Mini Spaghetti and Meatball Appetizer

Looking for a fancy and easy party appetizer? Well, look no further – behold the Mini Spaghetti and Meatball Appetizer. Ready in just a few minutes!

I am so excited about these mini spaghetti and meatball appetizers. They look like an appetizer you would get at a fancy-schmancy party made by a high-end caterer. But the truth is they are made with pasta, frozen cooked mini-meatballs and store-bought sauce from a jar. So the only real cooking you are doing is boiling the pasta, putting it into a mini-cupcake tin and baking it. The rest is heat and serve. I mean, SERIOUSLY – what can be easier?

ingredients

Here’s a list of the ingredients I used for this recipe…all store-bought – so easy and so impressive.

1. Box of pasta
2. Jar of spaghetti sauce
3. Bag of frozen meatballs
4. Parmesan and mozzarella cheese
5. An egg
6. Italian seasoning

How to make a Pasta Nest

1. Spray a mini cupcake pan with non-stick spray.
2. Place cooked pasta in a medium-sized bowl to cool.
3. Add egg, cheeses, and seasonings to the pasta and stir until completely incorporated.
4. Using your fingers, press about 2-3 tablespoons of the pasta, egg and cheese mixture into each of the cupcake holes.
5. Using a shot glass or your knuckles, press the pasta down so there is an indent for the meatball.
6. Bake the pasta for 15-20 minutes until they are firm and just starting to brown on the bottom.

There you have it! Cute little pasta nests to hold you meatballs for the Mini Spaghetti and Meatball Appetizer.

Make ahead

You can make the pasta nests a day or two ahead of time. Just store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Take them out so they are room temperature and then heat at 325° for about 7-8 minutes.

any of these cocktails go great with the mini spaghetti and meatballs

1. Sparkling Apricot Margarita
2. Spicy Salty Dog
3. Raspberry Lime Mojito
4. Cranberry Margarita
5. Apple Cider Margarita
6. Aperol Spritz
7. Red Wine Mule

Mini Spaghetti and Meatball Appetizer

Looking for a fancy and easy party appetizer? Well, look no further - behold the Mini Spaghetti and Meatball Appetizer.

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Course: Appetizers

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: easy appetizer, holiday appetizers, mini appetizers

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Servings: 40 individual servings

Author: Laura Franco

Ingredients 

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• 1/2 box Angel hair pasta - broken in half and cooked to al dente
• 1 small Jar of prepared pasta sauce
• 20 oZ Bag of frozen mini Italian meatballs 40 meatballs - thawed
• 1 Eggs - Beaten
• 1/2 cup Finely grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup Shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 tbsp Dried Italian seasoning optional
• Pinch salt and pepper
• Basil leaves for garnish

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°.Spray a mini cupcake pan with non-stick spray and set aside.
• Cook pasta to al dente according to the package directions.
• Place cooked pasta in a medium-sized bowl to cool.
• Add egg, cheese, and seasonings to the pasta and stir until completely incorporated.
• Using your fingers, press 2-3 tablespoons of the pasta, egg, and cheese mixture into each of the cupcake holes.
• Use a shot glass or the back of a wooden spoon handle to press the pasta down so there is an indent like a small nest.
• Bake the pasta nests for 15-20 minutes until they are firm and just starting to brown on the bottom.
• While the pasta nests are baking, add the pasta sauce and meatballs to a stove-top pan and simmer until fully warmed.
• Remove the pasta nests from the oven and let them cool for 10 minutes.
• Top each one with an individual meatball and a fancy toothpick to hold them in place.
• Drizzle each meatball with a little more pasta sauce.
• Serve warm or at room temperature.