One-Pot Spaghetti and Meatball Stew
Spaghetti and Meatball Stew comes together all in one pot with a rich, tangy tomato sauce for an easy family meal. Hearty and filling, this is fantastic served with a green salad and crusty bread, loaded with butter, for dipping.
I like meals that I can cook in one pot….because doing dishes on a full stomach really blows. I know you all agree because I get tons of requests for easy, one-pot meals. So, I do my best to minimize the work on the back end for all of us by throwing everything into a pot and crossing my fingers. My family may not love this form of recipe testing but I do it out of love…for all of you, my loyal readers. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t…..the kid at the Chik-Fil-A window has started to recognize me. 🙂
This time it worked. (Like the time I made my Cheeseburger Macaroni Skillet.) And it was inspired by Spaghetti-O’s. Seriously. I do love Spaghetti-O’s, I even love the little meatballs that some people think taste like dog food. It’s more of a nostalgia thing than a love for the flavor of tin and bad imitation beef…but I, occasionally, will pick up a can of Spaghetti-O’s and feed them to Landon. Or try to feed them to Landon. He HATES the meatballs and, somewhat, tolerates the O’s. He’s not as big of a fan as I am. So, I set out to make my own version and let me tell you…it’s pretty tasty.
This is great to make on a lazy Sunday…although it’s not going to be lazy because rolling the little meatballs will take some time. That’s about it though, everything else goes into the pot and cooks until the pasta is al dente. Not too long at all. AND if you want it less stew-y and more spaghetti-y you can just let it simmer a little while longer. It will, eventually, turn into a giant pot of Spaghetti and Meatballs that’s totally worthy of freezing for later. And this recipe makes a ton so it’s definitely a recipe to split up for multiple weeknight meals.
If you’re not a Spaghetti-O fan, this doesn’t taste at all like Spaghetti-O’s. It’s more like big Italian family Sunday supper than open a can and dump into pot. I promise you…you will love how easy it is, your family will love how tasty it is and everyone will love that there’s only one pot to clean.
Get the Recipe: One-Pot Spaghetti and Meatball Stew
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon parsley flakes
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 vidalia onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 14.5 ounce can diced fire roasted tomatoes
- 1 14.5 ounce can tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 1 lb spaghetti or other broad pasta, capellini and angle hair will break down and become mushy
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped basil
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix together the beef, cheese, parsley, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Roll the mixture into 1 inch sized balls and place on a baking sheet. Set aside.
- In a large dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot, heat the olive oil over med-high heat. Add the meatballs to the pot and brown on all sided, cooking in batches if necessary. (Don't crowd the pot) Transfer the meatballs back to the baking sheet and drain all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the pot.
- Add the onions to the pot and cook until softened. Stir in the garlic, oregano and garlic powder. Cook for one minute. Add the tomato pasted and cook until darkened in color, like a deep burgundy. Stir in the tomatoes, sauce, sugar and chicken stock. Using a wooden spoon, scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen the brown bits and bring the mixture to a boil. Return the meatballs to the pot. Add the spaghetti and stir. Continue cooking until the spaghetti is al dente, stirring frequently to make sure the pasta doesn't stick together. Once the spaghetti is done, stir in the basil and serve.
9 Comments on “One-Pot Spaghetti and Meatball Stew”
I like spaghetti o’s, too. :/ … It’s like my deep dark blogger secret. My favorite is the spaghetti o sandwich. :::hangs head in shame::::: This looks fantastic! And I bet it’s good on a sandwich, too.
One pot meals are quick and easy. love it
One-pot meals are my salvation during the week! I loved Spaghetti-Os as a kid too, but my own kids wouldn’t have anything to do with them. I suppose I should be grateful for that. 🙂 This looks like a great alternative!
Oh we love spaghetti and meatballs in our house this stew sounds awesome!!!
I loved Spaghetti-O’s as a kid – but I don’t think we’ve ever tried serving it to my daughter… I’ll make your delicious stew instead!
I haven’t had spaghettios in years – but I liked them! And I think I would like this even more, I love the sauciness of it.
There is nothing I love more than a simple one pot meal. Love those little flavor packed meatballs.
This is such a great idea! And so much better than spaghetti-o’s! My son will love it!