Olive Backyard Spaghetti and Meatballs

Make scrumptious Olive Backyard spaghetti and meatballs at dwelling with this simple copycat recipe. Serve this comforting and crowd-pleasing Italian meal with an Italian salad and breadsticks for a real Olive Backyard expertise.

Copycat Olive Garden spaghetti and meatballs on a platter.

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What Makes the Olive Backyard Spaghetti and Meatballs So Good?

Heating frozen store-bought meatballs in jarred pasta sauce could also be a straightforward dinner, nevertheless it isn’t precisely a memorable one. This Olive Backyard recipe for Spaghetti and Meatballs brings one of many chain’s hottest menu objects to your property eating desk. Make additional to freeze, and also you’ll have a fast meal that’s so significantly better than takeout.

Why You Ought to Attempt This Recipe

Spending the afternoon getting ready selfmade meatballs and tomato sauce from scratch could also be a bit too daunting for some; nevertheless, this recipe for pasta and meatballs isn’t that tough to make. The addition of the dried purple pepper flakes in each the sauce and the meatballs provides a touch of warmth to maintain issues fascinating, whereas the brightness of the tomato sauce completely balances the all-beef meatballs.

Olive Backyard Recipe Spaghetti and Meatballs Components

For the marinara sauce, you’ll want:

Olive oil
Garlic cloves
Tomato puree, canned
Diced tomatoes, canned
Italian seasoning mix
Dried basil
Purple pepper flakes
Salt
Freshly floor black pepper
Sugar

For the meatballs, you’ll want:

Floor chuck
Plain bread crumbs
Entire milk
Egg, crushed
Italian seasoning
Dried parsley
Purple pepper flakes
Onion powder
Granulated garlic
Salt
Freshly floor black pepper
Non-stick cooking spray or vegetable oil

To complete the meatballs and spaghetti, you’ll want:

Spaghetti
Parmesan cheese, grated
Recent parsley, chopped

Copycat Olive Garden spaghetti and meatballs ingredients on a tray.

Learn how to Make It

To prepare dinner the marinara sauce:

Warmth the olive oil in a big stockpot or a dutch oven over medium warmth.
Slice the cloves of garlic and add to the recent oil. Saute the garlic cloves till they’re golden. Use a slotted spoon to take away them from the pot. Discard or save for making garlic bread.

Add the tomato puree and diced tomatoes to the pot. Watch out! There could also be somewhat splattering.
Use a picket spoon to stir within the Italian seasoning, dried basil, purple pepper flakes, salt, and freshly floor black pepper.

Scale back the warmth to low and canopy the pot with a lid. Simmer for half-hour. At this level, you can begin making the meatballs.
After half-hour, style the sauce. If it’s a little too tart, stir in some sugar and prepare dinner for just a few extra minutes.

To make the meatballs:

Mix the meatball substances (floor beef, plain bread crumbs, entire milk, crushed egg, Italian seasoning, dried parsley, purple pepper flakes, onion powder, granulated garlic, salt, and freshly floor black pepper) in a big bowl.

Use your fingertips to include all of the substances collectively gently. Keep away from squeezing the meat in the event you don’t need to wind up with dense meatballs.
Cowl the blending bowl with plastic wrap and stick it within the fridge for a minimum of half-hour.
Whereas the meat combination is within the fridge, end with the marinara sauce.
After the meat has been in chilling for half-hour, take away it from the fridge, and preheat the oven to 425°F.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil and calmly coat the foil with non-stick cooking spray or oil.
Moist your arms. Type the meat combination into one and 1/2-inch diameter balls and lay them on the ready baking sheet.

Bake the meatballs within the oven till browned, about 10 to fifteen minutes. Flip the meatballs midway by means of the cooking time. Use an instant-read thermometer to verify that the interior temperature of the meatballs is a minimum of 165°F earlier than eradicating them from the oven.

For those who choose pan-fried meatballs, you possibly can fry the meatballs in a pan as an alternative of baking them.

To complete the pasta and meatballs:

Whereas the meatballs are within the oven, prepare dinner the spaghetti in accordance with the bundle instructions.
Drain the pasta and add it to the nice and cozy sauce. Stir nicely.
Plate the spaghetti and prime it with heat marinara sauce and two or three meatballs.
Garnish with chopped contemporary parsley and grated parmesan cheese.

copycat Olive Garden spaghetti and meatballs on a plate.

What to Serve With It

A backyard salad calmly dressed with balsamic and oil and a few slices of garlic bread go fairly nicely with this dish. Don’t neglect to serve a pleasant bottle of purple wine. The medium physique and better acidity of a Chianti make the proper pairing for pasta and meatballs.

Learn how to Retailer the Leftovers

The meatballs and the pasta sauce on this recipe hold splendidly within the fridge or freezer. Simply be certain the meals is at room temperature earlier than placing it away.

You possibly can hold the sauce and meatballs collectively in a lined container within the fridge for as much as three days. Nevertheless, for the very best outcomes, separate the meatballs from the sauce and put them in separate containers earlier than freezing for as much as two months.

Whilst you can toss cooked pasta with a little bit of olive oil and hold it in a single day within the fridge, it’ll have a significantly better consistency in the event you prepare dinner it contemporary.

What’s the Finest Option to Reheat Spaghetti and Meatballs

One of the simplest ways to reheat the meatballs and sauce is on the stovetop over medium-low warmth.

Thaw the meatballs and sauce in a single day within the fridge if in case you have the time. If you’re in a rush, attempt utilizing the QUICK DEFROST setting in your microwave.

To reheat pasta with the sauce and meatballs, place the leftovers in a shallow bowl and canopy the highest with a paper towel. Microwave on HIGH for one minute and 30 seconds, stir the pasta, and warmth for one more 30 to 45 seconds or till scorching.

Closeup of copycat Olive Garden spaghetti and meatballs.

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