The Scoop
What could possibly go wrong with meatballs, pasta, and mozzarella?
Some Italian recipes are made to impress. Others are made to comfort.
This one magically manages to do both!
What could possibly go wrong with meatballs, pasta, and mozzarella? No special cooking skills required; this recipe will send you straight to Italy as it comes together in one pan only, to deliver big flavor and feed a crowd.
Ingredients
- 2 cups ziti
- kosher salt, to taste
- 1 pound ground round
- 1/2 small onion, chopped
- 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 large egg
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1/4 cup dry red wine
- 1 (24-ounce) jar marinara
- 4 cups flat-leaf spinach, stems discarded and leaves torn
- 3 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped, plus more, to taste, for garnish
- 3 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped, plus more, to taste, for garnish
- 8 ounces fresh small mozzarella balls/bocconcini
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish.
- Cook the ziti in a large pot of salted, boiling water until al dente, according to the package directions.
- Gently combine the ground round, the onions, the breadcrumbs, the garlic, the egg, the salt, and the pepper in a bowl.
- Shape the meat mixture into 16 meatballs.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the meatballs to the hot oil and cook, turning occasionally, until they are brown on all sides, about 6-8 minutes.
- Stir the wine into the meatball mixture, gently scraping up the brown bits from the bottom of the skillet.
- Stir the marinara, the spinach, 3 tablespoons of the parsley, and 3 tablespoons of the basil into the meatball mixture and bring to a simmer.
- Transfer the skillet from the heat and fold in the pasta.
- Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared baking dish.
- Top the pasta mixture with the mozzarella.
- Bake until the cheese has melted and the edges are bubbly, about 25-30 minutes.
- Let the casserole stand for 10 minutes.
- Garnish with the extra parsley and the extra basil and serve.
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