Spicy Sriracha Spaghetti and Meatballs is a deeply flavored, scrumptious comfort food meal. Made with sriracha, honey, and earthy spices, the meatballs are super juicy, sweet and spicy, and you won't be able to get enough!
My recipe inspiration comes from all over -- conversations with people, what I see at the Farmers Market, the season, my mood, etc.
I came up with this recipe years ago, and the idea came from somewhere a bit different, and this is 100% true -- I loved the way "Spicy Sriracha Spaghetti" sounded. It has a nice ring to it. Don't you think? 😉
Simultaneously, I knew the flavors would be a winning combination, in an incredibly cozy comfort food dish.
Made without breadcrumbs, the Sriracha meatballs have a touch of honey and mimic the flavors in the sauce. They make this a very hearty meal.
This is a fairly easy recipe and you can do half the prep a day in advance.
Ingredient Notes
- ground beef and ground pork - I use a combination of both beef and pork. The addition of the pork adds moisture. The leaner the beef, the more dense your meatballs will be -- I use ground beef with about 15% fat.
- Sriracha sauce - Sriracha sauce is made from red chili peppers, garlic, vinegar, sugar, and salt. The original Thai brand is Sriraja Panich, and over a dozen brands make a version. Huy Fong is the most popular in the U.S., and Trader Joe's even has their own version, which is a bit sweeter and little less tangy. All of the brands vary slightly in heat and flavor.
- tomato purée -Try to choose the best possible quality canned tomatoes. This is one of my favorites.
- sour cream - This adds a little tang to the meatballs, and balances the heat. Substitution: Plain yogurt.
- egg - The egg helps bind, and adds moisture to the meatballs.
- honey - Honey and Sriracha are a superb and somewhat common pairing. They're a great blend of sweet and spicy.
- ground coriander and cilantro - Coriander is the seed of a cilantro plant. Coriander has a warm, earthy flavor and doesn't taste like cilantro leaves, which are brighter with a citrusy flavor. The ground coriander is in both the sauce and meatballs, and the cilantro is used as a garnish. (If you don't like cilantro, you can use basil leaves instead.)
- onion powder - This adds a subtle earthy, sweet flavor, and complements the chopped onions in the sauce.
- Kosher salt - If you use table salt, use half the amount.
How to Make it
- Line a sheet pan with parchment paper, set it aside, and bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- Add the spaghetti to the boiling water, turn it down to a simmer, and cook just until it's al dente -- just tender but still firm to bite. Drain the spaghetti, return it to the pot, and drizzle it with oil. Set aside.
Recipe Tip: While the water comes to a boil and the spaghetti is cooks, it's a good idea to proceed with the rest of the recipe.
- Combine the beef, pork, egg, Sriracha, honey, sour cream, coriander, onion powder and salt. Mix the ingredients only until they are evenly combined. (Do not over mix!)
Recipe Tip: The easiest way to thoroughly mix quickly, is with your hands. I always do this with cooking gloves.
- Use your hands or a cookie scoop to form the mixture into balls that are about 2 generous tablespoons each, placing them on the parchment-lined sheet pan as you go.
- Coat a large, deep pan with oil, place it over low-medium heat, and add the onions. Cook until they're soft, about 4 minutes. Then add the coriander, onion powder, and salt. Stir to blend, and then add the tomato purée, Sriracha sauce and honey. Bring to a boil and then immediately reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add the prepared meatballs to the sauce, and gently flip them over with a teaspoon, so they are well coated.
- Cover and simmer over low heat until the meatballs are cooked through, about 10 minutes. (About halfway through the cooking process, gently flip them.)
- When the meatballs are cooked, use a slotted spoon to remove them, placing them on a plate as you go. Then add the cooked spaghetti to the sauce and mix to coat. Return the meatballs to the pan and sprinkle with the cilantro.
Variations
- Gluten-free version. Use gluten-free spaghetti. I really like this one made with brown rice. Or, you can even use spaghetti squash for a plant-based meal, which will also lighten it up. (Here's how to prepare the spaghetti squash.)
- Turkey or chicken version. You can use ground chicken or turkey. Turkey and chicken meatballs have a tendency to be dry, especially if they're made from all white meat, so add an extra tablespoon of sour cream to the mix.
- Extra spicy version. Don't add more Sriracha, as it'll add too much liquid to the recipe. Instead, add chili paste or crushed red pepper to taste.
Serving Suggestions
The Sriracha meatballs and spaghetti dish is perfect with a side salad. A mixed green salad is really all you need, and it would also be delicious with Asian-Style Coleslaw, Fried Lemon Caesar Salad or Cucumber Avocado Salad.
Making it Ahead
- You can make the sauce a day ahead, just to the point where you'd add the meatballs. Once it reaches room temperature, pour it into an airtight container and refrigerate. When you're ready to add the meatballs, return the sauce to the pan and bring it to a simmer first.
- You can also make and shape the meatballs a day ahead. Keep them refrigerated on a parchment-lined plate or sheet pan, covered with plastic wrap. Take them out about 15 minutes before you're ready to cook.
- Though the entire cooked dish makes for very tasty leftovers, ideally, you should cook the spaghetti as close to serving time as possible.
More Must-Try Recipes Using Sriracha Sauce
More Must-Try Meatball Recipes
I hope you love this comfort food spaghetti meal as much as my family and I do!
Spicy Sriracha Spaghetti and Meatballs Recipe
Equipment
- 5 quart soup pot for spaghetti
Ingredients
For the meatballs
- 1 pound ground beef
- ½ pound ground pork
- 1 large egg
- 5 tablespoons Sriracha sauce
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1½ teaspoons onion powder
- 1½ teaspoon Kosher salt
For the Sauce
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil (avocado, vegetable)
- 1½ cup yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 3 cups tomato purée
- 4 tablespoons Sriracha sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons roughly chopped cilantro
- 12 ounces dry spaghetti
Instructions
- Line a sheet pan with parchment paper, set it aside, and and bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- Add the spaghetti to the boiling water, turn it down to a simmer, and cook just until it's al dente -- just tender but still firm to bite. Drain the spaghetti, return it to the pot, and drizzle it with oil. Set aside.
For the meatballs
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the beef, pork, egg, Sriracha, honey, sour cream, coriander, onion powder and salt. Mix the ingredients only until they are evenly combined. (Do not over mix!) Use your hands or a cookie scoop to form the mixture into balls that are about 2 generous tablespoons each, placing them on the parchment-lined sheet pan as you go. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.
For the sauce
- Coat a large, deep sauté pan (ideally 12 to 14-inch) with oil, place it over low-medium heat, and add the onions. Cook until they're soft, about 4 minutes. Add the coriander, onion powder, and salt. Stir to blend, and then add the tomato purée, Sriracha and honey. Bring to a boil and then immediately reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add the prepared meatballs to the sauce, and gently flip them over with a teaspoon, so they're coated on all sides. Cover and simmer over low heat until the meatballs are cooked through, about 10 minutes. Half way through the cooking process, gently flip the meatballs.
- When the meatballs are cooked, use a slotted spoon to remove them, placing them on a plate as you go. Then add the cooked spaghetti to the sauce and mix to coat. Return the meatballs to the pan and sprinkle with the cilantro.
- Serve!
NOTES
NUTRITION
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