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{This post is sponsored by Disney!}
Giant + Mini Spaghetti and Meatballs!
Hey guys! Happy December 1st! I wanted to kick off the best month of the year with a classic recipe that everyone loves. Actually, I think this is one of the most classic cozy meals there is. Who doesn’t love a plate of spaghetti and meatballs? It’s the perfect any night family meal. It’s also possibly one of my brother Creighton’s favorite dinners.
This is another one of those recipes that I always make around Christmas time when my family is town. It’s simple, quick, and can be easily doubled or tripled to feed a crowd. Plus, everyone seems to truly love the meal. I think there’s something about the combo of pasta, red sauce, meat and cheese. It gets people every time.
Today I’ve partnered with Disney for the release of The BFG on Blu-ray, Digital HD & Disney Movies Anywhere. If you guys have seen or heard anything about this movie, than you may know that it’s about a young girl named Sophie who befriends a big friendly giant! I don’t want to give away all the details because this is such a fun movie watch, but this recipe was inspired by the Big Friendly Giant’s giant appetite, and Sophie’s mini appetite. Fun right?
I took my everyday meatball recipe and created one GIANT meatball. Then I surrounded it with a bunch of mini meatballs, which actually makes for a cute presentation. Give your favorite family giant the exclusive meatball, and divi up the minis for us smaller eaters. Oh, and the minis work equally great as holiday appetizers for your next party!
When I told my little sister, Asher what I was working on, she insisted that we watch the movie while decorating the Christmas tree and eating our bowls of spaghetti and meatballs…or in her case giant bowl…little backwards there. It ended up being perfect because while this is definitely a movie made for younger kids, it’s still a fun movie for adults to watch, and once Asher got tired of decorating, she crashed on the couch and finished watching the movie…leaving me with a giant mess .
Typical.
Anyway, when I was deciding on a recipe that would best inspire the big and little theme of the movie, I wanted to create something that would not only be great for holiday entertaining, but equally great for a simple family movie night.
These meatballs could not be more perfect!
I like to bake my meatballs for easy cooking and then top them with plenty of fresh mozzarella and parmesan…then simply add sauce and pasta! Yes, please!
So, do we have our dinner plans set? Movie watching and meatball eating? Cool, cool, me too!
Spaghetti and Meatballs.
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground sirloin
- 3/4 cup bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
- kosher salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 egg
- 1 jar marinara sauce
- 1/3 cup mozzarella, shredded
- whole wheat pasta or spaghetti squash, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with olive oil.
- Mix together the ground sirloin, bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, parsley, dried oregano, crushed red pepper, salt, pepper, olive oil and egg to a mixing bowl until just combined.
- Coat your hands with a bit of olive oil, and roll the meat into 2 tablespoon size balls (will make 10-12 meatballs). Place the meatballs in the prepared baking dish and place in the oven. Bake for 15 minutes or until the meatballs are crisp on the outside, but not yet cooked through on the inside. Add the mozzarella cheese and continue cooking another 15-20 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through.
- To make a Giant meatball, form the meat mixture into and oval and place in the prepared baking dish. Transfer to the oven and bake for 35-45 minutes or until the meat is cooked through. During the last 10 minutes of cooking, add the cheese. Serve with pasta and marinara.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
Got to love a good pasta twirl! 🙂
{This post is sponsored by Disney The BFG. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep Half Baked Harvest cooking!! 
}
Now I have to have this soon.
Awesome! I hope you love it! Thanks Nancy!
Jar of sauce??????
You need a tomato sauce recipe!!
If you’ve got the extra time, here is one of HBH’s marinara-from-scratch recipes! 🙂
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/crockpot-brown-butter-marinara-sauce/#bo-recipe
So sorry! I should have linked to my favorite one! https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/crockpot-brown-butter-marinara-sauce/#bo-recipe
Let me know if you have questions. Thank you!
There’s nothing more comforting than a giant bowl of spaghetti and meatballs!
AGREED! Thanks Gina!
Making this for dinner ASAP. Spaghetti is one of my all time favorite dinners 🙂
Perfect! I hope you love it, thanks Jennifer!
The best looking spaghetti and meatballs ever!
Thank you Matt!!
Who can resist a giant ball of spaghetti and meat balls? I cannot!!
https://bloglairdutemps.blogspot.pt/
Me neither! Haha thank you Ruth!
This was such a fun movie! The dish is perfect – giant meatballs for the giant. LOVE!
Thank you Naomi!
Oh yum, I love meatballs!
Rachael xx.
http://theteacozykitchen.blogspot.co.uk/
Thank you Rachael!
A guideline measurement for salt is needed since the meatball cannot be tasted
until after it is cooked and by then it is too late. This recipe is not for Italian style
meatballs but I’m sure it is good.
Hey Mary, sorry I use a pinch which is about 1/2 teaspoon. Let me know if you have questions. Thank you!
Hands down, spaghetti and meatballs is my husband Tom’s favorite meal of all time Tieghan! This looks so comforting and delicious!
Then this is perfect for him! Thank you Mary Ann!
Oh I LOVE the idea of giant meatballs! And Asher is just too cute. More Asher hand pics please!!!
Haha I will have to do more!! Thanks Sarah!
this is incredibly cozy. I feel like every time I eat a bowl of this meal, I am blanketed by warmth and happiness.
http://www.searedandshameless.com
Yes it is such a great dish! Thank you Jessica!!
Yummm! This looks delish!
Thanks Sara!
Oh my…and yet another fun dish!!! Of course leave it to you to come up with this cool dish that can be related to that movie! I have seen the trailer for that, it will be an addition to our movie list. Love spaghetti and meatballs, such a classic comfort food. What a great idea to put the cheese on top so it can be melting all over the meatballs! Will definitely try 😉
I am so glad you like this one, Sheila! And I hope you love the movie! (I am sure you will!!) Thank you!!
always up for giant meatballs! i have to admit, as soon as i saw that you were partnering with disney, i was thinking of “moana”, and i just couldn’t figure out how spaghetti and meatballs were “moana” related ?
Haha no, not moana! But this movie is super cute! Thanks Heather!
IJWTS wow! Why can’t I think of thngis like that?
Hi Christy — I feel your heart…I too went through a divorce…I understand the loss of SO many things, not only the marriage, but dreams.I’ve raised the white flag TWO times…surrendering to Him — I am confident that HE IS BIG ENOUGH and He IS enough!I too am remarried and SO grateful that His plans for me are for good. Â There is no place I would rather be.Thank you for sharing your heart here, for your honesty and transparency. Â ACCEPTANCE is the key to ALL our problems and struggles…If I don’t win your book, I’m picking up a copy — is it available on Kindle?? =)Keeping it Personal,Teri Johnson
Expensive Mistakes and Cheap Thrills: I don’t remember even a little tiff!Ruby:oh wow! seems like you guys are pretty well adjusted:) This little meme actually seems interesting….hmmmmmmmmTamara: I think its pretty cool too!Arkwife: I don’t think any home should be without one! And you’re so right…Mr Coppens: you are so right dude!Jeanette: methinks!MeHereNow: I do hope you’ll get a new one!Cormac Brown: mwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa…Tay: harassedmomsramblings: hhmmm… interesting.