2 Dollar Spaghetti and Meatballs | But Cheaper

ground beef

🥗Healthier: ground turkey

💰Cheaper: ground pork

Ground turkey is lower in fat, while ground pork is often less expensive.

parmesan cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: grated cheese blend

Nutritional yeast is lower in calories and adds a cheesy flavor, while a cheese blend can be more budget-friendly.

Chop Mortadella and place in a medium-sized bowl.

Add 1 lb of ground beef to the bowl.

Mix in 1 tsp of finely ground fennel seed, 1.5 tbs of fine sea salt, 3 cloves of finely chopped garlic, 1/4 cup of fresh grated pecorino or parmesan cheese, and black pepper to taste.

Incorporate the ingredients and then add 1/2 cup of panko breadcrumbs and 1 whole egg.

Mix together until the mixture is tacky and forms a good force meat texture.

Scoop out the mixture to form about 20 meatballs using a large cookie scoop.

Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat with enough oil to coat the bottom.

Add the meatballs in a single layer and sear for about 2 minutes on each side until browned.

Remove the meatballs and reduce the heat to medium.

Add 4 cloves of thinly sliced garlic to the pan and sauté until fragrant.

Add 1 tsp of red pepper flakes and sauté for another 30 seconds.

Pour in 128 oz can of crushed tomatoes and stir everything together, seasoning with salt and a pinch of sugar.

Add the meatballs back into the sauce and bring to a simmer over medium heat for 5 to 8 minutes.

Halfway through, add 1 bunch of bruised basil to the sauce.

Meanwhile, season a pot of water generously with salt and bring to a boil.

Cook spaghetti until al dente, then use tongs to transfer it directly into the sauce, incorporating some pasta water.

Toss everything together until evenly coated and serve with additional sauce and meatballs on top.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens