This Creamy Pasta with Spicy Mini Meatballs combines two of my favorite things, mini meatballs and one pot pasta dishes. I love how incredibly creamy one pot pasta dishes are thanks to the starches released by the pasta as it cooks. This is such a delicious dish that my whole family loved. The mini meatballs are made with hot Italian sausage so they have a real kick of flavor (but you could swap them for mild sausage to make them more kid friendly) and they are pan seared so they get a really nice golden crust on them. You could alternatively bake the meatballs which might save a few minutes of time but I find you don’t get that nice golden color doing that. The pasta is cooked in milk and broth which results in tender pasta and an incredibly creamy sauce which balances out well with the spicy meatballs. This is a comforting meal that will be a big hit in your house.
Why You Will Love This
- This is pure comfort food at its best, creamy, rich and so delicious.
- The creamy sauce helps to balance out the spiciness of the meatballs, it’s a delicious combination.
- This is a one pot meal which means less dishes to wash
- This pasta is incredibly versatile and can easily be made dairy free
Ingredients You Will Need
- Spicy Italian Sausage: Feel free to buy sausage links and remove it from its casings or a package of sausage meat
- Egg: Used as a binder to help hold the meatballs together. You can omit or use an egg replacer.
- Aromatics: Fresh garlic clove, finely minced, and yellow onion are my favorite must-do combo.
- Breadcrumbs: Use regular or Italian breadcrumbs or panko breadcrumbs.
- Olive Oil: Gives a deep, rich flavor in the sautéing process. You can also use avocado oil.
- Italian Seasoning: Use a pre-made mix or mix together your favorite Italian spices.
- Tomato Paste: Gives a delicious, tangy, bold flavor to the sauce.
- Penne Pasta: Penne is my favorite for this recipe, but any short pasta will work. See below for suggestions.
- Dairy: A combination of whole milk and heavy cream gives the ultimate creamy sauce. Use a bit of grated Parmesan cheese as a garnish.
- Chicken Stock: Adds flavor, protein, and nutrition to the sauce to balance out the creaminess.
Kitchen Tools You Will Need
- Large Bowl
- Cookie scoop or spoon
- Large pot or high-sided large skillet
- Cutting Board
- Sharp Knife
- Wooden Spoon
Tips For the Best Creamy Pasta with SPicy Meatballs
- A small cookie scoop makes this quick and ensures your meatballs cook evenly.
- Make sure that the meatballs get a nice golden brown crust on them for maximum flavor
- You may need to add more milk or chicken stock if the pasta is undercooked
How to Make Creamy Pasta with Spicy Mini Meatballs
- In a bowl, combine the meatball ingredients and use your hands to ensure the mixture is well combined. Roll the meat into mini meatballs and transfer to a plate.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot on medium-high heat and add half of the meatballs. Cook them until golden brown, and then set aside on a plate and repeat with the other half. Don’t worry about cooking through.
- Add the aromatics to the pot, sprinkle with salt, and sauté until the onion begins to soften. Add the Italian seasoning and tomato paste and stir to coat the onions. Add the pasta, milk, and chicken stock, then bring to a simmer. Lower the heat to medium until the liquid has reduced and thickened. The pasta should be al dente.
- Add the heavy cream and return the meatballs to the pasta. Stir and leave to cook until the sauce is thickened and the pasta is cooked.
- Garnish with Parmesan and enjoy!
Ways to Modify
- Use ground beef or ground pork and add a pinch of red chili flakes to make it spicy, or leave it out for mild.
- To make this dish more kid friendly use mild Italian sausage instead of hot so it’s not spicy
- Use any kind of short pasta like rotini, ziti, rigatoni, or ditalini.
Dietary Customizations
- Dairy-Free: Use coconut cream and coconut milk as a combo, or use almond milk or cashew milk.
- Egg-Free: Use an egg replacer like Bob’s Mill Egg Replacer.
Common Questions
The spice level is easy to adjust simply by using a mild sausage. There are tons of delicious options out there.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a splash of broth or cream to bring the sauce back to life.
I would recommend preparing and shaping the meatballs up to a day ahead and refrigerating them until you’re ready to cook, and then cooking the pasta right before you’re going to serve it so it’s rich and creamy and fresh.
More Meatball Recipes You’ll Love
If you make this Creamy Pasta with Spicy Mini Meatballs, let me know in the comment section below. I would love to hear what you think, or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram. I love seeing your photos!
Creamy Pasta with Spicy Mini Meatballs
Ingredients
Spicy Mini Meatballs
- 1 pound Hot Italian Sausage meat removed from casings
- 1 egg
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ⅓ cup breadcrumbs
- ½ tsp salt
Creamy Pasta
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp Italian seasoning
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 8 oz penne pasta or other pasta of choice
- 1 ½ cups milk
- 2 cups chicken stock
- ½ cup heavy cream or dairy free creamer of choice
- Grated parmesan cheese for garnish
Instructions
- In a bowl combine the sausage meat, egg, garlic, breadcrumbs and salt and use your hands to ensure the mixture is well combined. Roll the meat into mini meatballs approximately 1 inch in diameter (a heaping teaspoon of mixture), transfer to a plate.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot on medium high heat. Once hot add half of the meatballs and cook them for approximately 1 minute per side until golden brown and then seat aside on a plate and repeat with the other half (the meatballs likely won’t be cooked through which is ok)
- Add the onion and garlic to the pot, sprinkle with salt and saute for 3 to 4 minutes until the onion begins to soften. Add the italian seasoning and tomato paste and stir to coat the onions. Add in the pasta along with the milk and chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Lower the heat to medium and leave to cook for approximately 10 minutes until the liquid has reduced and thickened. The pasta should be al dente.
- Add in the heavy cream and stir before returning the meatballs to the pasta. Stir and leave to cook another 2 to 3 minutes until the sauce is thickened and the pasta is cooked (if the pasta isn’t fully cooked add a splash more milk). Serve garnished with grated parmesan.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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