Creamy Pesto Pasta and Meatballs
This Creamy Pesto Pasta and Meatballs dish is one of my favorite meals to make.
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 1045kcal
Equipment
- 1 food processor
Ingredients
For the meatballs
- 250 g ground pork
- 250 g ground beef
- 60 g breadcrumbs
- 1 egg or 1 tablespoon olive oil
Homemade pesto
- 40 g basil
- 30 g pine nuts you can toast these for a deeper flavor
- 40 g parmesan grated (plus extra for garnish)
- 100 ml olive oil
- 1 garlic clove
Other ingredients needed
- 300 g spaghetti cooked to packet instructions - make sure to keep that pasta water once cooked!
- 100 ml cream single or light cream
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the ground pork, ground beef, breadcrumbs, egg (or olive oil), a large pinch of sea salt, and grinding of black pepper. Gently mix the ingredients until combined (don't overwork the meat!). Once combined, form into golf-sized meatballs. You should be able to make 16-18 meatballs. Set aside.
- Place a large non-stick skillet on medium heat and drizzle with ½ tablespoon olive oil. Once hot, add in your meatballs and leave to fry on one side for 3 minutes, then fry on each side for 3 minutes - a total of 12 minutes. The meatballs should be golden brown and cooked all the way through. Remove from the pan once cooked and set aside - keep the pan (we'll use this to combine everything later).
- Begin cooking your pasta to packet instructions in salted boiling water! Make sure to keep the pasta water.
- Meanwhile, prepare your pesto. To a food processor, add all of your pesto ingredients and season with salt and pepper. Blend until your desired consistency. I personally like mine smooth with little chunks.
- Place the pesto, cream, and pasta water back into your pan. Stir to combine and place on low heat.
- Once the sauce is warmed through, add in the cooked pasta and meatballs. Stir to combine.
- Divide your spaghetti, creamy pesto sauce and meatballs between 4 bowls. Top with extra grated parmesan, and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Step-by-Step Photos: My blog post includes helpful step-by-step photos to help guide you through making this recipe so scroll up this page to find them!
Storage: Place any leftovers in airtight containers and place in the fridge for up to 3 days. It's great for meal-prep or packed lunches! When reheating, add a splash of milk into the container and microwave until piping hot.
Nutrition
Calories: 1045kcal | Carbohydrates: 69g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 67g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 33g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 165mg | Sodium: 377mg | Potassium: 671mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 927IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 226mg | Iron: 5mg