# Spaghetti & Meatballs **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 3, 2016, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spaghetti-meatballs/756370 "2016-06-03T10:11:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Mama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5ac83/32.png) [@Atomic\_Mama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Mama)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2016, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spaghetti-meatballs/756370/1 "2016-06-03T10:11:48Z")
Is it ALWAYS mandatory to serve Italian meatballs with spaghetti? If so, why? :dubious: Anybody out there got a meatball recipe that uses another shape or form of pasta? I sure would like to switch it up good … :eek: :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2016, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spaghetti-meatballs/756370/2 "2016-06-03T10:26:46Z")
> [@Atomic\_Mama](#): > > Is it ALWAYS mandatory to serve Italian meatballs with spaghetti? If so, why? :dubious: > > Anybody out there got a meatball recipe that uses another shape or form of pasta? > > I sure would like to switch it up good … :eek: :smack: [Kofta Tagine](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYKqUGdc7rc) ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2016, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spaghetti-meatballs/756370/3 "2016-06-03T11:28:07Z")
I recently made stuffed banana peppers but had leftover stuffing. I made mini meatballs with it and put them in baked ziti. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2016, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spaghetti-meatballs/756370/4 "2016-06-03T12:01:12Z")
Make a meatball sub. Much better use of meatballs. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2016, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spaghetti-meatballs/756370/5 "2016-06-03T12:23:05Z")
I serve spaghetti without meatballs more often than with. Though when I make meatballs it is usually for spaghetti. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2016, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spaghetti-meatballs/756370/6 "2016-06-03T12:49:20Z")
Growing up, spaghetti was something we were served only when Dad had to prepare dinner, and he always made it with sliced kielbasa, so that’s what I do when I make it. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2016, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spaghetti-meatballs/756370/7 "2016-06-03T12:59:49Z")
I think the question is more about what else to serve Italian style meatballs with, not other uses for spaghetti. You can serve them, as said, in a sandwich. Or meatball soup. Or with orzo if you’re looking for a different type of pasta. There’s also lasagna (see lasagna napoletana.) ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2016, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spaghetti-meatballs/756370/8 "2016-06-03T14:06:37Z")
Italian style or not, one of my go-to bachelor meals was meatballs in some sauce over egg noodles. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2016, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spaghetti-meatballs/756370/9 "2016-06-03T14:18:32Z")
I don’t think I’ve ever made meatballs in my spaghetti. I make meat sauce with onions and mushrooms and ground beef, but no meatballs. Probably because that’s how my mom made it (well, minus the mushrooms because of my fussy sister, but still…) ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2016, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spaghetti-meatballs/756370/10 "2016-06-03T14:29:27Z")
I love Meatball. > **[Robert Crumb’s Meatball!](https://marswillsendnomore.wordpress.com/2013/06/12/robert-crumbs-meatball/#jp-carousel-24875)** > > Legend has it that Robert Crumb’s entire set of finished pages for the first issue of Zap somehow got lost. He created a whole new issue from scratch that became Zap #1. When the lost pages r… ---
**Author:** ![NeonMadman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/58f4c7/32.png) [@NeonMadman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NeonMadman)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2016, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spaghetti-meatballs/756370/11 "2016-06-03T14:48:14Z")
I use penne pasta for nearly everything. If I was serving meatballs, they would be with penne. I seem to have control problems when it comes to eating pasta, and using spaghetti or other long-strand pastas just increases the likelihood that I’ll end up wearing some of the sauce. On the other hand, meatballs aren’t necessary with pasta; I love a variety of different sausages, and I even make a fairly simple garlic and cheese penne side dish. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2016, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spaghetti-meatballs/756370/12 "2016-06-03T14:51:58Z")
Same here. The wife generally splits it: half the time it’s spag w/balls, the other half it’s penne w/balls. But **Tripolar** got it right up above - meatball sub. Much better use of meatballs. ---
**Author:** ![Kelevra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/97f17d/32.png) [@Kelevra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kelevra)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2016, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spaghetti-meatballs/756370/13 "2016-06-03T15:01:03Z")
When I go to the trouble to make meatballs I do a triple batch. Throw the extras in the freezer and break them out as needed. I use slider buns to make mini subs. Just the right size for the 3 year old. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2016, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spaghetti-meatballs/756370/14 "2016-06-03T15:02:31Z")
Here’s a recipe for that [meatball lasagna I mentioned earlier](http://www.seriouseats.com/2015/01/food-lab-lasagna-napoletana-meatball.html). Food porn at its finest. ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2016, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spaghetti-meatballs/756370/15 "2016-06-03T15:05:30Z")
What exactly do you mean by spaghetti? I usually eat meatballs with wide egg noodles and hollandaise sauce, good with sour cream sauce too. ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2016, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spaghetti-meatballs/756370/16 "2016-06-03T15:26:04Z")
Polenta isn’t just for sausage delivery. Meatballs go well with it also. ---
**Author:** ![quiltguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e47774/32.png) [@quiltguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quiltguy)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2016, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spaghetti-meatballs/756370/17 "2016-06-03T15:33:01Z")
> [@furryman](#): > > What exactly do you mean by spaghetti? I usually eat meatballs with wide egg noodles and hollandaise sauce, good with sour cream sauce too. Hollandaise sauce sure is different, did you invent that combo? Are you going for a mock Stroganoff taste with the sour cream? ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2016, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spaghetti-meatballs/756370/18 "2016-06-03T15:35:28Z")
In Sunday gravy, the meatballs (along with sausage, porkchops, or whatever other red meat you have lying around) are generally served with penne or rigatoni. ---
**Author:** ![adhemar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@adhemar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adhemar)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2016, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spaghetti-meatballs/756370/19 "2016-06-03T16:13:34Z")
Swedish meatballs? ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2016, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spaghetti-meatballs/756370/20 "2016-06-03T16:18:17Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Italian style or not, one of my go-to bachelor meals was meatballs in some sauce over egg noodles. Same here. Meatballs, egg noodles, jar of gravy, a few vegetables, top with cheese and french fried onions cooked on Sunday night. Leftovers for lunch all week. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spaghetti-meatballs/756370.md?page=2)