Inside Out Spaghetti
For a quick, easy, kid-friendly meal, it’s hard to beat good old spaghetti and meatballs. It’s simple, tasty, and satisfying. But it’s also just a little…predictable.
Sometimes it’s nice to shake things up a bit. To give your family a surprise. To put a completely new spin on this old favorite. Such as, for example, turning it inside out.
What’s that, you say? How can you turn spaghetti and meatballs inside out? Simple: instead of putting meatballs in your spaghetti, you make one giant meatball with the spaghetti inside. Kind of like my Mac and Cheese Stuffed Meatloaf with a change of flavors.
Of course, this version is more complicated to make than plain old spaghetti and meatballs. You have to mix up the meatball mixture and mold it into the bottom of a big mixing bowl. Then you fill up that meat bowl with mozzarella cheese and cooked spaghetti with marinara sauce. Then you fill in the bottom with more meat, turn it out onto a big baking sheet, and roast it.
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So this isn’t a quickie weeknight meal like the original. But when you want to surprise and delight your family, this show-stopper will definitely do the trick.
Recipe Tips:
- This makes a really large meatball. You may or may not be able to fit all of the spaghetti into the meatball, depending on the size/shape of your “forming bowl.”
- Please also note that the recipe calls for 1⁄2 pound of spaghetti – which is 1⁄2 of a standard box.
- Use an instant read thermometer to make sure the meat has cooked to 145° (safe internal temp for pork).
- I like to mix the breadcrumbs with the milk before adding them to the rest of the meatball ingredients – I do think it makes a moister meatball overall.
- You can substitute regular breadcrumbs for the panko. If you use herb-seasoned breadcrumbs, reduce the Italian seasoning in the recipe to just 1 teaspoon.
- You can use fresh minced garlic instead of the garlic powder – adjust amount to taste – I’d start with 2-3 garlic cloves.
- Be sure the wall of the giant meatball is thick enough so that it will hold its shape while transferring to the baking pan and while cooking. The meat will shrink a bit and the meatball will tighten up while cooking.
- You can form your stuffed meatball and then wrap it and place it in the fridge for 30 minutes – 1 hour to firm it up a bit as well – But I didn’t find this necessary.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or the freezer for up to 3 months.
Inside Out Spaghetti
- Preheat oven to 375°F. In a small bowl, stir together milk and panko and set aside to allow the breadcrumbs to absorb the milk.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine sausage, ground beef, Italian seasoning, eggs, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and parmesan cheese. Add the breadcrumb mixture and combine all ingredients well.
- Line a mixing bowl with plastic wrap, leaving lengths of plastic wrap in each direction so the meatball can be shaped by folding up the plastic wrap.
- Press 2⁄3 of the meatball mixture into the bowl, pressing it evenly across the bottom and up the sides of the bowl to the rim. The meat mixture should be at least 1⁄2-3⁄4” thick.
- Sprinkle grated mozzarella into the bottom of the meat-lined bowl.
- Mix together the cooked spaghetti and about 1⁄2 the jar of marinara sauce.
- Mound the spaghetti over the cheese in the meatball bowl.
- Press the remaining 1⁄3 meatball mixture over the spaghetti, pinching it around the sides where it meets with the meat mixture lining the bowl.
- Fold the tails of the plastic wrap taut over the meat to contain the meatball fully.
- Turn out of the bowl and gently press and shape the meatball with your hands so that it is evenly shaped and fully sealed. Place the formed meatball back into the bowl and then unwrap the top of the plastic wrap.
- Invert the meatball onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and remove the plastic wrap completely.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the internal temperature of the meat reaches at least 145°F and the top of the meatball is browned.
- Transfer meatball to a serving platter and top with the remaining marinara sauce. Sprinkle with grated parmesan and/or chopped parsley, if desired.
Inside Out Spaghetti
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Ingredients
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 1 pound ground sausage
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese plus more for garnish, if desired
- 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 pound spaghetti cooked and drained
- 21 oz. jar marinara sauce warmed
- Chopped parsley for garnish optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. In a small bowl, stir together milk and panko and set aside to allow the breadcrumbs to absorb the milk.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine sausage, ground beef, Italian seasoning, eggs, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and parmesan cheese. Add the breadcrumb mixture and combine all ingredients well.
- Line a mixing bowl with plastic wrap, leaving lengths of plastic wrap in each direction so the meatball can be shaped by folding up the plastic wrap.
- Press 2⁄3 of the meatball mixture into the bowl, pressing it evenly across the bottom and up the sides of the bowl to the rim. The meat mixture should be at least 1⁄2-3⁄4” thick.
- Sprinkle grated mozzarella into the bottom of the meat-lined bowl.
- Mix together the cooked spaghetti and about 1⁄2 the jar of marinara sauce.
- Mound the spaghetti over the cheese in the meatball bowl.
- Press the remaining 1⁄3 meatball mixture over the spaghetti, pinching it around the sides where it meets with the meat mixture lining the bowl.
- Fold the tails of the plastic wrap taut over the meat to contain the meatball fully. Turn out of the bowl and gently press and shape the meatball with your hands so that it is evenly shaped and fully sealed.
- Place the formed meatball back into the bowl and then unwrap the top of the plastic wrap.
- Invert the meatball onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and remove the plastic wrap completely.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the internal temperature of the meat reaches at least 145°F and the top of the meatball is browned.
- Transfer meatball to a serving platter and top with the remaining marinara sauce. Sprinkle with grated parmesan and/or chopped parsley, if desired.
Video
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer: Family Fresh Meals is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
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i have yet to make, but will soon. i am going to make 2 smaller meatballs, bake one, freeze one raw. i hope the spaghetti holds up 🙂 but fun meal
i just made these for thanksgiving dinner, but i divided it into 8 and made mini individuals. so so good