One-Pan Hands-Off Spaghetti and Meatballs

Name: One-Pan Hands-Off Spaghetti and Meatballs
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 12 ounces spaghetti, broken in half; 1 (24-ounce) jar marinara sauce; 2 cups water, plus extra hot water as needed; 1 pound 90 percent lean ground beef; ¾ cup panko bread crumbs; ⅓ cup prepared basil pesto; Salt and pepper; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil; Grated Parmesan cheese

Total: 1 hr 15 min
Makes: 4 servings

Serves

One-Pan Hands-Off Spaghetti and Meatballs

12 ounces spaghetti, broken in half	Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 475 degrees. Spray 13 by 9-inch baking dish with vegetable oil spray. Spread pasta into prepared dish. Pour marinara sauce and water over pasta and toss gently with tongs to coat.	Using hands, combine beef, panko, pesto, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in bowl until well combined. Pinch off and roll mixture into 1½-inch meatballs (about 15 meatballs). Place meatballs on top of pasta in dish. Cover dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake30 min	Remove dish from oven and stir pasta thoroughly, scraping sides and bottom of dish. Return uncovered dish to oven and continue to bake until pasta is tender and sauce is thickened5–8 min	Remove dish from oven. Toss to coat pasta and meatballs with sauce, adjusting sauce consistency with extra hot water as needed. Let cool10 min · Season with salt and pepper to taste, sprinkle with basil, and serve with Parmesan.
1 (24-ounce) jar marinara sauce
2 cups water, plus extra hot water as needed
1 pound 90 percent lean ground beef
¾ cup panko bread crumbs
⅓ cup prepared basil pesto
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Grated Parmesan cheese

Ingredients

12 ounces spaghetti, broken in half
1 (24-ounce) jar marinara sauce
2 cups water, plus extra hot water as needed
1 pound 90 percent lean ground beef
¾ cup panko bread crumbs
⅓ cup prepared basil pesto
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Grated Parmesan cheese

Steps

1Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 475 degrees. Spray 13 by 9-inch baking dish with vegetable oil spray. Spread pasta into prepared dish. Pour marinara sauce and water over pasta and toss gently with tongs to coat.
2Using hands, combine beef, panko, pesto, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in bowl until well combined. Pinch off and roll mixture into 1½-inch meatballs (about 15 meatballs). Place meatballs on top of pasta in dish. Cover dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.
3Remove dish from oven and stir pasta thoroughly, scraping sides and bottom of dish. Return uncovered dish to oven and continue to bake until pasta is tender and sauce is thickened, 5 to 8 minutes.
4Remove dish from oven. Toss to coat pasta and meatballs with sauce, adjusting sauce consistency with extra hot water as needed. Let cool for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste, sprinkle with basil, and serve with Parmesan.