A quick and easy midweek meal idea. This one-pot spicy meatball pasta recipe will be cooked and ready to serve to the family in only 30 minutes.
We show you how to make your own homemade hot Italian tomato pasta sauce. With garlic, chilli and herbs added to give a nice hot kick to spice up your beef meatballs. Can be made with spaghetti or any other pasta shapes.
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Ingredients
To make your own Italian style spicy meatball sauce with pasta you will need. Meatballs, chorizo, onion, garlic, chilli, tomato puree, chopped tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, herbs and spaghetti.
Substitutes
Meatballs- You can use shop brought beef meatballs or make your own up? Or substitute for turkey, chicken or pork meatballs instead. Or why not use vegetarian meatballs instead?
Chorizo - Adds a great flavour to the homemade tomato meatball sauce, can use bacon lardons instead. Or if trying to lower fat content in the dish. Leave this out and add some smoked paprika instead to still give a delicious smoky taste.
Vinegar - Balsamic, sherry or red wine vinegar, will all work well to bring a pleasant tang to the homemade tomato sauce.
Garlic, Chilli and Sundried Tomato Puree - We used the Gia brand of puree to cheat and make the tomato pasta sauce for the meatballs even quicker for a midweek dish. Whilst still packed full of Italian flavouring.
You can of course use fresh garlic and chilies and regular tomato puree instead.
Herbs - We used dried Italian mixed herbs for flavouring the spicy meatballs. It is a mixture of basil, oregano, rosemary, marjoram and thyme. You can use fresh or frozen instead.
Pasta - You can use any pasta shape for this recipe. We have used spaghetti, tagliatelle, tripoline, rigatoni and penne in the past. They all work well.
How spicy?
We use 2 teaspoon of chilli puree which is equal to 2 chillies. This adds a lovely warm spice not too hot!
Simply add more or less chilli to adjust the spiciness of the dish!
Why not add chilli flakes when served up at the end. To give more of a kick for some and not the others?
Equipment
Use any large lidded pan for this dish.
We use our cast iron dish to create all our one-pot recipes. We highly recommend them as they are great to cook with and also easy to clean and will last you a lifetime!!
Serving Suggestions
Serve straight to the table in the pan. Top with a generous helping of parmesan cheese and a handful of parsley.
It is a meal on its own. But if you want it to stretch to more people simply add garlic bread. Or check out The Devil wears Salad for some great salad recipes.
Also as it is all cooked in one pan. You don't have too much washing up to do at the end! Bonus!
This spicy meatball pasta is a regular one-pot dinner for our family. So quick and easy, perfect for midweek. If you wanted another one-pot meal idea, check out our Pork and Prawn Jambalaya.
If you are looking for another meaty pasta dish we have Bolognese Pasta Bake or try fellow recipe creator Jack's delicious Italian Sausage Pasta.
How to store?
If you have leftovers, meatball and pasta can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Infact I find the tomato sauce flavours soaks in to the pasta and tastes even better the next day!
Reheat in the microwave or oven until piping hot.
You can freeze for another day, in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Reheat from frozen in the oven or defrost first to reheat.
π Step by Step Recipe
One Pot Spicy Meatball Pasta
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon Olive oil
- 12 Meatballs - we used ready-made from the supermarket but you can make own if preferred
- 1 Onion - chopped finely
- 80 grams Chorizo - cubed
- 1 tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar - or Red Wine Vinegar / Sherry Vinegar
- 2 teaspoon Gia Garlic puree - or 4 cloves of garlic crushed
- 1 tablespoon Gia Sundried Tomato Puree - or 2 tablespoon regular Tomato Puree
- 1-2 teaspoon Gia Chilli Puree - or 1-2 chillies finely chopped
- 400 grams Chopped Tomatoes - tinned
- 500 ml water - boiling
- 250 grams Spaghetti or Tagliatelle - or any other pasta shape
- 2 tsp mixed herbs
- black pepper & salt - to taste
to serve
- parmesan cheese
- parsley - chopped
Instructions
- Warm olive oil over medium heat in a large pan, add meatballs and stir to brown on the outside, should take about 5 minutes. (do not need to be cooked throughout)
- Add onion & chorizo, fry with meatballs for 3 mins
- Use balsamic vinegar to deglaze the pan, scraping all the delicious meatball goodness off the bottom of the pan.
- Add chilli, garlic and tomato puree, mixed herbs, and stir together.
- Add chopped tomatoes and season with salt and pepper.
- Add pasta into the sauce, pour boiling water over the pasta and bring to the boil. Give a stir and make sure no pasta is stuck to the bottom of the pan.
- Turn down heat to simmer and cover with a lid. Cook for 11 mins, stirring halfway through.
- Serve with a good sprinkle of parmesan, parsley, salt and black pepperEnjoy!!
Video
Nutrition
If you love this one-pot meal, check out our easy corned beef hash or for other pasta ideas our Italian pot roast or Slow Cooker Spaghetti Bolognese are delicious.
Amy says
Yum!!!! I love anything one pot because some days I simply don't have the time to make anything more complicated. Definitely store bought meatballs for me too but I'm lucky as I have an awesome butcher I can rely on for really good meat. Love that's it's spicy too cause I often add my own chilli to pasta dishes. So good!
PeoplePerProject says
What's better than a hearty bowl of pasta for dinner? Making that pasta dinner in one pot! And even better? There will only be one pot to clean after dinner.
Kay says
One of our favourites!
Adriane says
This looks like a perfect weekday family meal! We love skillets like these.
Kay says
Hi Adriane
Thanks for the comment
It's a great midweek meal, and so easy to cook!!
Saif says
That looks so delicious. I love any food that is spicy, and pasta without an exception. By looking at this picture, I am starving. You mentioned "mixed herb" as one of the ingredients. What herbs does it contain?
Luke says
Saif thanks for your message, we used shop bought mixed herbs. Which is equal mix of basil thyme and oregano.
Any mix would work though choose your favourite!
Cheese Curd In Paradise says
My husband and I would just adore this pasta! Meatballs are a hit at our house, and we love a little heat in our food as well!
Ramona says
I love one pot dishes and I have to say I never tried a one pot pasta. This looks amazing and need to try it immediately. I showed my children your dish and I have to make it for lunch today. So I was ordered. It looks delicious π thanks for sharing.
Kay says
Hi Ramona
This one-pot dish is delicious, I hope you enjoy as much as we all did at home!!
Pavani says
What an easy to make meatball pasta. My pasta loving kids will love this flavorful dish. I love that it needs only 1 pot and looks delicious.
Kay says
Hi Pavani
I hope your kids love it as much as we did!!
Lets us know what you think, we would love to hear your feedback?