Description
A delicious and spicy pasta dish featuring meatballs in a creamy tomato sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound ground beef (or turkey for a lighter option)
- 12 ounces rotini pasta
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 egg
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare Meatballs: In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, egg, minced garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Mix well until evenly combined. Shape into small meatballs, about 1 inch in diameter.
- Cook Meatballs: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add meatballs in batches, cooking until browned on all sides. This should take about 5-7 minutes. Remove meatballs from the skillet and set aside.
- Cook Pasta: In a large pot, bring salted water to a boil. Add rotini pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water.
- Prepare Sauce: In the same skillet used for meatballs, add tomato sauce and heavy cream. Stir well, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
- Combine: Return the meatballs to the skillet with the sauce. Simmer for about 10 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld and the meatballs to cook through. Add cooked pasta to the skillet, tossing until well coated. If the sauce is too thick, add some reserved pasta water to reach desired consistency.
- Serve: Garnish with freshly chopped parsley. Serve hot.
Notes
- For extra heat, increase the amount of red pepper flakes.
- Substitute heavy cream with Greek yogurt for a lighter version.
- Use a blend of ground beef and pork for richer flavor.
- Add a sprinkle of lemon zest for a fresh citrus twist.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 100mg