Spaghetti-Stuffed Meatballs? Don't Knock 'Em Till You Try Them

When all you want is an easy but delicious dinner, spaghetti and meatballs are a pretty good go-to. Usually, this combination means piling these savory balls atop a plate of pasta. But you can also try mixing things up and stuffing your meatballs with spaghetti instead.

Spaghetti-stuffed meatballs still get you the classic flavor combination but in an inside-out format. Plus, you get the correct ratio of meat to spaghetti without worrying about flicking pasta sauce over your clothes as you eat. They're also easy to make as it consists of your favorite classic meatball recipe. Then, wrap a flattened ball of ground meat mixture around a dollop of pre-cooked al dente spaghetti and cook them as usual.

Of course, knowing how to make them isn't the only thing to consider if you want to try this pasta night hack. You've also got to think about how to stuff the meatballs.

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What To Know About Making Spaghetti-Stuffed Meatballs

Spaghetti-stuffed meatballs aren't complicated to make, although there are a few things to consider. For one thing, how will you add the spaghetti to your meatball? Spaghetti is slippery and, thanks to its shape, can be tricky to stuff into your meatballs, especially when they're small. To get around this, you can use chopsticks or a fork to twirl the cooked spaghetti into small mounds and then freeze it. When the spaghetti has hardened, you can pop the balls into your ground beef meatballs for an easy-to-wrap bite.

Besides how to stuff meatballs with pasta, another thing to consider is when to add the sauce. Some people pour the pasta sauce over the meatballs once they're cooked. Others, however, will mix the spaghetti with the sauce before piling them into the ground beef. You can also combine these methods, using marinara (or any other topping you prefer) both stirred into the spaghetti before stuffing the meatballs and poured over the top when they're ready to eat.

Variations On Spaghetti-Stuffed Meatballs

When making spaghetti-stuffed meatballs, get creative and play around with different variations. Typically, meatballs are made using ground beef, but you don't have to limit yourself to that. You can mix things up to make ground turkey meatballs or meatballs made with ground pork. Another option would be to go with faux meat for a vegetarian take on this Italian classic.

Besides the protein, you've also got to consider the sauce. Many people use tomato sauce for spaghetti and meatballs. You can follow suit, either making a homemade Italian tomato sauce, or save time with a store-bought one. Or, you can mix things up and use different sauces, such as a white sauce or even pesto. As you choose which one to use, think about what will pair best with your protein.

Finally, besides the sauces, consider the size. You can make small, bite-sized meatballs or go for giant ones instead and cut them into wedges to serve. With these options, you can make this concoction exactly to your liking.

Read the original article on Daily Meal.