Easy & Delicious Homemade Meatball Pasta
How to Easily Make Delicious Meatball Pasta at Home
I made this at home and it tasted even better than when I eat out! This is the flavor that makes me want to cook it often~
Pasta- Pasta noodles, 1 serving (approx. 120g)
- Jarred meatball pasta sauce, 2/3 jar
- Dried shiitake mushrooms, 50 pieces (to be rehydrated)
- Sliced or whole olives, about 60 pieces
Seasoning & Others- Unsalted butter, 1/2 Tbsp
- Minced garlic, 1/2 Tbsp
- Parsley flakes (dried), as needed
- Unsalted butter, 1/2 Tbsp
- Minced garlic, 1/2 Tbsp
- Parsley flakes (dried), as needed
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, bring a generous pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Add the pasta noodles for one serving (about 120g) to the boiling water. Cook for 8 minutes, or 1 minute less than the package instructions, as we will be making the sauce while the pasta cooks. This will result in perfectly ‘al dente’ pasta.
Step 2
Rehydrate the dried shiitake mushrooms by soaking them in warm water about 10 minutes before you start cooking. Once softened, drain them well and slice them into bite-sized pieces.
Step 3
Prepare your aromatics: measure out 1/2 Tbsp of minced garlic and 1/2 Tbsp of unsalted butter. It’s helpful if the butter is slightly softened at room temperature.
Step 4
Heat a pan over low heat. Add the minced garlic and butter. Gently sauté, being careful not to burn the garlic, until it becomes fragrant. You’ll know it’s ready when you can smell that delicious garlic aroma.
Step 5
Continue to sauté for about 3 minutes, or until the garlic is fragrant and slightly golden, but not browned. Keep the heat low to prevent burning.
Step 6
Add the rehydrated and sliced shiitake mushrooms to the pan with the fragrant garlic-butter mixture. Sauté for another 2 minutes. The mushrooms will absorb the flavors and become wonderfully tender.
Step 7
Now, pour in 2/3 of your jarred meatball pasta sauce. You can adjust the amount of sauce to your preference.
Step 8
Increase the heat to medium. Stir everything together well, allowing the sauce, mushrooms, and garlic to meld beautifully. Keep stirring to ensure a smooth, well-combined sauce.
Step 9
Let the sauce simmer for about 3 minutes until it reaches your desired consistency. Then, drain the cooked pasta and add it directly to the pan with the sauce. Toss the pasta with the sauce for about 2 minutes, allowing it to absorb all the delicious flavors.
Step 10
Finally, garnish with your desired amount of sliced olives and dried parsley flakes. Your delicious meatball pasta is ready to serve! You’ll be amazed at how gourmet this homemade pasta tastes.
Step 11
Pro Tip: If you or your diners dislike mushrooms, simply omit them and follow the same steps for a delicious mushroom-free version. Feel free to add plenty of olives if you enjoy them – they add a wonderful briny flavor! (The original context mentions serving two children, one of whom received olives after they were opened. This highlights the versatility for picky eaters and the joy of adding favorite toppings generously.)
