This Spanish-Style Spaghetti with Tuna Meatballs is possibly one of the BEST pasta dishes ever. It´s filled with amazing flavors & textures, it´s easy to make and all done in a little over 30 minutes. Serve it next to a garden salad, crunchy baguette and a bottle of Spanish wine for a delicious meal.
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
For the pasta:
8 oz spaghetti
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion
4 cloves garlic
1 tsp sweet smoked Spanish paprika
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 can tomato sauce 14.5 oz
1 can diced tomatoes 14.5 oz
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
pinch sea salt
dash black pepper
For the tuna meatballs:
2 cans tuna in olive oil 5 oz each
2 eggs
1/4 cup plain breadcrumbs
1 clove garlic
2 tbsp chopped onion
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
pinch sea salt
dash black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
To make the tuna meatballs:
Drain the cans of tuna into a fine sieve with a bowl underneath, flake the tuna, then add into a large bowl, crack in the eggs, add in the breadcrumbs, finely grate the clove of garlic and add in 2 tbsp chopped onion, then season with sea salt & black pepper and mix together until well mixed, once well mixed, push down on the mixture to make a paste-like texture, if your mixture is too wet, add in more breadcrumbs, then shape into meatballs, each one a little smaller than a golf ball
To make the pasta:
Fill a stock pot a little over half ways with cold water, season generously with sea salt and heat with a high heat
At the same time, heat a large fry pan with a medium heat and add in the extra virgin olive oil
Once the oil is hot, add in the tuna meatballs, cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until lightly golden fried all around, then remove from the fry pan and set aside
Using the same pan with the same heat, add in 1 small onion finely chopped and 4 cloves garlic roughly chopped, mix together, after 3 to 4 minutes and the onion is translucent, add in the paprika and thyme, quickly mix together, then add in the canned tomato sauce, canned diced tomatoes, chopped parsley and season with sea salt & black pepper, mix together until well mixed, then add in the tuna meatballs, gently mix together so each meatball is coated in the sauce, then lower to a low-medium heat and simmer
Once the water comes to a boil in the stock pot, add in the spaghetti, cook until al dente (check package instructions), then transfer the spaghetti directly from the stock pot into the pan with the sauce, shaking off any excess water
Turn off the heat in the sauce and gently mix together until well mixed
Transfer into shallow bowls and sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley
