs from your grocery store’s meat department (not frozen). (inspired by America’s Test Kitchen)
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 35
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
12 oz spaghetti, broken in half
1 (24-oz) jar of good quality marinara sauce (or use 24 oz homemade, if you have it)
1 lb. ground beef (80/20)
3/4 cup panko bread crumbs (you can use Italian-style instead, if you like)
1/2 cup store-bought (or homemade pesto)
Salt and pepper, as needed
Fresh chopped basil, for garnish
Grated parmesan, for sprinkling (optional)
Instructions
Set your oven rack to the middle position and preheat to 475 degrees F. Spray a large (13 x 9-inch) baking dish with non-stick spray.Â
Spread the spaghetti in the dish and cover with the sauce. Add 2 cups water and toss to ensure the pasta is coated.Â
In a large bowl, using your hands, combine the beef, panko, and pesto and season with about 1 tsp salt and some freshly cracked black pepper. Don’t overwork! Pinch off and roll the meat mixture into balls, about 1.5 inches in size. You should get 13 to 15 meatballs. Place these meatballs on top of the pasta in the dish, cover with aluminum foil, and bake for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, remove the foil and give the pasta a good stir all over, loosening it and mixing it gently. Bake 5 to 7 more minutes, until the pasta is cooked through. Add a bit of extra water to the dish and stir if it seems a bit drier than you’d prefer. Serve with fresh basil and a sprinkle of grated parm on top.Â