Mushroom Meatball Pasta

Overhead view of a bowl of long spiral pasta and pork meatballs in creamy mushroom sauce, topped with parsley.

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Juicy soy-seasoned pork meatballs finished in a creamy mushroom sauce, with the pasta cooked right in the stock so there's only one pan to wash.

Prep Time15

Cook Time25

Total Time40

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: Fusion, Italian

Servings:

Calories: 811kcal

Author: Emily Roz

Ingredients

For the meatballs

14 oz ground pork (400g)
½ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped (15g)
2 garlic cloves grated
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 cup panko breadcrumbs (50g)
Flaky salt and black pepper to taste

For the sauce and pasta

Vegetable oil for frying
2 garlic cloves finely chopped
2 shallots finely chopped
4 oz mushrooms (120g) torn
½ teaspoon paprika
Salt and black pepper to taste
3.5 oz cream cheese (100g)
14 oz pasta (400g) I used fusilli bucatini
3 ⅓ cups vegetable stock (800ml)

To serve

Grated parmesan
Fresh parsley roughly chopped

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine the ground pork, parsley, grated garlic, soy sauce and panko. Season with black pepper. Stir gently until just combined, then wet your hands and roll the mixture into 16 meatballs (or 20 smaller ones). Set aside on a plate.
Heat a drizzle of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the meatballs and fry without moving them for 2 to 3 minutes, until golden underneath. Turn to color each side; they should still be raw in the middle (we'll finish off cooking them in a few minutes) . Remove to a plate.
In the same pan, add the chopped garlic, shallots and mushrooms. Season with salt, paprika and black pepper, and fry for a few minutes until softened and aromatic.
Stir in the cream cheese until it coats the mushrooms. Add the pasta, then pour in enough vegetable stock that the pasta is just poking out of the top.
Note: I'd highly recommend starting out with a smaller amount of stock, and adding more in as you need i.e. start by adding in around 2.5 cups (600ml) and then add more gradually as the sauce thickens and the pasta cooks.
Simmer according to the package directions (around 9 to 12 minutes), stirring frequently so the pasta doesn't stick to the pan.
When the pasta has about 5 minutes left, return the meatballs to the pan. Simmer until the pasta is al dente and the meatballs are cooked through, with no pink in the center (160°F, 71°C).
Note: we don't want overcooked meatballs. So if you've made slightly smaller meatballs, add them in when you've only got around 3 minutes left on your pasta.
Taste the sauce and season accordingly with salt and pepper. Top with grated parmesan and roughly chopped parsley, and serve. Enjoy, my friends!!

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 for more!

Storage: place any leftovers in airtight containers and into the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, place in the microwave lid ajar, with a splash of milk or water to loosen up the pasta.

Nutrition