Martha Stewart 30-Minute Spaghetti and Meatballs

Martha Stewart 30-Minute Spaghetti and Meatballs are a quick Italian sausage pasta made with browned sausage meatballs, a simple tomato sauce and spaghetti, ready in 30 minutes. Try this easy weeknight dinner for busy school nights or a simple recipe for Sunday supper, since it all comes together in one saucepan.

Brown the sausage balls well before they go into the sauce, because that crust is where most of the flavor comes from. Skip it and the meatballs turn out pale and the sauce tastes flat.

Martha skips the usual seasoned beef mix and rolls meatballs straight from Italian sausage, so the herbs and spices are already inside. She also lets the meatballs finish simmering in the tomato sauce while the pasta boils, which keeps the whole dinner at 30 minutes.

Martha Stewart 30-Minute Spaghetti and Meatballs

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Course: DinnerCuisine: American, ItalianDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

15

minutes

Calories

780

kcal

Browned sausage meatballs finish simmering in a chunky tomato sauce while the spaghetti cooks. Tossing everything together at the end coats every strand in thick sauce.

Ingredients

• Coarse salt and ground pepper
  

• 1 1/2 pounds sweet or spicy Italian sausage
  

• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
  

• 1 medium yellow onion, diced small
  

• 2 cans (28 ounces each) whole peeled tomatoes
  

• 1 pound spaghetti
  

Directions

• Boil the water: Set a large pot of salted water to boil over high heat. Then remove the sausage meat from its casings and roll it into 24 balls.
• Brown the meatballs: Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, then add the sausage balls. Cook about 5 minutes until browned all over, and move them to a plate with a slotted spoon.
• Cook the onion: Add the diced onion to the same pan so it picks up the browned bits left behind. Stir often for about 5 minutes until it softens.
• Make the sauce: Pour in both cans of whole peeled tomatoes, breaking them up with your spoon as they go in. Season with salt and pepper, then bring the sauce to a boil and cook for 5 minutes.
• Cook the pasta: Add the spaghetti to the boiling water and cook it according to the package instructions. It will be ready right when the sauce is.
• Simmer the meatballs: While the pasta cooks, return the meatballs to the sauce. Simmer rapidly for about 7 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
• Toss and serve: Drain the spaghetti, then toss it with the sauce and meatballs. Serve it right away while everything is hot.

Tools for this recipe

• Lodge 6-quart enameled Dutch oven, Kirecoo 12-quart stainless steel stock pot, OXO 5-quart stainless steel colander, Partanna Sicilian extra virgin olive oil, 1 liter. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use hot Italian sausage instead of sweet?

Yes, the recipe works with either sweet or spicy Italian sausage. Hot sausage gives the sauce a gentle kick, so pick it if you like a little heat.

Can I swap the pork sausage for chicken or turkey?

Fresh chicken or turkey sausages work in the same way and make a lighter dinner. Roll and brown them the same way, and watch the pan since leaner meat can dry out a little faster.

Can I save some meatballs for another meal?

Yes, the recipe suggests setting aside 8 meatballs and 1 1/2 cups of sauce before serving. Use them later for spinach and meatball calzones, so one batch covers two dinners.

How do I store leftover spaghetti and meatballs?

Keep the pasta, meatballs and sauce in an airtight container in the fridge, and eat them within 3 to 4 days. Reheat gently in a pan with a splash of water so the sauce loosens up and the noodles don't dry out.

What's the most common mistake with this recipe?

Crowding the pan when browning the meatballs is the usual problem, since they steam instead of sear. Brown them in two batches if your pan is small, so each one gets a good crust.