Pantry spaghetti and meatballs, tomato sauce and all

Spaghetti and meatballs is the meal that gets everyone to the table without a fight. What surprised me is how much of it comes off the shelf now. The sauce, the egg and milk that hold the meatballs together, none of it needs a trip to the store.

The sauce starts with our Powdered Vitamin Tomato, which already has a hint of basil and oregano in the powder. That means bright tomato flavor with fewer things to measure. It works on a school night, and it works when you're cooking from a stocked pantry a year out.

What the pantry buys you here

This is a smarter way to make a plate everyone already knows. Two ingredients do most of the work.

• The Powdered Vitamin Tomato gives you a concentrated dose of vitamin C, vitamin A, lycopene, and other micronutrients, and it keeps for years. The basil, oregano, and thyme are already in it, so your ingredient list shrinks.
• Powdered Vitamin Eggs and Powdered Vitamin Milk bind and tenderize the meatballs. No last-minute run for fresh eggs or dairy.

Spaghetti and meatballs with vitamin-rich marinara

Prep time: about 25 minutes. Cook time: about 35 minutes. Serves 4 to 6.

Ingredients

For the marinara:

• 1 cup Powdered Vitamin Tomato
• 1 1/2 cups cold water
• 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp dried oregano (optional)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh basil or parsley for garnish (optional)

For the beef meatballs:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 2 Tbsp Powdered Vitamin Eggs, mixed with 2 Tbsp water
• 2 Tbsp rehydrated Powdered Vitamin Milk
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs or panko
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for garnish
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Olive oil for browning

For serving:

• 12 oz spaghetti or your favorite pasta
• Grated Parmesan and fresh herbs for garnish

Instructions

1. Make the tomato base. In a small bowl, stir the Powdered Vitamin Tomato into 1 1/2 cups cold water until smooth. Add a little more water if you want it thinner.
2. Simmer the marinara. Warm the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft and fragrant, about 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the tomato base, oregano, salt, and pepper. Let it simmer uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring now and then, until it thickens and the flavor comes forward.
3. Form the meatballs. While the sauce simmers, heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). In a large bowl, gently mix the ground beef, rehydrated egg and milk, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Don't overwork it. Shape into about 18 medium meatballs.
4. Cook the meatballs. Two ways work:
   • Pan-sear and bake. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and brown the meatballs on all sides, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Move them to a baking sheet and finish in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes, until cooked through.
   • Bake only. Place the meatballs on a greased baking sheet and bake 18 to 20 minutes, until golden and cooked through, an internal temp of 160°F.
5. Bring it together. Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until al dente, and save about 1/2 cup of the pasta water before you drain. Add the meatballs to the simmering marinara and let them bubble together for 5 minutes. If the sauce is too thick, stir in a splash of that pasta water.
6. Serve. Plate the spaghetti and spoon the sauce and meatballs over the top. Finish with grated Parmesan and fresh basil or parsley.

Tips and variations

• Cook ahead. This freezes well. Make a double batch of meatballs and sauce and freeze them in quart bags for a quick meal later.
• Add vegetables. Stir in some Freeze Dried Mixed Vegetables while the sauce simmers.
• Make it dairy-free. Skip the Vitamin Milk and Parmesan and use a fresh egg in place of the Vitamin Eggs.

The short of it

You end up with a familiar plate that happens to carry real nutrition and comes together from the shelf. Keep Powdered Vitamin Tomato, Powdered Vitamin Eggs, and Powdered Vitamin Milk stocked and this dinner is never more than a shelf away, on a busy Tuesday or a year into a food supply you built on purpose.