• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

The Missing Lokness

Easy Everyday Recipes

  • Home
  • About
  • Recipe Index
  • So-Cal Travel Guide
  • Privacy Policy

Spaghetti and Meatballs

August 14, 2014 By Lokness 10 Comments

Spaghetti and Meatballs | The Missing Lokness

This week recipe is all about classic Italian spaghetti and meatballs. I don’t recall seeing many spaghetti and meatballs dishes in Hong Kong when growing up. The most common Italian pasta dishes in HK are creamy seafood pasta and spaghetti with meat sauce. Spaghetti and meatballs was a brand new thing to me when I got to the US. One day I was watching Food Network. Anne Burrell was whipping up these amazing meatballs. They looked pretty easy and irresistible. I just couldn’t wait and made them the next day. Ever since then, I have made this dish again and again. We are impressed every time.

Even though Bryan is not a huge fan of pasta, this is the one that Bryan loves! Why? Because there are tons of meats in it. Those giant meatballs were bigger than golf balls. They were made with a combination of meat, veal, beef and pork. They were seared nicely on a pan and baked in the oven. They were moist, hearty and flavorful. The marinara sauce was chunky, tangy, and sweet, which helps to balance out the rich meatballs. Enjoy this classic Italian dish that grown ups and kids would love!

Spaghetti and Meatballs 2 | The Missing Lokness

Spaghetti and Meatballs 3 | The Missing Lokness

Spaghetti and Meatballs (Adapted from Anne Burrell via Foodnetwork.com)

3 servings

Ingredients:

–   extra-virgin olive oil

–   ½ large onion (cut into ¼-inch dices)

–   ½ teaspoon kosher salt

–   1 garlic clove (smashed and finely chopped)

–   pinch crushed red pepper

–   ¼ pound ground beef

–   ¼ pound ground veal

–   ¼ pound ground pork

–   1 large egg

–   ½ cup grated Parmigiano, plus more for serving

–   2 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves (finely chopped)

–   ½ cup plain breadcrumbs

–   ¼ cup water

–   8 ounces dried spaghetti

Marinara Sauce:

–   2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

–   1/8 pound pancetta (cut into ¼-inch dices)

–   1 large Spanish or sweet onion (cut into ¼-inch dices)

–   salt

–   2 large garlic cloves (smashed and finely chopped)

–   2 (28-ounce) cans Italian plum San Marzano tomatoes

Directions:

  1. Start with the marinara sauce. Take out all the tomatoes from cans to a large bowl. Pour the juice in another large bowl. Rinse and fill half of 1 can with water. Pour the water into the juice. Remove the stem and seeds of all tomatoes with your hands or small knife. Place the tomatoes in the juice. Set aside.
  2. In a large pot over medium-high heat, add olive oil and pancetta. Cook for 4 – 5 minutes. Add onions. Season generously with salt. Mix well and cook until soft and aromatic, about 6 – 7 minutes, stirring frequently. Add garlic and cook for 2 – 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
  3. Add the tomatoes and juice into the pot. Season with salt. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook over medium heat for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Taste and season if necessary. Use half of the sauce right away, and save half for another use.
  4. In a large pan over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onions, season with salt and cook until soft and aromatic, about 5 – 7 minutes. Add garlic and crushed red pepper. Cook for another 1 – 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let it cool to almost room temperature.
  5. Preheat the oven to 350˚F (180˚C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place in the oven.
  6. In a large bowl, combine the meats, eggs, Parigiano, parsley and bread crumbs with your hands. Add the onion mixture and season generously with salt. Mix well. Add the water and mix 1 more time.
  7. Shape the meat mixture into balls that are slightly larger than a golf ball. Make about 10 – 12 meatballs.
  8. Bring a large pot of water (salted) to a boil over high heat. Cook the pasta until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally. Drain and transfer the pasta to serving plates.
  9. In a large pan over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Sear and brown the meatballs on all sides. Place them on the prepared baking sheet and cook in the oven for about 15 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through. Add them to the marinara sauce. Cook for another minute. Scoop them over the pasta. Top with extra Parmigiano. Serve immediately.

