This Creamy Tomato Pasta with Meatballs is comfort food that’s sure to please! Loaded with meatballs in a creamy tomato sauce, it’s a simple recipe for those busy weeknights.
I’m thinking this week has been a bit stressful for most people, am I right?
Stressful times call for comfort food at our house. I hope the same is true at yours, because today’s Creamy Tomato Pasta with Meatballs is comfort food that’s sure to please!
I don’t know about you guys, but I can never pass up a good pasta dish. When I think of comforting, cozy dishes, pasta is usually the first thing that comes to mind. And if meatballs and a creamy sauce are involved, extra bonus points are added!
And in anticipation of the upcoming holidays, we all need a few super simple dishes in our repertoire for those busy nights.
The creamy, robust sauce for this dish comes together in minutes and when you use precooked, frozen, store-bought meatballs, the entire dish comes together in less than 30. You can always make my homemade meatballs if you aren’t rushed for time. They’re delicious and low on effort, yet huge on flavor.
The frozen meatballs you can buy from your market are fully cooked, so you can just heat them up in the sauce or bake in the oven to give them a little char and better flavor. I usually opt for 20 minutes in a 350 degree oven before adding to the sauce, so while the pasta and sauce are cooking, the meatballs can be baking. It’s time to multi-task, so dinner can come together quickly and effortlessly folks.
Hope you give this easy, tasty pasta dish a try this busy, upcoming holiday season. It’s comfort food done right. Enjoy!
A few other pasta comfort food dishes that are sure to hit the spot are my Pasta with White Beans and Arugula, my Balsamic Pasta with Chicken Sausage, Broccoli and Mushrooms and my Tuna Noodle Casserole.
A Few Cook’s Notes for Creamy Tomato Pasta with Meatballs Recipe:
As mentioned above, I like to bake my frozen precooked meatballs before adding to the sauce for extra flavor and a bit of char on the outside. You can also make homemade meatballs if you desire.
I used mini wheel pasta for this recipe, but you can use any similar small type pasta.
This Creamy Tomato Pasta with Meatballs is comfort food that's sure to please! Loaded with meatballs in a creamy tomato sauce, it's a simple recipe for those busy weeknights.
- 10-12 small frozen Italian meatballs
- 4 cups uncooked mini wagon wheel pasta
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 2 Tbsp. butter
- 1 cup yellow onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 28-oz. can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 cup marinara sauce
- 2 tsp. Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp. granulated sugar
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 12 basil leaves, torn
- 1/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Place 12 small meatballs on prepared sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
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Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the pasta and cook al dente according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
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In a large, deep saucepan melt butter and olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the garlic and continue to cook for one minute. Add the tomatoes, marinara sauce, Italian seasoning, sugar, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Add the heavy cream, torn basil leaves, shredded mozzarella, Parmesan and meatballs and stir until well combined and cheese is melted. Add the drained, cooked pasta and stir until well combined. Serve immediately with extra Parmesan cheese, if desired.
Mary Ann I love that you used wagon wheel pasta for this – my kids LOVE when I buy the wheels! This is definitely something my family would gobble up
Hope you give the recipe a go Katherine! I bet they’d love it!
What a week…sheesh. I’m in need of some comfort food and this pasta dish is just the thing. And, really, who doesn’t want to chow down on wagon wheels? A fun pasta shape and a gorgeous dish, Mary Ann!
THanks Marissa! I think we all could use a bit of comfort food right about now!
This is just perfect comfort food right here and I’m loving the wagon wheel pasta! I will definitely be putting this one on the menu :)
The wagon wheel pasta adds just a bit of fun Jennifer!
Mary Ann, I could use a big bowl of this wonderful pasta! Love the meatballs and the creamy sauce. Those wagon wheels are pretty fun, too!
They are, aren’t they Kelly??
I will never say no to anything with meatballs! All the comfort and so much fun!
Thanks my friend!
Such a fun and comforting dish, Mary Ann … just the kinda thing I crave on a cold day! Pinned!
It’s a cozy dish for sure Dawn!
I can never say no to a meatball, especially in a creamy tomato sauce. Your dish looks delicious.
Me too Gerlinde!
MaryAnn: I wanted to make something from your site after meeting you at VHH! We love pasta, so I made this today. It is awesome and SO tasty!!! This dish is fun and easy to make!
Yay! So happy you enjoyed it Jan!! Hi to Ed for me! Thanks so much for following!