Tagliatelle with meatballs is a dish that evokes childhood memories and home, a classic of Italian cuisine that never goes out of style. Their goodness lies in the simplicity of the ingredients and the ability to combine authentic flavors in a tasteful embrace.
This dish is a true ritual passed down from generation to generation, a treasure carefully preserved in our families. Each family has its secret recipe, jealously guarded and lovingly passed on.
I too have my special memory linked to this dish: my Grandma Maria’s tagliatelle with meatballs. Grandma Maria was a special woman, with a big heart and an immense passion for cooking. Her hands, rough from work and marked by time, turned into magical tools capable of kneading the dough with ancient gestures and dosing the ingredients with an intuition that only someone who has dedicated a lifetime to cooking can have.
Her meatballs were a burst of flavor, a perfect balance of ground beef, stale bread, eggs, cheese, parsley, garlic, and spices. The tomato sauce, thick and fragrant, enveloped the meatballs in a hug of flavor, while the scent of fresh basil completed the masterpiece.
The tagliatelle, strictly homemade, were immersed in that dense sauce, then served with a generous sprinkle of grated Parmesan. Each forkful was a journey through time, a dive into childhood memories, a tribute to Grandma Maria’s love.
Today I want to share with you my version of this iconic dish, a version that carries the memories of home and love for tradition, but also a touch of innovation and personal experimentation.
I hope you enjoy this recipe and that it can bring you a moment of joy and sharing, just as it was for me when I prepared it with Grandma Maria.
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Very Economical
- Rest time: 5 Minutes
- Preparation time: 35 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Stovetop, Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Fall, Winter, and Spring, All Seasons
- Energy 508.84 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 66.04 (g) of which sugars 1.83 (g)
- Proteins 30.26 (g)
- Fat 14.60 (g) of which saturated 4.82 (g)of which unsaturated 6.01 (g)
- Fibers 3.76 (g)
- Sodium 572.97 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 360 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
To prepare this delicious dish of tagliatelle with meatballs in sauce, I chose to use ready-made tagliatelle for time reasons. However, if you wish to make homemade pasta, here is my basic recipe for making excellent egg tagliatelle. You can then use these fresh tagliatelle to dress them with the Calabrian ragù I propose, or with any other sauce you prefer.
- 14 oz ground beef
- 5 oz stale bread
- 1 egg yolk
- q.s. milk
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tbsp sweet paprika
- 1 pinch black pepper
- 1 pinch salt
- 14 oz egg tagliatelle
- 17.5 oz tomato sauce
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 bunch basil
- 1 pinch black pepper
- 1 drizzle extra virgin olive oil
- q.s. coarse salt
Tools
- 1 Pan Moneta
- 1 Bowl Com-four
- 1 Pot Lagostina Intensive Pro
Steps
Now that we have all the ingredients at hand, it’s time to find out how to turn them into a delicious dish of tagliatelle with meatballs in sauce. Let’s follow the steps together, one by one, and you’ll see it’s easier than you think!
Let’s prepare the meatballs: the bread
Start with the stale bread: take it and soak it in a bowl with milk (or water).It should soften well, so let it rest for about half an hour.
When it has become nice and soft, gently squeeze it to remove the excess liquid.
Let’s prepare the meatballs: the ingredients
Now that the bread is ready, crumble it into a clean bowl. Add the ground beef, crushed garlic, egg, salt, black pepper, and a pinch of sweet paprika.If you like, you can enrich the flavor with finely chopped parsley or other spices as you prefer.
Mix everything with your hands until you obtain a homogeneous mixture, where all the ingredients are well combined.
Shape and cook the meatballs
It’s time to shape our meatballs! Take a bit of dough at a time and form balls, the size you prefer.
For this recipe, I recommend making them smaller than usual, so they distribute better among the tagliatelle.
As you prepare them, quickly roll them in a bit of flour (any type is fine, I used rice flour) to prevent sticking.
In a large non-stick pan, heat a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the meatballs and brown them on all sides until they turn golden brown.
This step is important to seal the flavors and give the meatballs a perfect texture.
Once browned, remove them from the pan and set aside.
Let’s prepare the sauce:
In the same pan in which you cooked the meatballs, add another drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and sauté a crushed garlic clove over low heat for about a minute, until it releases its aroma.Add the tomato sauce, a pinch of salt, and let the sauce cook for about 15 minutes or until it slightly reduces.
At this point, add the meatballs to the sauce and abundant fresh basil leaves.
