Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly mist 2 mini-muffin tins and 2 classic-sized muffin tins with cooking spray and set them aside.

In a large bowl, combine the meatball ingredients (except for the marinara) and mix with your hands until everything is thoroughly combined. Then, gather about 2 teaspoons of the meat mixture and roll it into a ball. Repeat with the rest of the mixture, set the balls in the prepared mini-muffin tins and bake them for 10 minutes.

While the meatballs bake, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the broken spaghetti pieces according to the package directions for al dente. Then, drain, rinse and place them into a large bowl.

When the meatballs are done, remove them from the oven and place them in a saucepot with 3 cups of marinara sauce. Heat the meatballs and sauce over low heat on the stovetop, just to keep it all warm. Stir occasionally.

When the pasta is cooled enough to handle, gently mix the noodles together with 1 cup of the Dragone® Whole Milk Mozzarella Cheese, the fresh grated Parmesan Cheese, eggs, Italian seasoning, minced garlic, sea salt, black pepper and the 3 tablespoons of marinara sauce until thoroughly combined.

Place about ¼ cup of the spaghetti mixture into each cup of the classic-sized muffin tin. Using the base of a shot glass or your fingers, press down on the center and up the sides of the spaghetti, forming divots in the center of the spaghetti cups. Then, spoon 1 tablespoon of the meatball sauce into each of the divots of the spaghetti cups, place a meatball in each center and top with a pinch of the shredded Dragone® Whole Milk Mozzarella. Place the prepared muffin tins in the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until the spaghetti cups are cooked through and the cheese is melted and bubbly.

When the spaghetti cups are done, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool and set up for 5 minutes before removing them from the tins. When ready to serve, garnish with fresh chopped herbs and serve with a side of extra sauce and meatballs for guests to use as desired.

Tip: This recipe is perfect for kids’ parties! These little spaghetti cups are an affordable and less messy option to serving traditional spaghetti and meatballs. You can also make them ahead. Just hold the sauce and cooked meatballs in one airtight container and the spaghetti cups in another, then assemble and bake right before serving.