Name: Meatballs in Cream Sauce
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 1 (8 ounce) package penne pasta; 2 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into thin strips; 8 frozen cooked meatballs, or more to taste, thawed; 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour; 2 tablespoons dry ranch dressing mix; 1.25 cups whole milk; 1 (10.75 ounce) can low-sodium cream of mushroom soup; 1 cup ricotta cheese; 1 cup bite-sized pieces fresh asparagus; 4 mushrooms, sliced, or more to taste; 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes; salt and ground black pepper to taste; 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, or to taste; 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Meatballs in Cream Sauce

4.3

(9)

9 Reviews

3 Photos

A one-dish meal of your favorite meatballs (mine are Kirkland Signature® from Costco®). Creamy mushrooms, ranch sauce with vegetables, and pasta make this great comfort food.

Recipe by janice tofuri

Published on June 8, 2018

Prep Time:

15 mins

Cook Time:

30 mins

Total Time:

45 mins

Servings:

Yield:

4 servings

Jump to Nutrition Facts

Ingredients

1 (8 ounce) package penne pasta
2 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into thin strips
8 frozen cooked meatballs, or more to taste, thawed
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons dry ranch dressing mix
1 ¼ cups whole milk
1 (10.75 ounce) can low-sodium cream of mushroom soup
1 cup ricotta cheese (Optional)
1 cup bite-sized pieces fresh asparagus
4 mushrooms, sliced, or more to taste
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (Optional)
salt and ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, or to taste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Directions

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil; add penne and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. Drain.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir bacon in skillet until crispy, about 10 minutes. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towel to drain.
Cook meatballs in the bacon drippings in the skillet until browned, about 2 minutes per side; remove with a slotted spoon to a bowl.
Stir flour and ranch mix into the retained drippings; cook and stir until the mixture is smooth. Slowly stream milk into the skillet while stirring; continue stirring and bring to a boil. Whisk cream of mushroom soup and ricotta cheese into the milk mixture; add meatballs, asparagus, and mushrooms. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until the asparagus is tender, 7 to 10 minutes.
Stir bacon into the sauce; season with red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Garnish sauce with Parmesan cheese and parsley; serve over cooked pasta.

Cook's Notes:

Substitute frozen peas, broccoli, or mixed vegetables for asparagus. Or, you can use 1 cup frozen chopped spinach, cooked and drained, reserving the drained water to thin the sauce as needed.

Pasta can be egg noodles (such as No Yolks(R)), tube-type, ravioli, or tortellini.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

480	Calories
15g	Fat
61g	Carbs
25g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 4
Calories 480
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 15g	19%
Saturated Fat 6g	29%
Cholesterol 64mg	21%
Sodium 781mg	34%
Total Carbohydrate 61g	22%
Dietary Fiber 4g	14%
Total Sugars 8g
Protein 25g
Vitamin C 4mg	22%
Calcium 222mg	17%
Iron 4mg	22%
Potassium 821mg	17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.