If you're looking for an easy, family-friendly dinner that's packed with flavor, this mini meatball pasta recipe is exactly what you need. Tender homemade meatballs simmer together with pasta in a rich, creamy tomato sauce for a comforting one-pan meal that's perfect for busy weeknights.
Quick Look: Mini Meatball Pasta
- ⏱ Prep Time:10 minutes
- 🔥 Cook Time: 30 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 40 minutes
- 🍲 Servings: 6 Bowls
- ⚡ Calories: 633 calories per serving
- 🍂 Flavor Profile: Meaty and creamy, with classic Italian flavor and rich sauce.
- 👌 Difficulty: Easy - A one-pan meal ready in about 40 minutes!
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This mini meatball pasta recipe cooks quickly, soaks up all the delicious Italian-inspired flavors, and pairs perfectly with your favorite pasta. They're the perfect meal with sides like green beans with bacon and onions or arugula salad with pistachios and gluten free Italian rainbow cookies for dessert.
If you love easy, creamy pasta dishes like this one, be sure to try my sour cream pasta with chicken, creamy bolognese, and bacon smoked mac and cheese.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Quick & Easy: A one pot dinner ready in about 40 minutes.
- Rich and Creamy: A rich sauce made with red sauce, cream, and cheese.
- Great for Meal Prep: Reheats well, making it perfect for make-ahead meals.
- High-Protein: Made with ground beef, this is a high-protein meal.
- Versatile: Perfect for dinner or parties.
- Kid-Approved: Even the pickiest eaters love this dish.
Key Ingredients
See the recipe card at the end of the post for a full list of ingredients and their exact quantities.
- Ground Beef: Makes tender, flavorful meatballs that turn this into a hearty, satisfying meal.
- Breadcrumbs & Egg: Essential for holding the meatballs together while keeping them tender and juicy.
- Pasta Sauce & Heavy Cream: Create a sauce with a classic base flavor and a rich, creamy texture that coats every bite of pasta and meatballs.
- Chicken Broth: Helps cook the pasta right in the pan while adding extra flavor to the sauce.
- Parmesan & Mozzarella: Parmesan adds a salty, nutty flavor, while mozzarella melts into the sauce for extra creaminess.
- Seasoning: A blend of Italian seasoning, garlic powder, paprika, black pepper, and basil brings classic Italian-inspired flavor with a hint of smokiness that ties everything together.
Variations
- Ground Meat Options: You can use ground turkey, chicken, or pork for the meatballs.
- Store-bought Meatballs: If you're short on time, they're a great shortcut.
- Change the Meatballs: Try diced grilled chicken tenderloins or New York strip steak.
- Make It Spicy: Add crushed red pepper flakes for a bit of heat.
- Change the Cheese: Use provolone or Italian cheese blend in place of mozzarella.
- Mini Meatball Florentine: Add fresh spinach during the last few minutes of+
- cooking.
- Swap the Pasta: Any kind of shell or short, textured pasta will work.
- Dairy Free Version: Use plant-based cream and cheeses.
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"I LOVE that this is all in one pan. It's so good, and cleanup was super easy."
- Cathy
How to Make Mini Meatball Pasta
Step 1: Mix the meatball ingredients in a large bowl until fully combined. Then, roll the mixture into mini meatballs.
Step 2: Brown the meatballs on all sides in a deep skillet or a Dutch oven.
Step 3: Add the chicken broth and pasta and stir gently. Cover and cook for about 2 minutes less than the package states for al dente.
Step 4: Reduce the heat to low and stir in the pasta sauce and seasonings. Simmer until fragrant. Then, add the cream and cheese and cook until melted and thickened. Garnish with chopped basil or parsley and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Don't Overmix: Overmixing meat causes the proteins to contract too much while cooking, squeezing out the juices and creating tough meatballs.
- Only Brown the Meatballs: Cook the meatballs in the skillet just until browned. They'll continue cooking along with the pasta.
- Don't Overcook the Pasta: Stop cooking the pasta 2 minutes shy of what the box calls for for al dente. The pasta will continue cooking along with the rest of the dish.
- Gently Stir: Gently stir the dish occasionally as it cooks to prevent the noodles from sticking together.
- Don't Boil the Cream: Never allow cream-based sauce to come to a boil. It will curdle and ruin the dish.
Mini Meatball Pasta FAQs
Mini meatballs are bite-sized meatballs made from seasoned ground meat. Their smaller size allows them to cook quickly and makes them perfect for pasta dishes, soups, appetizers, and party platters.
Yes! You can prepare and shape meatballs up to 24 hours in advance. Store them covered in the refrigerator until you're ready to cook.
An 80/20 ground beef is the best ground meat for meatballs. Its lean meat-to-fat ratio ensures moist, tender meatballs with tons of flavor.
Standard meatballs should be about 1 inch in diameter. Mini meatballs should be about ½-inch for easy eating.
Tough meatballs are usually caused by overmixing the meat mixture or overcooking them. Mix the ingredients just until combined and let the meatballs finish cooking gently in the sauce.
The egg and breadcrumbs help bind the mixture together. Chilling the shaped meatballs for 15 to 20 minutes before cooking can also help them hold their shape.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Absolutely. Freeze the meatballs either raw or fully cooked for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or cook from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the cooking time.
Freezing this recipe is not recommended. Sauces containing cream generally separate when defrosted.
Reheat the dish gently over medium-low heat in a saucepan until heated through.
📖 Recipe
Mini Meatball Pasta
Video
Ingredients
Mini Meatballs
- 1 lb ground beef
- ¾ tablespoon Italian seasoning
- ¾ tablespoon paprika
- 2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup gluten free breadcrumbs
- 1 egg large
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
Pasta Sauce
- 12 oz gluten free shells
- 24 oz pasta sauce
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese
- ⅓ cup mozzarella cheese
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp basil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Fresh basil or parsley for topping
Instructions
Meatballs
- Combine the ground beef, meatball seasonings, egg, and breadcrumbs. Mix until well combined, being careful not to overwork the meat.
- Roll the mixture into small meatballs.
- Brown the meatballs on all sides in oil over medium heat. Do not cook them through.
Pasta Sauce
- Add the chicken stock and pasta to the pan, cover, and boil for 2 minutes less than the package instructions for al dente.
- Reduce the heat to low and stir in the pasta sauce and pasta seasonings. Cook for 1 minute.
- Add the heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, and mozzarella cheese. Stir until creamy. Then, simmer for 1 to 2 minutes until thickened.
- Top with fresh parsley or basil and enjoy!
Notes
- Overmixing meat causes the proteins to contract too much while cooking, squeezing out the juices and creating tough meatballs.
- Cook the meatballs in the skillet just until browned. They'll continue cooking along with the pasta.
- Stop cooking the pasta 2 minutes shy of what the box calls for for al dente. The pasta will continue cooking along with the rest of the dish.
- Gently stir the dish occasionally as it cooks to prevent the noodles from sticking together.
- Never allow cream-based sauce to come to a boil. It will curdle and ruin the dish.
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