Serves 6
$10 per person
Per serve:
- 800 kcal
- 52g protein
- 45g fat
- 58g carbs
A comforting, generous dish made for sharing. Slow-cooked meatballs simmered in a rich tomato sauce, gently broken up, then tucked into pasta shells and baked until golden.
It’s the kind of meal that brings everyone to the table — warm, hearty, and worth every step.
This is also a great one to make extra of — freeze a batch of meatballs for an easy dinner down the track.
A true family recipe, and one the kids can get involved in too — rolling the meatballs, getting their hands dirty, and being part of something made with love.
Ingredients
Meatballs
1 small onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, finely diced
1kg beef and pork mince, half and half
2 eggs
1½ cups breadcrumbs
200ml milk
60g parmesan, finely grated
Salt and pepper
Sauce & Pasta
500g large pasta shells
1 bottle tomato passata
1 tin whole tomatoes
1 small onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, finely diced
1 red chilli, finely diced (optional)
Olive oil
Mozzarella, grated (optional)
Fresh basil (optional)
Directions
Combine the breadcrumbs and milk in a bowl and leave to soak. Meanwhile, sauté the onion and garlic in a little oil in a large pot until translucent. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool.
Add all remaining meatball ingredients to the bowl along with the soaked breadcrumbs and cooled onion mixture. Mix well to combine. Roll into large meatballs, roughly 80g, and set aside on a tray.
In the same pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the onion, garlic and chilli (if using) until soft. Add the passata, tinned tomatoes and 600ml of water (or chicken stock if you have it). Stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer.
Carefully drop each meatball into the sauce, they should be mostly submerged. Reduce the heat, add the basil and simmer for 1–2 hours, until the meatballs are tender and the sauce has deepened in flavour.
Preheat your oven to 180°C (fan-forced). Cook the pasta shells according to packet instructions, but pull them a minute early so they're al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water.
Remove the meatballs from the sauce and break them up in a bowl until you have a fine mince. Spread a generous layer of sauce across the base of a deep baking dish. Stuff each shell with the meatball mixture and nestle them into the dish. Spoon over the remaining sauce, scatter with mozzarella and bake for 25 minutes until golden and bubbling.
