Mini Meatball Penne Recipes

PENNE WITH VODKA SAUCE AND MINI MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, then drain.
• Meanwhile, mix the beef, 1/4 cup parmesan, the breadcrumbs, egg, 1/2 cup basil, the minced garlic and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl with your hands until just combined. Form into 3/4-inch meatballs (about 20). Grate the tomatoes into a medium bowl; discard the skins.
• Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil, then the meatballs. Cook, turning, until browned on all sides, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the sliced garlic and cook until just golden, about 1 minute. Gradually add the vodka, then the grated tomatoes and cream. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce thickens and the meatballs are cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper.
• Add the pasta and the remaining 1/4 cup basil to the skillet; toss, adding the reserved cooking water as needed to loosen. Remove from the heat and add the remaining 1/2 cup parmesan; toss.

MINI MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a large bowl or mixer, thoroughly mix the beef, pork, breadcrumbs, milk, parsley, eggs, garlic, onion and some salt and pepper. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
• Shape into meatballs and place on a foil-lined shallow baking pan. Bake 30 minutes for medium or 25 minutes for bite-size. Stick toothpicks in the finished meatballs to serve as an appetizer.

MINI MEATBALL SUBS

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Combine ground beef, onion, green pepper, crackers, and egg in a large bowl. Season with Worcestershire sauce, garlic, seasoned salt, and pepper; mix well. Form mixture into 8 meatballs. Place meatballs in a 9x13 inch baking dish.
• Bake meatballs in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Pour the spaghetti sauce into a large saucepan; bring to a simmer over low heat. Stir baked meatballs into the simmering sauce. Do not turn oven off. Simmer sauce until meatballs are fully cooked, about 20 minutes.
• Place one meatball, a sprinkle of mozzarella, a sprinkle of Parmesan, and a bit of sauce between each roll. Place sandwiches in hot oven; bake until cheeses melt, about 7 minutes.

MINI MEATBALLS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine beef, bacon, parsley, garlic, Parmesan, breadcrumbs, egg, nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Shape mixture into 40 meatballs.
• Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet or on 2 large plates. Freeze 1 hour. Once frozen, transfer to an airtight container or resealable plastic bag; label and date.
• To use the meatballs straight from the freezer, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place meatballs on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until cooked through, about 15 minutes.

MINI MEATBALL PENNE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 190C/170C Fan/Gas 5. Grease an ovenproof dish and a sheet of foil large enough to cover it. Cook the pasta for 2 minutes less than instructed. Drain.
• Cook the onion in the oil until soft. Add the garlic and mushrooms. Cook until the juice runs out of the mushrooms. Increase the heat and continue to cook until most of the juices have evaporated. Add the passata and 1 1/2tsp of the oregano. Simmer, covered for 5 minutes. Set aside.
• Mix the mince with a third of the breadcrumbs, the tomato ketchup, and the rest of the oregano. Shape into 12 mini meatballs. Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook until brown on all sides.
• Add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the pasta.
• Turn into the ovenproof dish. Cover with the foil and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the foil and sprinkle on the rest of the breadcrumbs and the mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake for another 10 minutes.

CHICKEN MEATBALL PENNE

Steps:

• Cook pasta in a large pan of boiling, salted water until tender; drain; cover to keep warm.
• To make the meatballs, combine the chicken, garlic, fresh breadcrumbs, chives, basil, parmesan and egg in a bowl, season to taste with salt and pepper, mix well and with floured hands, and shape the mixture into 12-16 meatballs, depending on the size of meatball you fancy.
• Place the meatballs on a tray, cover loosely and chill for 30 minutes.
• Heat the butter in a non-stick pan, over a medium heat, and sauté the meatballs, turning occasionally, for 6-8 minutes, or until they are lightly golden-brown all over and fully cooked; remove from the pan and cover to keep the meatballs to keep them warm.
• Heat the oil in the pan, add the onion, garlic and carrot, and sauté until they have softened; add the milk and peas and bring to the boil; add the pasta; season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper; and cook until the pasta is hot.
• Serve the pasta topped with the meatballs; sprinkle with the crumbled feta and garnish with sage.
• To freeze: Make the recipe to the end of step 5. Divide the mixture among four ovenproof, freezer-proof (2-cup capacity) dishes; top with the meatballs and sprinkle with feta; cover tightly with plastic wrap; label and date and freeze for up to 2 months.
• To serve: Thaw pasta in dishes in the refrigerator; remove the plastic wrap; place on an oven tray; cook in a hot oven (200°C) for about 45 minutes, or until hot, and garnish with sage.

PENNE AND MEATBALLS ALL'ARRABBIATA

Steps:

• Mix beef, panko, 1/4 cup parsley, egg white, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl until combined. Form mixture into 12 meatballs.
• Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet; pan-fry meatballs in hot oil until browned on all sides, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove meatballs from heat.
• Heat olive oil in a 6-quart Dutch oven or a large skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir mushrooms in hot oil until tender, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and add garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook and stir until garlic is golden, about 5 minutes more. Stir canned and fresh tomatoes into mushrooms and season with salt.
• Drop meatballs into tomato sauce and stir in sugar; bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered until sauce is reduced and meatballs are no longer pink in the center, about 45 minutes.
• Meanwhile, fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a boil. Stir in penne and return to a boil. Cook pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until cooked through but still firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain pasta.
• Stir penne pasta into meatball sauce; toss to coat. Stir pasta water into mixture if sauce becomes too dry. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup parsley to serve.

MINIATURE MEATBALL PANINI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• In a food processor or blender, process the ends of the loaf of bread to fine breadcrumbs, about 1/2 cup. Set the remaining bread aside.
• In a large bowl, combine the olive oil, meat, egg, cheeses, parsley, garlic, oregano, thyme, salt, pepper, and breadcrumbs. Mix with your hands to combine well.
• Roll the meat mixture into 1-inch balls and reserve on a baking sheet. Lay 2 slices of bread on work surface. Butter one side of each piece. Place 4 meatballs on the buttered surface of the slice of bread. Top with a second slice of bread, buttered side down, and press firmly to adhere. Use a serrated knife to cut the crusts from the bread. Bake the crusts separately for a "chef's treat." Repeat with the remaining meatballs and bread. This process can be done assembly-line style, lining up slices of buttered bread and assembling a number at a time. Prepare 2 baking sheets at a time if possible.
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Repeat, if necessary, until all sandwiches are cooked. Remove from the pan and cool. Serve slightly warm.

CROCK POT MEATBALLS & PENNE IN RED SAUCE

Steps:

• For Meatballs-Mix all meatball ingredients together, make into tsp size balls, and place on cookie sheet.
• Bake at 350F for 25 minutes or until cooked and drain.
• Put all sauce ingredients and meatballs in the crock pot and mix together.
• Cook on low for 4-5 hours or until noodles are tender.
• Enjoy!