Meatballs Marinara with Casarecci

Cheesy meatballs, spiked with parmesan, simmered in a smooth and zesty marinara sauce and spooned over pasta. Quite possibly one of dinner's greatest moments.

So what's Casarecci? It's a free-form shaped pasta that looks like narrow, partially rolled tubes. They're not true TUBES, because the pasta is loosely shaped. That basically means ANY pasta shape works here! Penne, fusilli, spaghetti, angel hair - whatever you like or have in your pantry. I happened to see Casarecci at the grocery store and bought it on a whim. It's actually pretty cool...but again, any shape works!

As is my typical MO, I roasted the meatballs before simmering them in the savory sauce. I prefer this method because it eliminates a TON of grease (which never makes its way into the sauce), and roasting creates the perfect, caramelized exterior on the meatballs. Plus, there's no tending to them over the stove!

I used similar flavors in the meatballs AND the homemade sauce (oregano, basil, garlic, onion) so they would compliment each other perfectly. Plus, you have all the ingredients out anyway - put them to good use! If you're tempted to use bottled sauce, I won't discourage you. BUT, take note - this sauce is incredibly easy, rich in flavor and a great partner for the meatballs. I have a feeling that if you try this sauce, you'll never go back to bottled again (I always keep a huge stash in my freezer). Give it a whirl and let me know if you're a believer.

One more thing - if you want to prep ahead, you can make and roast the meatballs in advance and store them in refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Just reheat them in the simmering sauce when you're ready to serve. You can also make the sauce up to 2 days in advance and store it in the refrigerator. If you want to make extra sauce (I ALWAYS make extra), double the recipe and store the extra batch in the freezer (in an airtight container or freezer bag) for up to 3 months.

Meatballs Marinara with Casarecci

1 pound lean ground beef
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano, divided
1 1/2 teaspoon dried basil, divided
1 teaspoon onion powder, divided
1 teaspoon garlic powder, divided
Salt and ground black pepper
28-ounce can tomato sauce
1 tablespoon tomato paste or sundried tomato paste
12 ounces casarecci pasta, or any pasta shape
Freshly grated parmesan cheese for serving
Fresh basil leaves for serving, optional

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
In a large bowl, combine the beef, 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese, 1/2 teaspoon of the oregano, 1/2 teaspoon of the basil, 1/2 teaspoon of the onion powder, and 1/2 teaspoon of the garlic powder. Add about 1/4 teaspoon each salt and black pepper and mix well. Shape the mixture into 16 meatballs and arrange them on the prepared pan.
Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, until the meatballs are browned and cooked through.
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, combine the tomato sauce, tomato paste, and remaining oregano, basil, onion powder, and garlic powder. Set the pan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes (basically while the meatballs cook). When the meatballs have finished cooking in the oven, add them to the simmering sauce while you cook the pasta.
Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and cover with foil until ready to serve.
Season the sauce with salt and pepper. Spoon the pasta into shallow bowls and top with the meatballs and sauce. Top with parmesan cheese and basil before serving.

Serves 4