SKILLET MEATBALLS AND MARINARA

SKILLET MEATBALLS AND MARINARA

I think I’ve hit the September Challenge jackpot with this one, folks. When I had my first bite of these Skillet Meatballs and Marinara I literally moaned and let out a quiet “Oh, hell yeah…”

These super easy skillet meatballs only have four ingredients (thanks to Italian sausage, which is basically like pre-seasoned ground meat) and they come together in just a few minutes. If you want to be extra fancy, you can add a little grated Parmesan to the meatball mix, or even some frozen spinach (thaw and squeeze out the moisture first). But if you ask me, they’re insanely delicious just the way they are and I’m a big fan of the easy, no-fuss prep.

Half way through making these Skillet Meatballs and Marinara I realized that it probably would have been about the same price (or maybe less?) to buy a jar of marinara at the store and just pour that into the skillet. So, if you want even faster prep for this meal, go ahead and use jarred marinara sauce instead of making your own like I did below. I’m a big fan of having good food fast!

INGREDIENTS

MEATBALLS

• 1 lb. Italian sausage (mild, sweet, or hot) $3.23
• 1 cup breadcrumbs $0.48
• 1 large egg $0.32
• ½ yellow onion, finely diced $0.19

MARINARA

• 1 Tbsp olive oil $0.16
• ½ yellow onion, diced $0.18
• 2 cloves garlic $0.16
• 28oz. can crushed tomatoes $2.00
• ½ tsp dried oregano $0.05
• ½ tsp dried basil $0.05
• ½ tsp salt $0.03
• Freshly cracked pepper $0.05
• 1 tsp brown sugar $0.02
• 1 Tbsp tomato paste $0.06

PASTA

• 12oz. pasta (any shape) $1.00

INSTRUCTIONS

1. To make the meatballs, squeeze the Italian sausage out of the casing and into a large bowl. Add the breadcrumbs, egg, and diced onion. Using your hands, mix the ingredients until combined. Form the mixture into about 24 ping pong ball sized balls.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium flame. Add the olive oil and tilt the skillet to coat. Add the meatballs and cook until browned on the outside (a couple minutes on each side). Work in two batches if needed to give the meatballs room to movel around. Once the meatballs are browned, remove them from the skillet to a clean plate.
3. Add the second half of the diced onion to the skillet, along with two cloves of minced garlic. Sauté in the leftover oil and fat from the meatballs until soft and transparent. Once soft, add the crushed tomatoes, oregano, basil, salt, pepper, brown sugar, and tomato paste. Stir until the tomato paste mixes into the crushed tomatoes.
4. Add the meatballs back to the skillet and gently stir to coat them in sauce. Place a lid on the skillet and let the meatballs simmer in the sauce for 15 minutes. Cook the pasta while the meatballs simmer.
5. Drain the pasta and serve each bowl with pasta, four meatballs, and a scoop of sauce.

NOTES

To use store bought marinara, keep the browned meatballs in the skillet and pour a large jar of sauce over top. Allow the sauce to come to a simmer, then let the meatballs simmer in the sauce (with a lid) for 15 minutes.

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