Oh.my.heavens.
This dinner rocked my world. ROCKED IT. It was so good in fact, that we had it twice in one week (I hardly ever repeat a meal ever, much less twice in one week!) These meatballs were just so perfect that I wanted to call the people at Taste of Home magazine and tell them I love them for including this recipe in their magazine. My hubby and both of my kids thought they were delicious too. My little girl even told my mom that her new favorite food was her mommy’s meatballs. So sweet!
Ok…I’m done gushing. We used these meatballs as little slider sandwiches but they would be very, very yummy on top of pasta too. Next time, I’m going to serve them spaghetti and meatball style. Simple, delicious, totally needs to be on your family’s table tonight for dinner.
Shopping List
1 pound of bulk Italian sausage (I used 1/2 a pound of ground beef and 1/2 a pound of sausage…so you could do that too…just don’t use all ground beef because you won’t get the same results)
2 cups Mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 jar (24 oz) spaghetti sauce
1 jar (8 oz) store bought pesto sauce
12 dinner rolls, split in half
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a medium sized bowl, combine your ground meats together (if you’re using more than one). Roll the sausage mixture into a golf ball sized ball. Take about a tablespoon or so of cheese and stuff it inside, smoothing the meat back over the top to seal it in. Place each meatball on a foil lined baking sheet lightly sprayed with Pam. Repeat until all of your meatballs are complete.
Bake meatballs about 16-18 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine your spaghetti sauce and pesto in a large saucepan over medium heat. Once the sauce starts to bubble, lower the heat to low, cover and stir occasionally. Once your meatballs are done, add them to your spaghetti-pesto sauce for a couple of minutes.
Take each dinner roll and top it with one meatball and a little extra sauce. And your sliders are done.
I don’t know what I enjoyed more…the sausage and cheese meatball or the pesto in my spaghetti sauce…I just enjoyed the whole thing. So yummy, so simple, so versatile. That’s how I do dinner.
Enjoy!
Sheaffer, Chris, Scout, and baby Carter says
I think this is one that even my crazy picky hubby will like! Yay!
Maureen W. (Maryland) says
These look yummy and I'm always looking for new ways to mix and match a basic meatball recipe. Do you find that adding the pesto made your sauce oily or did it combine well?
Mix and Match Mama says
Hi Maureen! The pesto paired so well with the spaghetti sauce. Not oily at all! It was delish!!
Meredith Broussard says
I made this last night and LOVED it! I'm not a big meatball fan, but it was delicious. I admit I was wary to add the bottle of basil pesto to the spaghetti sauce, but it tasted great. I even added onions to the meat mixture. I recommend cooking them in a saucepan a little bit first so they're softer and easier to work with when forming the meatballs. I will definitely be making this again. Thanks, Mix and Match Mama!
Ashley says
We had these for dinner the other night. We've actually had all of your meatball recipes and this was hands down the fave. Hayden even ate 2 by her little 10 month old self!
Olivia says
Did you use a basil pesto sauce or sun dried tomato pesto sauce?
Mix and Match Mama says
Use whatever pesto you love the most! You can't go wrong! (I used basil)
Anonymous says
These look delicious! I was just wondering what type of jar spaghetti sauce you used? thanks
Mix and Match Mama says
I really love Emeril's Roasted Garlic spaghetti sauce!
Anonymous says
Hi Shay – just curious what kind of italian sausage did you use – hot, mild, sweet?
Mix and Match Mama says
I always use sweet but you can use whatever kind of sausage your family loves!
Janice Shin says
I just made this! It is seriously bomb! and great for a college student on a budget! 🙂