My Favourite Pasta Recipes
My weekend starts on Friday at noon, but my schedule says “post on Saturday 26th” so I am going to do a very brief post before I pack my bags and leave. I have never set posts to be published at a later date, but well there is always a first time. Today I want to share an extra simple recipe, which stems from the Marinara Sauce I posted on April 4. I love the Marinara sauce because it has lots of red wine. If you never use wine for cooking, then I don’t know what alternative will give you the intended taste. Are substitutes always taste proof? If a recipe says add milk and you use coconut milk as a substitute you will not really taste what was meant to be. Right?
The first step is to make the Marinara sauce then look for your most favourite precooked frozen meatballs. There are several (Swedish meatballs, Italian style,). Add these to the cooked marinara sauce, bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes until the meatballs are heated through. You can also use your favaourite meatball recipe, if you don’t want to use the precooked ones. I wish you a very happy weekend, wherever you’ll be whatever you’ll be doing. I hope you like the meatballs!
- Ingredients for Marinara Sauce
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion chopped
- 1 celery stalk finely sliced
- 2-3 garlic cloves garlic crushed
- ½ teaspoon chilli flakes (optional)
- 1 vegetable bouillon cube (optional)
- 800g plum tomatoes (8 medium tomatoes), skinned and chopped (or 1 x 796ml (28 fl oz) can whole Italian plum tomatoes)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ cup good quality red wine
- 3 tablespoons shredded fresh basil (or 1 teaspoon dried basil or other preferred fresh herbs)
- Basil stalks
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 500g (1Ib) of your favourite pre-cooked meatballs
Please always remember to assemble all ingredients before you start.
Heat the olive oil in a saucepan (skillet) over medium heat. Add onion, celery, garlic and chilli flakes (if using)
and cook, stirring until onion is soft (5-7 minutes)
Stir in tomatoes with their juice, tomato paste, wine and bouillon cube (if using). If using dried spices, add them now; if using fresh basil or other fresh herbs add, just before serving. Bring to the boil, throw in the basil stalks, reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened, about 20 minutes.
Add your favourite pre-cooked meatballs and simmer for another 5 minutes, until meatballs are heated through. Season with salt and pepper, remove basil stalks, add chopped basil and serve with pasta of your choice
This is a great way of diversifying the marinara sauce
I love this meal because it’s so easy to prepare
Pasta with Meatballs
Preparation time: 15 minutes; Cooking Time: 30 minutes; Serves: 4-6
Ingredients for Marinara Sauce
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion chopped
- 1 celery stalk finely sliced
- 2-3 garlic cloves garlic crushed
- ½ teaspoon chilli flakes (optional)
- 1 vegetable bouillon cube (optional)
- 800g plum tomatoes (8 medium tomatoes), skinned and chopped (or 1 x 796ml (28 fl oz) can whole Italian plum tomatoes)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ cup good quality red wine
- 3 tablespoons shredded fresh basil (or 1 teaspoon dried basil or other preferred fresh herbs)
- Basil stalks
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 500g (1Ib) of your favourite pre-cooked meatballs
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a saucepan (skillet) over medium heat. Add onion, celery, garlic and chilli flakes (if using) and cook, stirring until onion is soft (5-7 minutes)
- Stir in tomatoes with their juice, tomato paste, wine and bouillon cube (if using). If using dried spices, add them now; if using fresh basil or other fresh herbs add, just before serving. Bring to the boil, throw in the basil stalks, reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened, about 20 minutes. Add your favourite pre-cooked meatballs and simmer for another 5 minutes, until meatballs are heated through. Season with salt and pepper, remove basil stalks and add chopped basil and serve with pasta of your choice
myfavouritepastime.com
My Favourite Pastime 
Stumble across your blog and I love it! All about food and they looks really yummy!
Thank you for loving my blog. I feel very honoured. I wish you a lovely week!
Liz
Same to you!
Thank you!
Liz
I could eat that all day…every day.. wonderful post! ❤
Mm that would be a lot of calories taken in. Have a wonderful day!
Liz
Pre-made meatballs are too salty and usually too fatty for me these days, so I’ve subbed in turkey meatballs with my pasta dishes. I’m also planning to try using 96% lean ground beef for a new beef meatball recipe.
http://nosaltnofatnosugar.com/2012/12/25/what-can-someone-on-a-restricted-diet-eat-on-christmas-day/
MOst of the meatballs in the blog were made from scratch but I also use the pre made ones when I’m feeling lazy. I just don’t add salt at all when I use them. Have a great week!
Liz
I’m drooling. This looks fantastic. Sometimes I have meatballs with rice for a change. Either way, I like plenty of parmesan too.
Drooling is a good sign, I also have meatballs with rice or pasta with tons of Pecorino Romano. Have a lovely weekend!
Liz
oh those meatball are perfectly rolled, I’m sure the were amazing!
Thank you!
Liz
I just love this recipe. It brings me back the best memories of the time spent at the States with our family friends there. My daughter loves meatballs on her pasta since she had them for dinner when she was 4 on her first stay in the US. Could there be anything homier than that?
Those photographs are yelling at me “eat me”, “eat me, Rosa”…
Did you eat them, Rosa? All my kids adore pasta and meatballs and minced meat (ground beef), so I can understand how much your daughter loves meatballs. I wish you a very wonderful weekend!
Liz
Lovely 🙂
Thank you!
Liz
This is one of my husband’s favorite meals! Enjoy your weekend.
Me too and all my kids. Thanks for popping by.
Liz
Looks great and makes me seriously hungry! 🙂
Did you have a bite? thanks for popping by
Liz
I love it,i am drooling so bad even my dogs are shocked LOL!
Ha ha I hope you’ve stopped drooling. Have a wonderful weekend!
Liz
meatballs are so versatile, I like trying them different ways.This one looks yummy. I will have to try this one soon.
Thanks, Christy. My kids love meatballs!
Liz
Wow! Love ’em – totally my favorite of alllllll time!
Thank you
liz
Wow. This looks so delicious. Just had our local style spaghetti with sweet tomato sauce with ham and hotdogs but pasta with red sauce is one of my favourite dishes. I love pasta with meatballs! Have you tried putting oregano? I’ve always wondered if it would be a good herb to add to red meat sauce in pastas. 🙂 Hope you have a great weekend!
Hi Rey and Lyn
I always add oregano in so many things when I’m cooking. It sits on my countertop. It’s a good herb for cooking. Sometimes i use it in roasting sweet potatoes or normal potatoes. Thanks and enjoy the rest of the week!
Liz
You’re a very reliable blogger! Have a lovely, relaxing weekend!
Thank you so much for the kind words! Have a great week!
Liz
Haha what about you? you’re one of the most reliable visitors. Enjoy the week!
Liz
Best part about needing wine in a recipe nowadays is that you can buy it in a small bottle, use what you need in the recipe and…drink the rest!!! Who’s going to know??? Good post.
Ha ha I always taste the wine when I’m cooking. A good excuse to have half a glass or one. Enjoy the new week!
Liz