Continue cooking over low heat for another 10 minutes or until the sauce thickens and the meatballs are perfectly cooked.
While the sauce cooks, you can prepare the tagliatelle.
In a large pot, bring abundant salted water to a boil. When the water boils, add the tagliatelle and cook them for the time indicated on the package.
Drain them al dente and add them directly to the pan with the sauce and meatballs. Gently mix the tagliatelle with the sauce and meatballs, ensuring they are well-coated.
If necessary, add a ladle of pasta cooking water to make the sauce more fluid.
Keep everything over low heat for a couple of minutes, to allow the flavors to blend.
Remove the pan from the heat and let it rest for a moment.
Let’s serve the tagliatelle with meatballs
It’s time to enjoy this dish that smells of home and tradition!
Take a generous portion of steaming tagliatelle, ensuring each forkful is a burst of flavors thanks to the rich sauce and tender meatballs.
If you wish, you can add a drizzle of raw extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of grated Parmesan for an extra touch of goodness.
All that’s left to say is….Enjoy your meal!
Here are some tips, storage suggestions, and possible variations for your tagliatelle with meatballs in sauce recipe:
Storage
Meatballs: You can store the cooked meatballs in the refrigerator for 2-3 days in an airtight container. If you prefer, you can also freeze them raw or cooked for longer storage (up to 3 months). In this case, I recommend thawing them in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
Sauce: The sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, also in an airtight container. The sauce can also be frozen for longer storage (up to 3 months).
Tagliatelle: Fresh tagliatelle should preferably be consumed the same day they are prepared. If you must store them, you can keep them in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours in a tightly closed plastic bag. Dried tagliatelle, on the other hand, can be stored at room temperature for a long time.
Suggestions For a more intense flavor, you can use a mix of beef and pork for the meatballs.
If you prefer a more rustic sauce, you can use tomato puree instead of whole peeled tomatoes.
For a touch of freshness, add some chopped fresh basil leaves to the sauce at the end of cooking.
If you’re short on time, you can use ready-made fresh tagliatelle, as I did. In this case, I recommend cooking them for a few minutes in boiling salted water, then tossing them in the pan with the sauce.
For a lighter dish, you can bake the meatballs instead of frying them.
Variations
Vegetarian Meatballs: For a vegetarian version, you can replace the meat with lentils, chickpeas, or crumbled tofu.
Alternative Sauce: You can use a ragù sauce, a mushroom sauce, or a white sauce with cream and ham.
Different Pasta: You can use a different type of pasta than tagliatelle, such as spaghetti, fettuccine, or pappardelle.
Cheese: You can enrich the dish with other types of grated cheese, such as Pecorino Romano or salted ricotta.
I hope these tips, storage suggestions, and variations are useful for personalizing your tagliatelle with meatballs in sauce recipe!
FAQ
Here are some questions with answers about tagliatelle with meatballs in sauce:
Why do you use stale bread for the meatballs?
Stale bread, once soaked, helps make the meatballs softer and lighter. It also absorbs the flavors of the other ingredients, contributing to a tastier result.
Can I use a different type of meat for the meatballs?
Of course! You can use any meat you prefer: beef, pork, veal, or even a mix. What’s important is that it’s of good quality and that you grind it fresh for a more intense flavor.
How do I know when the sauce is ready?
The sauce is ready when it has thickened and has a nice deep red color. Taste it to see if it’s seasoned to your liking and, if necessary, adjust the salt. Remember that the sauce reduces as it cooks, so it shouldn’t be too liquid.
Can I use dried tagliatelle instead of fresh ones?
Absolutely! Dried tagliatelle is a great alternative. In this case, cook them for the time indicated on the package. How do I keep the meatballs from sticking to the pan?
How do I keep the meatballs from sticking to the pan?
To prevent the meatballs from sticking, make sure the pan is hot enough and that there’s enough oil. Additionally, you can dust them with flour before cooking.
Can I prepare the meatballs and sauce in advance?
Absolutely! Meatballs and sauce can be prepared the day before and stored in the refrigerator. When serving, just heat them and cook the tagliatelle. This will save you time and let you enjoy a delicious dish without stress.
I noticed you used only the egg yolk for the meatballs. Is there a specific reason?
Yes, certainly! Using only the yolk instead of the whole egg helps make the meatballs softer and richer in flavor. The yolk contains more fats, which contribute to a creamier texture and a more intense taste. Moreover, the yolk has a greater binding power than the white, helping to maintain the shape of the meatballs during cooking.
I hope this question and answer are helpful to you! 😊
