Spaghetti and meatballs in tomato sauce combined with tender sautéed eggplant and buttery black olives for a next-level satisfying dinner. It’s comfort food at its very best!
Eggplant combined with pan-seared meatballs and tomato sauce makes for a most luxurious sauce with minimal effort. We take it to another flavor level, by adding a generous splash of red wine and some black olives. When this combo simmers together, it turns into a delicious hearty rich sauce, covering each juicy meatball in some serious saucy goodness. Serve over your favorite spaghetti, and dinner will be oh-so-satisfying.
Let me guide you through the recipe with this step-by-step VIDEO.
LET’S TALK ABOUT MEATBALLS
This spaghetti and meatball recipe is not only weeknight-friendly, but it’s also picky eater-approved. The meatballs are tender and packed with flavor, thanks to a combination of pork and veal, as well as the addition of dried garlic, Italian seasoning and grated parmesan. I like to brown them in the skillet to build a starting layer and a super flavorful base for the tomato sauce. To cut down time, you can roll the meatballs one day ahead.
The other key to make tender, toothsome meatballs is to mix them with your hands, but be sure you don’t OVER mix. The shorter you mix and form the balls, the more succulent they will be. If you overwork the meatballs, they’ll get tough.
RECIPE NOTES
- be sure to buy a mix of ground pork and veal for the most tender and juicy meatballs. If you can also try a combination of pork and beef
- not a fan of black olives? just leave them out
- use chicken broth instead of red wine
- serve the meatballs over your favorite noodles, orzo, couscous, creamy polenta or with some crusty bread
- add an arugula salad drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar
TRY THESE NEXT
Spaghetti and Meatballs in Tomato Eggplant Sauce
Ingredients
- 9 ounces spaghetti
Meatballs
- 1 pound ground meat - a mix of pork and veal
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp Italian seasoning
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tbsp bread crumbs
- 3 tbsp grated Parmesan
Tomato Eggplant Sauce
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 eggplant - cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 yellow onion - finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves - miced
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp sugar
- ½ tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- ½ cup red wine - sweet
- 1 can (28 oz/800 g) crushed tomatoes
- 3.5 ounces black olives
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients for the meatballs to a large bowl. Mix until just combined, using your hands. Roll the meat into balls.
- Get all the prep done before you start cooking: mince the garlic, finely chop the onion, cut the eggplant into bite-sized pieces.
- Set a large pot with generously salted water over high and bring to a boil.
- Heat oil and butter in a large skillet. Add meatballs, cook until lightly browned on all sides, but not cooked through. Remove from skillet.
- Add eggplant, cook for 5 minutes or until it starts to soften. Add more olive oil, if needed. Add garlic and onion, cook until soft and fragrant, about 3 minutes.
- In the meantime, add spaghetti to the pot with boiling water. Cook until al dente, drain.
- Add salt, pepper, paprika, Italian seasoning, sugar and red pepper flakes to the skillet. Deglaze with red wine, cook for 3 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes and bring to a boil. Stir in meatballs and black olives. Simmer for 10 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through.
- Toss in spaghetti, serve!
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