As a cheese lover, I can’t resist putting extra cheese on every pasta recipe. This mozzarella cheese meatballs spaghetti is one of my favourite pasta to make! It’s homey, delicious and satisfying every tastebud.
The sauce has acidity and sweetness from the tomato. Extra heat aftertaste from my secret ingredient! Which, probably will be despised by all those authentic Italians out there! (I’m sorry!) It’s sambal! Indonesian chilli sauce with a garlicky flavour.
In Chinese culture or at least in my family, cooking and eating pasta counts as eating junk food. Probably because the first pasta chain that was famous in Indonesia was Pizza Hut. Their ranges of pasta were only Bolognese, Carbonara, and Alfredo. However, they have launched new flavours such as black pepper, spicy tuna mayo and other typical flavours that could be a hit with Indonesia’s taste.
It’s funny how I actually used the title homey when my parents don’t even know how to cook pasta! True story. For me, it’s homey because it reminds me back to my teenage age where I was actually struggling. Tried my best to survive in a foreign country by juggling work, university, and social life.
At that time, 1 kilo of pasta was only $0.75 and rice was $5! So, I ate so much pasta than rice in my whole 3 years of university. I have created several recipes that I will be slowly posting them soon.
This mozzarella cheese meatballs spaghetti recipe also could work with pre-made Bolognese sauce. If you have no time to make the sauce, I recommend substituting with Bolognese sauce.
Mozzarella Cheese Meatballs Spaghetti
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Nonstick Pan
- Grater
Ingredients
Cheesy Meatballs
- 300 gr Minced Beef
- 30 gr Mozzarella Cheese Diced into several 1 cm
- 1/2 pc Nutmeg Grated
- 1 tsp Oregano Fresh/dried
- 1 tsp Maize Flour/corn starch or known as cornmeal flour
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper Ground/powder
- 1 tsp Mushroom Stock or Beef Stock
- 2 tsp Garlic Powder
- 2 tbsp Cooking Oil
- 1 pc Egg Yolk
- 2 tsp Bread Crumbs
Pasta Sauce
- 1 can Tomato Paste or diced canned tomato
- 3 cloves Garlic minced
- 1/2 pc Onion diced
- 2 tbsp Sambal/Chilli Sauce
- 1 tsp Oregano dried or fresh
- 1/2 pc Nutmeg grated
- 1 tsp Celery Powder
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Beef Stock powder or liquid
- 1 pinch Pepper
Pasta
- 250 gr Spaghetti
- 400 ml Water
- 1 pinch Salt
Garnish
- 20 gr Cheddar Cheese/Parmesan Cheese grated
- 1 tsp Dried Parsley
- 1 dash Nutmeg grated
Instructions
Prepare the Cheese Meatballs
- Place the minced beef in the mixing bowl, mix with mushroom stock, grated nutmeg, salt, pepper, corn flour, oregano, garlic powder, and egg yolk.
- Then, take a tablespoon to scoop one, flatten it with your palm for about 7-8 cm wide, and filled it with one diced mozzarella. Do this over to make a bunch of meatballs. With this recipe, I made 19 meatballs (size 2.5-3 cm) each
- After that, lightly coat the meatballs with bread crumbs.
- Heat the nonstick pan with some oil, lightly sear the meatballs with a thong to keep the shape of meatballs. Once it's browning and slightly crisp, set aside.
Prepare the Sauce
- Heat up the saucepan with some oil, then stir fry garlic and onion until fragrant.
- Add tomato paste/sauce, mix well
- Add all seasoning and adjust the taste accordingly, simmer until thick and cooked
Prepare the Pasta
- Boil water in another saucepan, put the pasta in and a pinch of salt for 20 mins or until al dente – set aside
- Keep some of the pasta water for later
Final Assemble
- With the nonstick from meatballs, use the same grease, add pasta and sauce – mix well
- Then add the meatballs (and pasta water if necessary)
- Mix well, garnish with grated cheddar, and dried parsley. I like to put a bit more of grated nutmeg to finish off as well! Voila!
It’s very important to use maize flour/cornmeal flour/corn starch to soften the minced beef. Just 1 tbsp is enough so it will not be too floury.
Nutmeg plays a very essential role here too. It needed for the aroma and flavour. It has such a different outcome without nutmeg. So, be sure to have nutmeg! I will also grate a dash of nutmeg for the garnish. Parmesan cheese is also recommended for garnish but if you don’t have it, just use simple cheddar cheese.
This recipe serves 4 to 5 people depending on your portion per plate. Let me know how do you go with this mozzarella cheese meatballs spaghetti! Good luck!