Tips:

  1. Marinara sauce can be made ahead.
  2. For marinara sauce storage, let the sauce cool to room temperature. Store in the fridge for a few days or freeze.
  3. There is a way to make sure your meat is well seasoned. To test it, you can take a small chunk of meat mixture and shape into a patty. Cook through in a lightly oiled pan. Taste. If it is not flavorful enough, it is missing salt. Add more salt to the meat mixture.
  4. This dish is great for next day lunch.

Source: Read

Filed Under: Beef, Cook, Pasta/Noodle, Pork Tagged With: Beef, italian, marinara sauce, meatball, pork, spaghetti, veal

Previous Post: « Coca-Cola Chicken Wings
Next Post: Unagi Don (Eel Rice Bowl) »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Matt Robinson says

    August 14, 2014 at 2:17 pm

    This really is a classic recipe and exactly how we love our spaghetti. Can’t wait to make this soon!

    Reply
    • Lokness says

      August 15, 2014 at 4:05 pm

      Thanks Matt! Yes, it is a truly classic! I hope you and your little one will like these giant meatballs. Have a great weekend!

      Reply
  2. Monica says

    August 14, 2014 at 7:45 pm

    I know what you mean. Whenever I hit a HK-style cafe/tea shop, I want a ketup style spaghetti or one of those cream versions! : ) I do love ‘real’ pasta like this the spaghetti and meatballs. It looks amazing and great pick with Anne Burrell. I am convinced her food has got to be legit!

    Reply
    • Lokness says

      August 21, 2014 at 3:24 pm

      Yea, I love those ketchup and creamy pasta too! Anne Burrell’s recipes are awesome. Definitely won’t disappoint you. 🙂

      Reply
  3. Bonnie Eng says

    August 16, 2014 at 7:07 pm

    I’ve seen that Anne Burrell episode! She’s amazing and you’ve definitely done her recipe justice…as always, such pretty and mouth-watering photos Lokness!

    Reply
    • Lokness says

      August 21, 2014 at 3:27 pm

      You did? Haha. Those meatballs were hard to resist! Anne Burrell is awesome and her recipes are real good! Thank you for your kind words, Bonnie. 🙂

      Reply
  4. Kelly says

    August 17, 2014 at 10:25 pm

    We love classic dishes and this spaghetti recipe sounds like a winner 🙂 It looks fantastic!

    Reply
    • Lokness says

      August 21, 2014 at 3:28 pm

      Thanks Kelly! A true classic! It may require some works, but totally worth it.

      Reply
  5. Amy Tong says

    September 11, 2014 at 9:05 am

    I agree with you, the more popular pastas in HKG are the one with meat sauce and white seafood sauce. Buy my kids love meatballs and yours looks so yummy! Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
    • Lokness says

      September 12, 2014 at 1:13 pm

      Thanks, Amy! These are really good meatballs. Love the 3 meats mixture. Let me know if you try it! Have a wonderful weekend!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Hello there!

Welcome! I'm Lokness. Currently live in Los Angles. Grew up in Hong Kong. Obsessed with chocolate & ice cream. Cooking is something I love. This is where I share my stories and recipes. Want to know more? Click here.
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Never Miss a New Recipe!

Sign up to receive notifications of new posts by email. No spam!

Popular Posts

  • Magnolia Bakery Banana Pudding (From Scratch) Magnolia Bakery Banana Pudding (From Scratch) #magnoliabakery #copycatrecipe #banana #pudding #bananapudding #partyfood #nilawafer #dessert #dessertrecipe | The Missing Lokness Magnolia Bakery Banana Pudding (From Scratch)
  • Easy Sushi Bake #sushibake #hawaiianrecipe #imitationcrab #avocado #easyrecipe #furikake #seaweed #dinner #dinnerrecipe #appetizer | The Missing Lokness Easy Sushi Bake
  • Hong Kong Style Borscht Soup #soup #hongkongfood #vegetables #beefbone #borschtsoup | The Missing Lokness Hong Kong Style Borscht Soup
  • Sangchu Geotjeori (Korean Lettuce Salad)
  • Mendocino Farms Curried Couscous with Roasted Cauliflower #sidedish #pastasalad #couscous #curry | The Missing Lokness Mendocino Farms Curried Couscous with Roasted Cauliflower

missinglokness

🍩 Recipe Developer & Food Lover (I cook & eat around the city!) 🐹 Animals Lover 🏠 Los Angeles🌴(From HK 🇭🇰)

Happy 14th! 👩🏻‍🤝‍👨🏽❤️ This Happy 14th! 👩🏻‍🤝‍👨🏽❤️ This picture was taken early this month in Carmel-by-the-Sea.
Growing up, I looked forward to my mom’s mango p Growing up, I looked forward to my mom’s mango pudding every summer. That creamy & soft pudding is loaded w/ tons of fresh mangoes. My version is pretty much the same, but I switch out the mango-flavored gelatin mix for fresh mangoes. It tastes incredible & brings me back to my childhood right away! It was the perfect dessert when I was a kid, and it’s still the most satisfying dessert today! 🥭

// What was your favorite childhood dessert? //

Recipe link in profile ⬆️ #ontheblog #TheMissingLokness

https://www.themissinglokness.com/2022/05/20/loaded-mango-pudding/
Sometimes, something simple is the best. My go-to Sometimes, something simple is the best. My go-to is a cheeseburger w/ extra toasted bun & onion. Bryan likes his double-double w/ onion. The fries were perfectly crispy, and I like to dip them in the spread sauce. Please order me 2 fries next time!😂 How do you like your In-N-Out?
Ice cream time! This Vanilla Blueberry Thyme Swirl Ice cream time! This Vanilla Blueberry Thyme Swirl Ice Cream is creamy, little vanilla-y w/ bits of blueberries & a hint of thyme. That vibrant blueberry swirls also makes the prettiest purple color too! I made this ice cream using my blueberry thyme jam, so it’s very easy.🫐🍨

Recipe link in profile ⬆️ #ontheblog #TheMissingLokness

https://www.themissinglokness.com/2022/04/15/vanilla-blueberry-thyme-swirl-ice-cream/
A perfect bowl of Korean shaved ice for a warm nig A perfect bowl of Korean shaved ice for a warm night. We both got Injeolmi, which is milk flavored ice w/ mochi, roasted soybean powder & condensed milk. It was light, little nutty & not too sweet.🍧

🌟Oakobing
📍37 N Arroyo Pkwy, Pasadena, CA 91103
Spring time means berries. Let starts w/ Blueberry Spring time means berries. Let starts w/ Blueberry Thyme Jam! Sweet, lemony & earthy. A nice surprising combo, but both blueberry & thyme compliment each other really well. I once served this once w/ a slice of Basque cheesecake, & it was fantastic! The jam is good on all sort of things, like yogurt and charcuterie board. 🫐

Recipe link in profile ⬆️ #ontheblog #TheMissingLokness

https://themissinglokness.com/2022/03/24/small-batch-blueberry-thyme-jam/
When I think of comfort food, this Satay Beef Cell When I think of comfort food, this Satay Beef Cellophane Noodles in Clay Pot (沙嗲牛肉粉絲煲) definitely is up there on the top. One of my favorites to order in Hong Kong! It’s hearty & rich. That tender beef & noodles are coated w/ a savory & slightly sweet satay sauce. Little kick from the chili & the earthiness from the mushroom. Bold flavors! Please just give me a bowl of rice already! Btw, this takes only 30 mins to put together, which makes a great weeknight dish. 

Recipe link in profile ⬆️ #ontheblog #TheMissingLokness

https://themissinglokness.com/2022/03/10/satay-beef-cellophane-noodles-in-clay-pot/
Maude (@mauderestaurant) has reopened & we’re ba Maude (@mauderestaurant) has reopened & we’re back! It closed down during the pandemic & eventually was selling sweet & savory pies for a while. Once we heard Maude was about to reopen, we made reservation. It’s a 9-course tasting menu w/ the focus on California cuisine this time. Everything was incredible. We chose to sit on the chef’s table & watched them plating & cooking. Precision & speed w/ lots of components. We had our many firsts, like cactus, caviar, & black truffle. Our favorites of the night were caviar w/ peas, abalone & bread w/ aged butter. We really love this place & look forward to going back soon!

🌟Maude
📍212 S Beverly Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90212
❣️Always a multi-course tasting menu & changes often.
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2022 · The Missing Lokness · Privacy Policy

 

Loading Comments...