Description
A hearty and cheesy pasta dish featuring homemade beef meatballs, orecchiette, and a rich tomato-based cream sauce. Perfect for comfort food lovers and easy enough for a weeknight meal.
Ingredients
For the Sauce:
- 2 ½ cups beef broth
- ¾ cup half and half
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp yellow mustard
- ½ chicken bouillon cube
- ¾ tsp each: dried oregano, basil, parsley
For the Meatballs:
- 1 lb. ground beef
- ½ cup crushed Ritz crackers (or Italian breadcrumbs)
- 3 tbsp half and half (or milk)
- 1 egg, whisked
- 2 tbsp grated Parmesan
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp each: Italian seasoning, salt, onion powder
For the Pasta & Sauce Base:
- 1 tbsp butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 8 oz. tomato sauce
- 1 ¼ cups shredded mozzarella
- ½ lb. orecchiette pasta
- Freshly grated Parmesan, for serving
Instructions
- Combine meatball ingredients and form into 1-inch balls.
- Sear meatballs in batches until browned; set aside.
- Sauté garlic in butter, stir in tomato paste, then add tomato sauce, broth, Worcestershire, mustard, bouillon, and herbs.
- Return meatballs to the sauce and simmer 15 minutes.
- Stir in half and half; simmer 5–7 more minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook pasta, reserve ½ cup pasta water, and drain.
- Add pasta and mozzarella to sauce. Stir to combine and melt cheese.
- Serve with Parmesan on top.
Notes
- Don’t overmix meatball ingredients—just combine gently.
- Use freshly grated cheese for best melt and flavor.
- Add a splash of pasta water to loosen the sauce if needed.
- Make ahead: meatballs and sauce can be prepped a day in advance.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes