This easy and delicious Jamie Oliver meatball pasta is a quick and hearty meal packed with rich flavors. Using simple ingredients like minced meat, basil, and tomatoes, this dish is perfect for a busy weeknight. With a creamy tomato sauce and tender meatballs, it’s sure to satisfy everyone!
Ingredients Needed
- 12 Jacob’s cream crackers
- 4 sprigs of fresh rosemary
- 2 heaped teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 500g (1 lb 2 oz) quality minced beef, pork, or a mixture of the two
- 1 heaped tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 large free-range egg
- Olive oil
- 1 bunch of fresh basil
- 1 medium onion
- 2 cloves of garlic
- ½ a fresh or dried red chili
- 2 x 400g (14 oz) tins of plum tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 400g (14 oz) dried spaghetti or penne
- Parmesan cheese
How To Make Meatball Pasta
- Prepare the crackers and rosemary: Wrap the crackers in a tea towel and smash them up until fine, breaking up any large bits with your hands. Tip into a large bowl. Pick and finely chop the rosemary, then add it to the bowl with the mustard, minced meat, and oregano.
- Mix the meatball mixture: Crack the egg into the bowl, then add a good pinch of sea salt and black pepper. With clean hands, scrunch and mix everything up well. Divide into 4 large balls, then with wet hands, divide each ball into 6 and roll into little meatballs – you should end up with 24.
- Firm up the meatballs: Place the meatballs onto a plate, drizzle with oil, and jiggle to coat. Cover and place in the fridge until needed to firm them up.
- Prepare the basil, onion, garlic, and chili: Pick the basil leaves, keeping the smaller ones aside. Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic, and finely slice or crumble the chili.
- Cook the onion and garlic: Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan over medium heat, add the onion, and cook for 7 minutes, or until softened and lightly golden. Add the garlic and chili. When they start to get color, add the large basil leaves.
- Make the sauce: Tip in the tomatoes, breaking them up with the back of a spoon. Add the balsamic vinegar, season to taste, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer while you cook the meatballs.
- Cook the meatballs: Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in another large frying pan over medium heat. Add the meatballs and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until cooked through, turning regularly. To check, cut one open – it should have no sign of pink.
- Combine the meatballs with the sauce: Add the cooked meatballs to the sauce and simmer while you cook the pasta.
- Cook the pasta: Cook the pasta in boiling salted water according to the packet instructions, then drain, reserving a mugful of cooking water. Return the pasta to the pan.
- Toss the pasta with the sauce: Spoon half the tomato sauce over the pasta and toss together, adding a little splash of reserved cooking water to loosen if needed.
- Serve: Transfer to a large platter or divide between bowls, serving the remaining sauce and meatballs on top. Add a fine grating of Parmesan and scatter the reserved basil leaves.
Recipe Tips
- Chill the meatballs: After forming the meatballs, chill them in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. This helps them firm up and prevents them from falling apart while cooking.
- Use fresh tomatoes for a richer sauce: If you can, try using fresh tomatoes instead of canned ones for a more vibrant and flavorful sauce. Simply chop and cook them down to create your sauce.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan: When cooking the meatballs, make sure not to overcrowd the pan. This ensures they cook evenly and get a nice golden crust.
- Add pasta water to the sauce: When tossing the pasta with the sauce, add a splash of the reserved pasta water. The starch in the water helps the sauce cling better to the pasta.
How To Store And Reheat Leftovers?
- Refrigerate: Let the leftover meatball pasta cool to room temperature. Then, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: Allow the pasta to cool to room temperature before freezing. Place it in an airtight container or freezer bag, and freeze it for up to 1 month. To thaw, leave it in the fridge overnight before reheating.
- Reheat: Reheat the pasta in a pan over medium heat for about 5-7 minutes. Add a splash of water or sauce to loosen the pasta, stirring occasionally, until it’s hot throughout.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 serving (approximately 505g)
- Calories: 756
- Total Fat: 14.9g
- Saturated Fat: 4.8g
- Total Carbohydrate: 104.5g
- Dietary Fiber: 5.6g
- Sugars: 14.6g
- Protein: 58.1g
Try More Jamie Oliver Recipes:
- Jamie Oliver Courgette Pasta
- Jamie Oliver Butternut Squash Pasta
- Jamie Oliver Sausage Fennel Pasta
- Jamie Oliver Cheesy Cauliflower Pasta
Jamie Oliver Meatball Pasta
Description
This easy and delicious Jamie Oliver meatball pasta is a quick and hearty meal packed with rich flavors. Using simple ingredients like minced meat, basil, and tomatoes, this dish is perfect for a busy weeknight. With a creamy tomato sauce and tender meatballs, it’s sure to satisfy everyone!
Ingredients
Instructions
- Prepare the crackers and rosemary: Wrap the crackers in a tea towel and smash them up until fine, breaking up any large bits with your hands. Tip into a large bowl. Pick and finely chop the rosemary, then add it to the bowl with the mustard, minced meat, and oregano.
- Mix the meatball mixture: Crack the egg into the bowl, then add a good pinch of sea salt and black pepper. With clean hands, scrunch and mix everything up well. Divide into 4 large balls, then with wet hands, divide each ball into 6 and roll into little meatballs – you should end up with 24.
- Firm up the meatballs: Place the meatballs onto a plate, drizzle with oil, and jiggle to coat. Cover and place in the fridge until needed to firm them up.
- Prepare the basil, onion, garlic, and chili: Pick the basil leaves, keeping the smaller ones aside. Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic, and finely slice or crumble the chili.
- Cook the onion and garlic: Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan over medium heat, add the onion, and cook for 7 minutes, or until softened and lightly golden. Add the garlic and chili. When they start to get color, add the large basil leaves.
- Make the sauce: Tip in the tomatoes, breaking them up with the back of a spoon. Add the balsamic vinegar, season to taste, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer while you cook the meatballs.
- Cook the meatballs: Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in another large frying pan over medium heat. Add the meatballs and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until cooked through, turning regularly. To check, cut one open – it should have no sign of pink.
- Combine the meatballs with the sauce: Add the cooked meatballs to the sauce and simmer while you cook the pasta.
- Cook the pasta: Cook the pasta in boiling salted water according to the packet instructions, then drain, reserving a mugful of cooking water. Return the pasta to the pan.
- Toss the pasta with the sauce: Spoon half the tomato sauce over the pasta and toss together, adding a little splash of reserved cooking water to loosen if needed.
- Serve: Transfer to a large platter or divide between bowls, serving the remaining sauce and meatballs on top. Add a fine grating of Parmesan and scatter the reserved basil leaves.
Notes
- Chill the meatballs: After forming the meatballs, chill them in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. This helps them firm up and prevents them from falling apart while cooking.
- Use fresh tomatoes for a richer sauce: If you can, try using fresh tomatoes instead of canned ones for a more vibrant and flavorful sauce. Simply chop and cook them down to create your sauce.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan: When cooking the meatballs, make sure not to overcrowd the pan. This ensures they cook evenly and get a nice golden crust.
- Add pasta water to the sauce: When tossing the pasta with the sauce, add a splash of the reserved pasta water. The starch in the water helps the sauce cling better to the pasta.
Jamie Oliver Meatball Pasta