When it comes to comfort food, spaghetti & meatballs hold a special place in our hearts. It’s a classic dish that you have probably had a million versions of at home and in restaurants since childhood. This version is NOT that. Sure, there’s pasta, meatballs, and sauce, but I don’t think you’ve had this version before. This is Not Your Nonna’s Spaghetti & Meatballs. The meatballs are stirred into a vodka sauce that’s a little creamy and has a nice kick from Calabrian Chili Paste. I used a shape of pasta called fusilli col buco which is FAR more fun to look at and to eat than regular spaghetti! Let me show you how to make the recipe.
Inspiration for this recipe
Funny enough, I thought of this recipe because I had 25 extra meatballs in my fridge from my Italian Wedding Soup recipe I had made earlier in the week. Vodka sauce is my favorite sauce and I happened to have all the ingredients to create a fun and delicious version! I tossed together fusilli col buco, the vodka sauce, and the leftover meatballs for an absolutely amazing dinner. I highly recommend doubling up on the meatballs if you’re going through the trouble of making them because then you have an excuse to eat some delicious pasta AND have Italian Wedding Soup in the same week!
Ingredients for Not Your Nonna’s Spaghetti & Meatballs
Meatballs
- 1/4 lb Ground Hot Italian Pork Sausage can also use regular ground pork or mild Italian pork sausage
- 1/4 lb Ground Beef I used 90% lean
- 3 tbsp Italian Breadcrumbs
- 1/2 Egg beaten
- 2 tbsp Parmesan Cheese freshly grated; additional to serve
- 2 cloves Garlic minced
- 2 tbsp Fresh Parsley chopped
- 2 tsp Chives chopped; additional to serve
- 1/8 tsp Dried Sage
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
Vodka Sauce
- 8 oz Pasta I used fusilli col buco but a long shape liked spaghetti or linguine will work as well
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 Yellow Onion medium; thinly sliced
- 1/2 tsp Salt divided; more to taste
- 3 cloves Garlic minced
- 1 tsp Calabrian Chili Paste add more or less based on spice preference
- 2 tbsp Tomato Paste
- 1/4 cup Vodka
- 28 oz Crushed Tomatoes I used 1 can of fire-roasted tomatoes
- 1/4 tsp Granulated Sugar
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
- 1/3 cup Heavy Cream
- 1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese freshly grated; to serve
Recipe Instructions
Meatballs
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare baking sheet. Line sheet with aluminum foil and place oven-proof wire rack over top. Spray with non-stick cooking spray.
- Add all meatball ingredients to a large bowl. Gently mix with your hands until combined. Roll into about 3/4 inch meatballs. You should have about 25 meatballs. *See Note
- Bake for about 15 minutes until lightly browned and cooked through. Set aside for later.
Vodka Sauce
- Cook pasta to al dente according to package instructions in salted water. Reserve about 1/2 a cup of pasta water. Set aside the pasta and pasta water for later.
- Meanwhile, heat olive oil in an high-rimmed sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and 1/4 tsp salt and stir to combine. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the minced garlic and cook another minute, stirring often.
- Add the Calabrian chili paste and tomato paste. Stir to combine. Cook for 4 minutes until the paste darkens in color.
- Pour in the vodka to deglaze the pan. Scrape any stuck bits off the bottom with a wooden spoon. Let the liquid cook off for a couple minutes.
- Pour in the can of crushed tomatoes then add the sugar, another 1/4 tsp salt, and pepper. Simmer for a few minutes. Turn off the heat and pour in the heavy cream. Stir until completely combined. Simmer for 5 minutes over medium-low heat.
- Turn heat to low and stir in the heavy cream until well combined. Stir in the cooked meatballs. Add the cooked pasta and toss everything together well. Add splashes of pasta water as needed to reach your desired consistency.
- Divide among bowls to serve and top with freshly grated parmesan cheese and sliced chives as desired.
Did you try this recipe for Not Your Nonna’s Spaghetti & Meatballs? Leave a Review!
This dish pays homage to the classic spaghetti & meatballs we all know and love, but really kicks it up! The spice and creaminess adds additional layers to an already great dish.
If you try this recipe, feel free to rate/leave a review. You can also tag me on Instagram or TikTok!
Not Your Nonna’s Spaghetti & Meatballs
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1/4 lb Ground Hot Italian Pork Sausage can also use regular ground pork or mild Italian pork sausage
- 1/4 lb Ground Beef I used 90% lean
- 3 tbsp Italian Breadcrumbs
- 1/2 Egg beaten
- 2 tbsp Parmesan Cheese freshly grated; additional to serve
- 2 cloves Garlic minced
- 2 tbsp Fresh Parsley chopped
- 2 tsp Chives chopped; additional to serve
- 1/8 tsp Dried Sage
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
Vodka Sauce
- 8 oz Pasta I used fusilli col buco but a long shape liked spaghetti or linguine will work as well
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 Yellow Onion medium; thinly sliced
- 1/2 tsp Salt divided; more to taste
- 3 cloves Garlic minced
- 1 tsp Calabrian Chili Paste add more or less based on spice preference
- 2 tbsp Tomato Paste
- 1/4 cup Vodka
- 28 oz Crushed Tomatoes I used 1 can of fire-roasted tomatoes
- 1/4 tsp Granulated Sugar
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
- 1/3 cup Heavy Cream
- 1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese freshly grated; to serve
Instructions
Meatballs
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare baking sheet. Line sheet with aluminum foil and place oven-proof wire rack over top. Spray with non-stick cooking spray.
- Add all meatball ingredients to a large bowl. Gently mix with your hands until combined. Roll into about 3/4 inch meatballs. You should have about 25 meatballs. *See Note
- Bake for about 15 minutes until lightly browned and cooked through. Set aside for later.
Vodka Sauce
- Cook pasta to al dente according to package instructions in salted water. Reserve about 1/2 a cup of pasta water. Set aside the pasta and pasta water for later.
- Meanwhile, heat olive oil in an high-rimmed sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and 1/4 tsp salt and stir to combine. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the minced garlic and cook another minute, stirring often.
- Add the Calabrian chili paste and tomato paste. Stir to combine. Cook for 4 minutes until the paste darkens in color.
- Pour in the vodka to deglaze the pan. Scrape any stuck bits off the bottom with a wooden spoon. Let the liquid cook off for a couple minutes.
- Pour in the can of crushed tomatoes then add the sugar, another 1/4 tsp salt, and pepper. Simmer for a few minutes. Turn off the heat and pour in the heavy cream. Stir until completely combined. Simmer for 5 minutes over medium-low heat.
- Turn heat to low and stir in the heavy cream until well combined. Stir in the cooked meatballs. Add the cooked pasta and toss everything together well. Add splashes of pasta water as needed to reach your desired consistency.
- Divide among bowls to serve and top with freshly grated parmesan cheese and sliced chives as desired.
Video
@carolbeecooks Used the leftover meatballs from my Italian Wedding Soup to make a spicy vodka sauce version of spaghetti and meatballs. My favorite sauce ever ❤️🔥 #spaghettiandmeatballs #pastatiktok #leftoverideas #vodkasauce
♬ original sound – taylor roche
