This is one of those recipes that my whole family absolutely loves. Let’s face it…meatballs are a crowd pleaser. My youngest daughter even likes cold leftover meatballs in her lunch on occasion. It's an easy dinner that comes together in under 30 minutes. Who doesn't love a good whole-wheat spaghetti and meatball recipe?
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These would also be good on toothpicks as an appetizer at a party or a tailgate, or you could mix them together with some warm noodles and sauce like the picture. You could also double the recipe and freeze the leftover meatballs (when they are either raw or cooked) for a quick meal on a busy day. If you prefer chicken, try these homemade Chicken Meatballs!
No matter what you decide to do I promise you will not be disappointed. This recipe has been one of our family’s favorite “go-to” meals for years!
Whole-Wheat Spaghetti and Meatballs
This is one of those recipes that my whole family absolutely loves. Let’s face it…meatballs are a crowd pleaser. My youngest daughter even likes cold leftover meatballs in her lunch on occasion. It's an easy dinner that comes together in under 30 minutes. Who doesn't love a good whole-wheat spaghetti and meatball recipe?
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Servings: 4 people
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Ingredients
- 1 lb whole-wheat spaghetti
- pasta sauce
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 egg (beaten)
- 1/3 cup whole-wheat breadcrumbs
- 1/3 cup parmesan cheese (freshly grated)
- ½ cup carrot (in bits (you can grind the carrot in a food processor, grate then dice them, or mince them))
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 ½ teaspoons red wine vinegar
- 1 ½ teaspoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- crushed red pepper (to taste)
- olive oil (for greasing the baking sheet)
Instructions
- Boil pasta noodles according to package directions.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Mix together ground beef and next 10 ingredients (find a recipe for breadcrumbs here – Whole Wheat Breadcrumbs). I find it easiest to use my hands.
- Generously grease a baking sheet with olive oil.
- Roll the beef mixture into meatballs the size of golf balls. Place them in rows onto the greased baking sheet.
- Bake for 9 – 11 minutes or until brown all the way through.
- Serve meatballs on top of cooked noodles and warm pasta sauce. Garnish with extra Parmesan cheese if desired.
Notes
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition Facts
Whole-Wheat Spaghetti and Meatballs
Amount Per Serving
Calories 775
Calories from Fat 252
% Daily Value*
Fat 28g43%
Saturated Fat 11g69%
Cholesterol 129mg43%
Sodium 559mg24%
Potassium 636mg18%
Carbohydrates 95g32%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 42g84%
Vitamin A 2805IU56%
Vitamin C 3.5mg4%
Calcium 182mg18%
Iron 7.5mg42%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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All I need to say is that the second time I made this recipe, I tripled and froze two-thirds. My whole family loves these! Do not change a thing!
The comment that said took 1.5 hrs? Crazy! I thought these were super quick to throw together and my family of 6 loves the flavor of these meatballs. Very tasty! I had 3 mozzarella cheese sticks that I cut into 8 small squares each and wrapped the meat around the cheese because I was nervous we wouldn’t have enough for everyone. It ended up marking 24 meatballs. Thanks for the great recipe! Served it with your spaghetti sauce using canned tomatoes. Look forward to making that one using fresh.
Would the flavor be diminished if I left out the soy sauce? My son strongly dislikes soy sauce.
There will be a tad bit difference, but it shouldn’t hurt the overall taste that much.
Just made these meatballs, they are so so so good! Thank you! Going to make your pumpkin muffins now :)
1 1/2 hours to make and a major disappointment; these meatballs do not have a good flavor
Sorry to hear you weren’t pleased with this recipe. You can always alter them to fit your taste. – Nicole
I made these for a New Years Eve party (I wanted to make sure there was something I would eat) – and they were a huge hit! My only modification was to add some finely chopped mushrooms. I’m going to try them next with ground turkey and am sure that they will be delicious!
This is the first recipe I have tried from this site. I made this last night and it was delicious! The meatballs have great flavor, although I thought my store bought pasta sauce masked that great flavor. I can’t find your homemade pasta sauce recipe. Could you post the link to it? Thank you. Also, I added 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes. Do you think that is too much? And lastly, would you recommend a type of dip to supplement these meatballs as an appetizer? Thank you so much!
Hi there. Here are Lisa’s pasta recipes: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2010/07/19/recipe-homemade-spaghetti-sauce/ and https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/06/21/recipe-simple-spaghetti/. Not sure about a dip but bruschetta pairs well.
What could I substitute for the soy sauce?
This is my favorite homemade substitution: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/92873/soy-sauce-substitute/.
Lisa, I made this last night with your homemade pasta sauce and your kale chips. Everything was absolutely delicious. My five-year-old son said, “Mommy, I love this dinner! Can we have this dinner tomorrow night?” Talk about music to my ears! We are big fans, and we thank you for the great recipes.
If you freeze these, raw or cooked, how do you go about cooking them? Let them thaw first, or just put on the baking pan frozen?
Thanks!
Hi Angela. I usually thaw overnight in the fridge and then heat them in a covered pyrex.
I just made this for my family. Hands down ~ BEST SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS EVER!!!!!! Meatballs are so easy and very flavorful!!!!
This one isn’t one of my favorites. If I make it again, I will probably sauté my garlic first. Raw garlic (even though it does cook as the meatballs cook, clearly) is just too overpowering for us. These were also a tad dry, but perhaps I overcooked them.
I’m considering using 1 lb grassfed pork and 1 lb grassfed beef and am wondering if i could make part into meatballs and part into a meatloaf. Would i need to add anything to the meatloaf section? Onions?
Hi Meg. That is not something we’ve tried but I can’t imagine a meatloaf with out onion. :)
I have made these several times now. This is the only way I want to eat spaghetti now! My questions is how to go about freezing the meatballs. Can you flash freeze them on a cookie sheet and then put into a ziplock bag? Or cook them before freezing? Then also what would be the best way of cooking them from frozen? I always skim through all the comments so that if someone already asked I am not asking the same question. I see where someone asked but there was never a reaponse, so I am hoping to get one for myself and others who are wondering the same thing. I love you site and I am getting ready to purchase your book.
Hi there. I cook and then freeze them. You can freeze them in any airtight container. When reheating, I allow them to thaw overnight and reheat them in the oven or just add them to your sauce as it cooks until they are warm through. ~Amy