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Garlic Butter Meatballs with Creamy Parmesan Linguine

Juicy, pan-seared homemade meatballs swimming in a rich garlic butter parmesan sauce, served over al dente linguine. The ultimate 40-minute comfort food dinner.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Comfort Food, Italian-American
Calories: 850
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Meatballs
  • 1 lb ground beef (80/20)
  • 0.5 cup breadcrumbs panko or italian
  • 0.25 cup milk
  • 1 small onion grated
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp olive oil for searing
Sauce & Pasta
  • 1 lb linguine pasta
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 5 cloves garlic minced
  • 0.5 cup beef or chicken broth
  • 1.5 cups heavy cream
  • 1 cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
  • 1 cup pasta water reserved

Equipment

  • Large Skillet
  • Large Pot
  • Mixing bowls
  • Cheese Grater

Method
 

  1. In a small bowl, mix breadcrumbs and milk. Let sit for 5 minutes.
  2. In a large bowl, combine ground beef, soaked breadcrumbs, grated onion, garlic, egg, parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix gently until combined.
  3. Form mixture into 12-15 meatballs.
  4. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear meatballs for 2-3 minutes per side until browned. Remove and set aside.
  5. Boil linguine in salted water until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain.
  6. In the same skillet, reduce heat to medium. Melt butter and sauté garlic for 1 minute.
  7. Add broth and heavy cream. Simmer for 3-4 minutes until slightly thickened.
  8. Stir in Parmesan cheese until melted. Add pasta water if sauce is too thick.
  9. Return meatballs to the sauce and simmer for 5-7 minutes until cooked through.
  10. Toss with cooked linguine and garnish with parsley before serving.

Notes

Ensure all ingredients are at room temperature before cooking for the smoothest sauce emulsion.