Beef & Bacon Meatballs with Mushroom Pasta Sauce Recipe

click to rate
3 votes | 4786 views

Sometimes my food experiments go right and this one certainly did: an every day meatball kicked up a notch with bacon! Preparation time is reduced by using pre-sliced mushrooms and prepared sauce.

Prep time:
Cook time:
Servings: 7
Tags:

Ingredients

Cost per serving $1.50 view details
  • 13.25 ounce box whole wheat spaghetti (or regular spaghetti)
  • 1/4 pound bacon
  • 1 pound ground beef (I used 85% lean)
  • 1/2 cup finely diced onion
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs (I used 1/3 cup dried and coarsely crumbled whole wheat bread)
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or as desired)
  • 6 ounces sliced mushrooms
  • 3 1/2 cups prepared spaghetti sauce
  • Fresh grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

  1. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and keep warm until serving.
  2. Cut a strip of fat from bacon; dice it and render in large skillet over medium heat; remove cooked solid bacon fat pieces from skillet and set aside.
  3. Dice remaining uncooked bacon and place in large mixing bowl. Add ground beef, onions, garlic, bread crumbs, egg, salt, cumin, black and red pepper. Mix thoroughly and shape into walnut size balls.
  4. Cook meatballs in rendered fat in skillet until well browned on all sides.
  5. Meanwhile, heat mushrooms and spaghetti sauce in large saucepan until simmering. With slotted spoon, remove browned meatballs from skillet and place in spaghetti sauce. Strain and discard fat from drippings in skillet, reserving onions and crusted bits, then add these and the reserved cooked solid bacon fat pieces to spaghetti sauce.
  6. Simmer sauce and meatballs together for 20 minutes covered, stirring occasionally (if sauce is too thin leave lid slightly ajar for part of heating time to concentrate and reduce sauce.)
  7. Serve meatballs and sauce with cooked pasta and Parmesan cheese.
  8. Yield: 6 to 7 servings depending on portion size

Toolbox

Add the recipe to which day?
« Today - Mar 25 »
Today - Mar 25
Mar 26 - Apr 01
April 2 - 8
April 9 - 15
Please select a day
or Cancel
Loading... Adding to Planner

Languages

Nutrition Facts

Amount Per Serving %DV
Serving Size 307g
Recipe makes 7 servings
Calories 555  
Calories from Fat 211 38%
Total Fat 23.49g 29%
Saturated Fat 8.13g 33%
Trans Fat 0.0g  
Cholesterol 85mg 28%
Sodium 864mg 36%
Potassium 823mg 24%
Total Carbs 62.75g 17%
Dietary Fiber 3.9g 13%
Sugars 12.44g 8%
Protein 25.46g 41%
How good does this recipe look to you?
Click to rate it:
x

Link to Recipe

Embed Recipe 400px wide (preview)

Embed Recipe 300px wide (preview)

Advertisement
Advertisement

Reviews

  • myra byanka
    I generally can live without whole wheat spaghetti pasta, but this recipe is a must try.
    • Frosted Flaker
      I tried this and indeed the bacon gives the meatballs a nice alternative tasty flavor. If this recipe sounds good to you, give it a try !
      I've cooked/tasted this recipe!

      Comments

      • ShaleeDP
        April 3, 2013
        This looks nice. I enjoy pasta so much that i have to find different ways to taste them :)
        • Bobby Lovera
          February 20, 2013
          I love whole wheat pasta...and bacon. A touch of Cumin will add a little complexity to the premade sauce. You know what you're doing! :)
          Must try soon!
          • Salad Foodie
            February 20, 2013
            MYRA: Several years ago I didn't like the texture of WW spaghetti noodles, they seemed gummy. But the ones I buy today are vastly improved. I am changing the ingredients to reflect that regular spaghetti is fine too. Thanks for your review and comments pointing that out.

            Leave a review or comment