The world’s most perfect food? We think so.
Spaghetti makes it onto the menu of most American homes with clock-like regularity. Since it’s a meal everyone will eat that comes together in mere minutes, it’s easy to understand why the answer to, “what’s for dinner?” is so often “spaghetti.”
Another feature that makes spaghetti so easy to serve is that the ingredients are easy to keep on hand. Every pantry includes a jar of sauce and a package of spaghetti noodles waiting to be whipped into dinner.
But. As universally loved and appreciated as weeknight spaghetti is, sometimes it’s nice to add a bit of variety to the routine. What can you do to spice up spaghetti without altering its key features – ingredients always at the ready, minimal prep, and loved by all?
Add meatballs. Frozen meatballs, to be specific. Why are the best frozen meatballs for spaghetti the perfect answer to adding zip to dinner this week?
- They’re frozen. That means you can always keep a bag of these bites of deliciousness on hand. Frozen meatballs are one prepared food item that you can count on to be high quality and to taste great.
- They take no prep. Adding frozen meatballs to your spaghetti takes minimal effort. Extremely minimal effort. There’s no need to thaw the meatballs ahead of time. Simply toss them into a pot with your sauce and let them heat as the sauce simmers. If you start the meatballs and sauce first and then put your pasta water on to boil, the meatballs will probably be ready to eat at the same time the spaghetti finishes cooking. The meatballs will be tender, and they will impart a savory flavor to your sauce as they heat. So good.
- They are loved by all. Who doesn’t love a meatball? Good frozen meatballs are delightfully delicious. They instantly elevate plain old spaghetti into spaghetti and meatballs, which is something special. And, in an effort to acknowledge reality, it’s true that some picky eaters won’t like them (if you have one at your house, you know), but meatballs are easy to avoid. You can reserve some sauce without meatballs or simply dodge the meatballs while serving some people.
There you have it. The perfect way to add a bit of something extra to weeknight spaghetti when you’ve got the time and energy sufficient for the old standby, but you’re really craving something a bit more. If you really want to take things up a notch, add a tossed Caesar salad, a loaf of crusty bread, and shavings of parmesan cheese. With these extra touches plus meatballs in your spaghetti, you’ll have a satisfying meal fit every time.
