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Garlic Butter Meatballs: Parmesan Linguine Delight

A creamy, indulgent dish featuring juicy meatballs, garlic butter, and parmesan linguine, perfect for weeknight dinners or impressing guests.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 600
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the meatballs
  • 1 lb ground beef Or ½ beef + ½ pork
  • 1 large egg
  • ½ cup breadcrumbs
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tbsp chopped parsley
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp olive oil For searing
For the sauce
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • ¼ tsp red pepper flakes Optional
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp chopped parsley
For the linguine
  • 12 oz linguine
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • ¾ cup heavy cream
  • ¾ cup grated Parmesan

Method
 

Preparation
  1. In a large bowl, combine ground meat, egg, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix until just combined. Roll mixture into 1-inch balls (about 20-24). Set aside.
  2. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add meatballs and brown on all sides (about 6-8 minutes). Remove and set aside.
Cooking
  1. In the same skillet, reduce heat to low. Add butter, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
  2. Stir in lemon juice and remaining parsley. Return meatballs to the skillet, spoon sauce over them, and simmer on low for 5-7 minutes until cooked through.
  3. Meanwhile, cook linguine according to package directions and reserve ½ cup pasta water.
  4. In another saucepan, melt butter, add heavy cream, and bring to a simmer. Stir in Parmesan until melted. Thin with pasta water if needed.
  5. Toss cooked linguine in the sauce until coated. Serve meatballs over creamy linguine, drizzle with garlic butter, and garnish with parsley and extra Parmesan.

Notes

Mix meat gently to avoid tough meatballs. Season well with salt and pepper. Make-ahead: refrigerate meatballs a day in advance. Add chopped spinach or sun-dried tomatoes for variation. For a plant-based version, swap out meat with lentils.