I’m not being dramatic, but there is something special about this classic combination of spaghetti and meatballs. First of all, the flavors are spot on, the whole family will love it. Secondly, its quick to prepare and comes together in few simple steps.

The recipe needs minimal spices. For the marinara sauce you can use either homemade or store-bought, which will form the base of your dish. When it comes to meatballs, frozen ones will do the job but I highly recommend my favorite meatball recipe; trust me, it’s Ah-mazing.. juicy, and full of flavor! Once your marinara sauce and meatballs are ready, then the rest of the dish will need no more than 15 minutes. Just cook up some spaghetti, simmer the meatballs in the marinara sauce with spices, and toss them all together with parmesan cheese to finish it off.

You can store leftovers in an airtight container and it reheats very well.

Healthy Alternative?

If you are looking for a healthy low carb alternative, this recipe works perfectly with Zucchini noodles / zoodles.  You can cook zoodles into the pasta sauce, cook for 2-4 minutes until they are soft, and top with meatballs and parmesan cheese.

Interested in other pasta and protein recipes? Check these out:

• Chicken pasta with White Sauce
• Baked Wheat Pasta with Mushrooms, Broccoli and Bell Peppers
• Shrimp Fettucine Alfredo
• Spaghetti with Garlic, Mushroom and Peas
• Baked Beef Meatballs
• Baked Chicken Meatballs
• Baked Mushroom Chicken

Happy Cooking…!

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Spaghetti and Meatballs

Searching for an easymeal on busy weeknights? So delicious that the whole family devours it in minutes?Look no further, this Spaghetti and Meatballs is definitely a win! 

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 5

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 25-30 small meatballs (frozen or prepared ahead)
• 16 oz. spaghetti
• 32 oz. marinara sauce (homemade or store-bought)
• 2 tsp oregano (optional)
• 1 tsp chili flakes (optional)
• Salt and pepper (as needed)
• Parmesan cheese (as needed)
• A small handful of parsley (chopped, garnish)

Instructions

• Cook spaghetti according to the package instructions until al dente.
• Drain and transfer to a large skillet on medium heat, along with marinara sauce and meatballs. Toss them together to combine.
• You can optionally add extra oregano, chili flakes, salt and pepper for more flavor (if you prefer) while combining spaghetti and meatballs together. Enjoy!

The post Spaghetti and Meatballs appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Juicy, Delicious, and Flavorful, Oven Baked Meatballs make a great appetizer or as an addition to your pasta.

Ever since my son started saying yes to pasta, I’ve been experimenting different pasta recipes and proteins to go along with it. These meatballs are one of his favorites which he devours in seconds; served either ways, with marinara sauce or with a creamy white sauce.

This is a classic Italian style meatball recipe with garlic, chili flakes, oregano, parsley, herbs, parmesan, onion, egg and breadcrumbs. Once your ingredients are ready, the preparation is very easy; mix everything together, roll it and bake it in the oven, Voila!  Don’t be surprised if your family starts munching it directly from the pan, it’s that good!

So, let’s get into the details of cooking up these meatballs.

What kind of meat portion should I buy?

Most people buy a mix of beef, veal and pork to make meatballs as it brings so much of flavor, but here I have used only beef. I’ve used ground chuck with 80/20 blend, which means 80% lean meat and 20% fat. It makes the meat hold together during the bake, while keeping it tender and juicy.

How can you serve these meatballs?

1. You can go for the classic combination of meatballs with spaghetti or any pasta of your choice.
2. Or you can serve meatballs as an appetizer with marinara as the dipping sauce.
3. These meatballs make a great protein for your sandwich, wrap or on your salad, the options are endless!

How can you store leftovers?

Once you are done with your cooking, make sure to bring it down to room temperature. You can store the leftovers in an air tight container in the refrigerator, or freeze it in a freezer safe zip lock bag or container for up to 2 months.

For reheating; Meatballs reheat like a gem, although it is ideal to thaw them before heating by transferring from the freezer to the refrigerator a day prior to serving. You can either microwave it, or heat on a pan with its lid on.

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

Interested in other appetizer recipes? Check these out:

• Chicken meatballs
• Honey Soy Glazed Chicken Drumsticks
• Beef Cultet/Croquette
• Buffalo Chicken Bites

Follow me on Instagram, try out the recipes and tag #pepperdelightblog to all your pictures of Pepper Delight recipes you prepare. Rate us if you love it!

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Meatballs

Juicy, Delicious, and Flavorful, Oven Baked Meatballs make a great appetizer or as an addition to your pasta.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Italian

Keyword meatballs, pasta, spaghetti

Servings 30 meatballs

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef
• 2 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 large egg
• 1 medium sized white/yellow onion (finely chopped)
• 1 tsp oregano (dried)
• 1 tsp chili flakes
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ½ cup Parmesan cheese
• ½ cup breadcrumbs
• ¼ cup water
• A small handful of parsley (finely chopped)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350-degree F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and keep aside.
• In a bowl, using your hands or a spatula, mix together minced beef, garlic, onion, egg, parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, oregano, chili flakes, water, salt and pepper until its well combined, but make sure not to overmix it.
• Wet your hands with water or oil and using a cookie scoop or with your hands, roll the mixture into small round sized balls and place them on the baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes flipping them midway through the cooking until they are nicely browned on the outside and cooked well. The internal temperature should reach 165-degree F.
• Remove from the oven and drain off any leftover excess fat.
• Serve them hot along with pasta or serve as an appetizer with marinara sauce on the side. Enjoy!

The post Meatballs appeared first on Pepper Delight.

One of the easiest chicken meatball recipes you can find, and is also healthy! I was surprised to see the number of inquiries for a meatball recipe from my friends and followers, especially moms. It’s school reopening time and you need a dish which your kids would love, ensure they finish their lunch boxes, and at the same time keep them healthy. No wonder it turns out to be one of the most requested in my blog.

This recipe is a no-brainer and its ingredients are simple and available in anybody’s pantry. Also, unlike other meatball dishes, this one is baked and tastes so good that you would hardly believe it is not fried.

Another plus of this dish is that it you can use it to be the base recipe of your fancy creations, for e.g. toss it into sauces like buffalo / barbecue, honey garlic / marinara, or even customize by substituting the chicken with minced turkey, taking the dish to a whole new level.

The meatballs can be served in pizzas, pastas, sandwiches, or even as an appetizer along with a dipping sauce. Check out my White Sauce Chicken Pasta recipe post in which you can replace the chicken with these meatballs.

Interested in something similar? Take a peek n try out my favorite Buffalo Chicken Bites recipe post.

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

Follow me on Instagram, try out the recipes and tag #pepperdelightblog to all your pictures of Pepper Delight recipes you prepare. Rate us if you love it!

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Baked Chicken Meatballs

Baked Chicken Meatballs …a Great Addition to your Busy Weekday Cooking Schedule. Serve it in your Pasta, Pizza, Sandwich, or Enjoy as an Appetizer with your Favorite Dipping Sauce...!!

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword appetizer, chicken meatballs, meatballs

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 18 chicken meatballs

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 1 lbs. ground chicken / turkey
• 1 egg
• ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
• ½ cup parmesan cheese
• 2 garlic pods (minced)
• 3-4 shallots (chopped)
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• ½ tsp red chili flakes
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp olive oil + extra
• 2 tbsp cilantro leaves (finely chopped)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400-degree Line a 9*13-inch baking tray with parchment paper and grease with cooking spray. Keep aside.
• In a large bowl, mix ground chicken with bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, egg, chili flakes, garlic, shallots, olive oil, cilantro leaves, salt and pepper.
• Gently mix using a spatula or with your hands until well combined. Roll them into 1-inch sized mini balls and arrange them onto the prepared baking sheet. If you find the mixture sticking to your hands, apply some olive oil to your hands and then roll it.
• Place the tray in the middle rack of the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the internal temperature reads 165-degree F.
• Serve with pasta, sandwich, or as an appetizer with a dipping sauce like ranch, marinara, or Marion’s sweet chili sauce.
• Leftovers can be refreigerated in an air tight container for up to 4-5 days.

The post Baked Chicken Meatballs appeared first on Pepper Delight.

An easy and a wonderful appetizer for your busy day, straight from the oven in 30 minutes…!!! These Buffalo Chicken Bites taste soooo good that you would crave for more.

We all love buffalo chicken and what more can you ask for if it can be homemade in a short time and taste exactly like the ones from your favourite restaurant. These chicken bites are loaded with the flavours of blue cheese, crunchy panko bread crumbs, and juicy Buffalo sauce. And the best part is that it is baked n healthy!

Appetizers are the best part of any parties, and if you want to wow your guests then this is something you need to try out.

Also for theme based, game day, Super Bowl, or for any occasions where your folks would like to grab something quickly, you can serve these chicken bites on toothpick and avoid all the messy stuff.

I’ve used Franks Red Hot Wings Sauce for this recipe which is commonly available in stores. This recipe is enough to prepare 20 chicken bites. And to complete your dish, serve with celery sticks, sliced carrots and Ranch.

Hope you like it, Enjoy…!!!

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Buffalo Chicken Bites

Tangy and Tasty Buffalo Chicken Bites

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Keyword buffalo chicken, chicken meatballs, meatballs

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 23 minutes minutes

Total Time 33 minutes minutes

Servings 20 chicken bites

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 1 lb (454g) minced chicken
• 1 celery stalk (finely chopped)
• 3 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
• ½ cup blue cheese (crumbled)
• ¾ cup panko bread crumbs
• ½ cup Franks Red Hot Wings sauce
• Spring onions (chopped)
• 3 tbsp butter
• Oil (to grease)
• Pepper (as required)
• Salt (as required)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Line a baking tray with foil and grease it with cooking oil.
• In a large bowl, combine minced chicken, celery, garlic, panko bread crumbs, blue cheese, spring onions, Franks red Hot Wings sauce, salt and pepper. Use your hands or a spoon to mix until well combined. Make sure not to overdo it.
• Roll the mixture into 1 inch balls with your hands and arrange them on the baking tray.
• Bake for about 20 minutes until cooked through.
• Meanwhile, prepare the sauce by mixing melted butter, Franks Red hot sauce and whisk for a minute.
• Remove the tray from the oven and pour a portion of the prepared sauce over the chicken balls. Bake again for another 3 minutes and then keep aside to cool.
• Serve the chicken balls with celery & carrot sticks on the side. Garnish with crumbled blue cheese and spring onions, add extra sauce if needed. You can also serve Ranch along as a dipping sauce.

The post Buffalo Chicken Bites appeared first on Pepper Delight.