Italian Meatballs with Angel Hair Pasta & Fresh Cherry Tomato Bruschetta

Baked sausage-and-beef meatballs in Rao’s marinara over angel hair, with cherry tomato bruschetta.

Prep
20 minutes
Cook
35 minutes
Serves
4

Ingredients

Meatballs

  • ½ lb ground Italian sausage
  • ½ lb ground beef
  • ½ cup white onion, finely diced
  • ¼ cup breadcrumbs
  • ¼ cup heavy cream
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 large egg
  • ½ cup beef broth
  • 1 (24 oz) jar Rao’s marinara sauce

Angel hair pasta

  • 12 oz angel hair pasta
  • Salt, for pasta water
  • Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

Fresh cherry tomato bruschetta

  • 2 pints cherry tomatoes, quartered
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
  • 6–8 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Toasted bread

  • 1 baguette, sliced into ½-inch diagonal slices
  • ¼ cup olive oil

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a 9x13-inch baking dish with aluminum foil.
  2. Prepare the bruschetta. In a medium bowl, combine the quartered cherry tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, basil, salt, and pepper. Stir well and let the mixture sit at room temperature while you prepare the rest of the meal.
  3. Make the meatballs. In a large bowl, combine the Italian sausage, ground beef, onion, breadcrumbs, heavy cream, parsley, Parmesan, garlic, salt, Italian seasoning, pepper, red pepper flakes, and egg. Mix just until combined.
  4. Form the mixture into 16 meatballs (about 1½ inches in diameter) and place them in the prepared baking dish. Pour the beef broth around the meatballs, cover tightly with foil, and bake for 20–25 minutes, or until cooked through.
  5. While the meatballs bake, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.
  6. Remove the foil from the meatballs. Transfer them to a large skillet or saucepan with the marinara sauce and simmer over medium-low heat for 5–10 minutes so the flavors meld.
  7. Cook the angel hair according to the package directions (typically 3–4 minutes) until al dente. Reserve about ½ cup of the pasta water, then drain.
  8. Toss the angel hair with a few spoonfuls of the marinara sauce, adding a splash of reserved pasta water if needed to lightly coat the pasta.
  9. While the pasta cooks, brush both sides of the baguette slices with olive oil and toast under the broiler or in a 450°F oven for 3–4 minutes, until lightly golden.
  10. Just before serving, spoon the cherry tomato mixture over the toasted bread.
  11. Serve. Divide the angel hair among four plates. Top with the meatballs and additional marinara sauce. Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan and serve with the fresh bruschetta on the side.

Notes

  • Quartering cherry tomatoes creates a fresher, juicier bruschetta and eliminates the need to blanch or peel tomatoes.
  • Reserve a little pasta water to help the marinara cling to the angel hair.
  • The bruschetta mixture can be made up to 2 hours ahead for even better flavor, but wait until just before serving to top the toasted bread.

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