One Pot Healthier Spaghetti and Meatballs: Tender chicken meatballs are simmered in a super easy tomato sauce, and then cooked with whole-wheat spaghetti. The perfect weeknight dinner.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Keyword spaghetti and meatballs, chicken meatballs
1/3cupshredded zucchini, squeezed of all excess moisture
2largegarlic cloves , grated
1/4cuppanko breadcrumbs
1largeegg
1/2tspItalian seasoning
1/4cupgrated Parmigiano-Reggiano (KEEP THE PARMESAN CHEESE RIND!)
1tspsalt
Sauce + Other Ingredients
1 tbsp + 2 tspolive oil, divided
1/2cupdiced onion
2largegarlic cloves, minced
2tbsptomato paste
1/2cupred wine
28oz can crushed tomatoes
1tspsugar
1tspsalt
1 1/2tspItalian seasoning
3/4cupwater
1Parmigiano-Reggiano rind
1/3lbTHIN whole-wheat spaghetti
Instructions
Add ground chicken, grated onion, carrot, zucchini, garlic, breadcrumbs, egg, 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning, parmesan, and 1 teaspoon salt to a medium bowl. Use hands to mix ingredients together, just until combined. Do not over mix! Use a small ice cream scoop to form into 30 meatballs. Yes, 30!
Heat a large skillet to a medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, Once the oil is hot, add meatballs. Cook until brown on all sides, do not worry about cooking them all the way through.
Once the meatballs are brown, remove from pan and set aside. Add remaining olive oil to the pan, followed by onion. Saute for 2-3 minutes until softened. Add garlic, cook 1 minute more. Add red wine. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up all the bits of meatball left on the bottom. Simmer wine until reduce by half, about 1-2 minutes. Whisk in tomato paste. Cook 1 minute. Whisk in canned tomatoes, sugar, salt, Italian seasoning and water. Add parmesan cheese rind. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Break spaghetti into thirds. Add pasta to sauce. Use tongs to toss. Make sure all of the noodles are under sauce. Nestle meatballs in sauce and on top of pasta. Bring mixture to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, remove lid and toss noodles in sauce. Cover and continue to simmer for another 5-10 minutes or until spaghetti is aldente. Use tongs to toss pasta in sauce one more time. Remove parmesan cheese rind. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Garnish with chopped parsley and grated parmesan cheese.