Few dishes bring a smile to everyone’s face quite like a hearty, cheesy pasta bake, and this Meatballs & Pasta Bake is no ...

Form into 1½-inch meatballs. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat a drizzle of olive oil. Brown the meatballs on all sides (they don’t need to be fully cooked yet).

6. Remove the onions and basil sprigs from the sauce and gently nestle the meatballs into the hot sauce. Cover and let simmer for 10 minutes and stir gently.

Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of oil, and brown the meatballs on 3 or 4 sides—just enough to get some color. Transfer them to a 300°F oven and bake for 15 ...

Not all pasta shapes are suited to the same sauce. ... “Spaghetti and meatballs is an Italian-American invention, definitely not something you would find in Italy,” says Poliafito.

Don’t laugh. I assembled 5 meatballs in a bowl and spooned the sauce over the meatballs. The sauce dripped all around the meatballs; the onions sliding along their sides.