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Close-up shot of freshly baked spaghetti and meatball cups in a muffin tin on a white plate, topped with melted cheese and fresh herbs.

Meatball Spaghetti Cups

Bite-sized spaghetti nests tossed in marinara and parmesan, topped with juicy meatballs and melted mozzarella, then baked to crispy perfection.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 19 minutes
Total Time 29 minutes
Course main course
Cuisine Italian-American
Servings 6
Calories 579 kcal

Equipment

  • Oven
  • 12-Cup Muffin Tin

Ingredients
 
 

Meatballs & Pasta Base

  • 1 1/2 lb Meatballs 12 Frozen Meatballs
  • 1/2 lb Spaghetti
  • 12 oz Marinara Sauce 1 Jar
  • 2 oz Parmesan Cheese grated
  • 3 tbsp Oil for frying

Assembly & Baking

  • 2 oz Mozzarella Cheese half divided for nests, half for topping; shredded
  • Chili Flakes to taste, optional garnish
  • Cilantro chopped, optional garnish

Instructions
 

Frying Meatballs

  • Shallow-fry 12 frozen meatballs for 6–7 minutes, turning occasionally, until evenly browned. Remove and set aside.

Boiling Spaghetti

  • Boil spaghetti for 7 minutes, then drain.

Tossing Cooked Spaghetti with Marinara & Cheese

  • Add 1 jar of pasta sauce and grated parmesan cheese to the drained spaghetti. Mix well.

Pressing Spaghetti Nests into Muffin Tins

  • Divide the spaghetti evenly among the muffin cups and press them into nests.

Adding Meatballs & Extra Mozzarella

  • Divide shredded mozzarella evenly among the muffin cups, then place one meatball in each cup.

Baking to Crispy Perfection & Serving

  • Top each meatball with the remaining 56 g of shredded mozzarella. Bake at 400°F for 12 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and golden. Garnish with chili flakes and chopped cilantro to taste.
    Close-up shot of freshly baked spaghetti and meatball cups in a muffin tin on a white plate, topped with melted cheese and fresh herbs.

Notes

Serving Suggestions: Serve hot straight from the oven, garnished with chili flakes and chopped cilantro to taste.

Nutrition

Calories: 579kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 30gFat: 36gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 17gTrans Fat: 0.03gCholesterol: 96mgSodium: 545mgPotassium: 594mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 391IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 191mgIron: 2mg
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