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From-Scratch Spaghetti Rings with Mini Meatballs

From-Scratch Spaghetti Rings with Mini Meatballs brings back childhood comfort with a richer, brighter tomato sauce that lightly sweetens and balances gentle herbs and pepper. Tender anellini soak up the sauce while bite-size Italian meatballs add juicy, savory richness, finished with fragrant basil and nutty Parmesan. Ideal for a cozy family dinner or a nostalgic weeknight meal.

  • Prep15 mins
  • Cook20 mins
  • Serves5
  • DifficultyEasy
From-Scratch Spaghetti Rings with Mini Meatballs

easyChef Pro health score

Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in From-Scratch Spaghetti Rings with Mini Meatballs, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.

40 Health Score
Glycemic ImpactFair
44 / 100
Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
Nutritional DensityPoor
0 / 100
Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
Energy DensityGood
93 / 100
Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
NOVA Processed Culinary Ingredients
2 / 4
Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.

How it scores for each health goal

The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.

21
Heart Health
56
Metabolic
36
Digestive
33
Inflammatory
45
Performance
41
General Wellness
  1. 1

    Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring it to a rolling boil. Stir in the pasta and return it to a boil. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until slightly firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water, drain the pasta, and set it aside.

  2. 2

    Add the tomato sauce, Cantanzaro herbs, sugar, salt, and pepper to the pot; bring to a simmer over medium-low heat.

  3. 3

    Meanwhile, cut each meatball into 4 pieces. Roll each piece into a mini meatball. Drop the meatballs into the sauce; simmer until heated through, about 10 minutes. If the sauce seems too thick, thin it by adding pasta water, 1 tablespoon at a time.

  4. 4

    Stir in the cooked pasta rings. Garnish with basil leaves and Parmesan shavings, and serve immediately.

About This Recipe

From Scratch Spaghetti Rings with Mini Meatballs is an Italian dinner recipe made with 9 ingredients. It takes about 35 mins, serves 5, and is rated easy. Key ingredients include Black Pepper, Fresh Basil, Italian Meatballs, and Italian Seasoning. Each serving provides about 279.88 kcal, and is a good source of protein.

Recipe Questions

What is From-Scratch Spaghetti Rings with Mini Meatballs?
It is an Italian meatball recipe made with 9 ingredients, usually served for dinner or lunch.
What is From-Scratch Spaghetti Rings with Mini Meatballs made of?
The main ingredients are Black Pepper, Fresh Basil, Italian Meatballs, Italian Seasoning, Salt. The full list of 9 is above.
What goes well with From-Scratch Spaghetti Rings with Mini Meatballs?
Explore these Italian side-dish recipes.
How long does it take to make From-Scratch Spaghetti Rings with Mini Meatballs?
About 35 mins in total: 15 mins to prepare and 20 mins to cook.
How many calories are in one serving?
One serving provides about 279.88 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
Is From-Scratch Spaghetti Rings with Mini Meatballs easy to make?
This recipe is rated easy, with 9 ingredients and 4 steps.
Is From-Scratch Spaghetti Rings with Mini Meatballs healthy?
From-Scratch Spaghetti Rings with Mini Meatballs has an easyChef Pro health score of 40/100. Per serving, it provides 279.88 calories and 13.06 g of protein, or 26% of the Daily Value. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 1222.75 mg (53% of the Daily Value) and saturated fat at 4.22 g (21% of the Daily Value). It contains Milk, Wheat, Gluten and Tomatoes, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.

How easyChef Pro scores recipes and products

easyChef Pro analyzes up to 41 nutrients using data sourced from USDA and other verified food databases. Its scoring method uses the nutrients relevant to nutrition quality, calorie density, processing level, and your selected health goal. Recipes and food products get a health score from 0 to 100, calculated using consistent rules instead of being estimated by AI. The same nutrition data, serving size and health goal will produce the same result.

The calculation evaluates nutrients, calorie density, processing level, and how well the food supports your selected health goal. Protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients can strengthen the score. High amounts of sodium, saturated fat, added sugar and other nutrients may lower it.

Your health goal also matters. easyChef Pro evaluates recipes and products across six health areas and adjusts their importance for your selected goal. This means the same food may be a better fit for one health goal than another.

For recipes, changing an ingredient, quantity or serving size changes the nutrition and may change the score. Remix the recipe in easyChef Pro to calculate fresh nutrition and scores for the version you actually make. Product scores are based on the nutrition and serving information associated with that specific product.

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