Low Fat Spaghetti and Meatballs

Low fat spaghetti and meatballs
RF Pictures / Getty Images
  • 55 mins
  • Prep: 25 mins,
  • Cook: 30 mins
  • Yield: Serves 4
Ratings (10)

By Fiona Haynes

Updated 12/01/17

Spaghetti and Meatballs are something the whole family can enjoy. Here, I make lower fat meatballs by using extra-lean ground beef and adding tomato sauce and chopped onion to keep them moist. The meatballs are baked, not fried, and then simmered in a low-fat marinara sauce. I promise you won't miss the excess fat in this low-fat spaghetti and meatballs dish.

What You'll Need

  • 3/4 pound extra-lean ground beef
  • 1/3 cup breadcrumbs (about 1 slice)
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
  • 1/4 cup canned no-salt-added tomato sauce
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
  • 2 1/2 cups low fat, low sodium marinara sauce (such as Amy’s or Trader Joe’s)
  • 8-ounces spaghetti or angel hair pasta

How to Make It

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees, and spray a cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Crumble ground beef into a large mixing bowl. Add breadcrumbs, oregano, onion, tomato sauce, garlic, and parsley.

3. Combine ingredients thoroughly, either with fingers or with a fork.

4. Roll meatball mixture into 1-inch balls and place on cookie sheet.

5. You should have about 20 meatballs.

6. Bake in the oven for 16-18 minutes, turning once in the middle of cooking.

7. Cook spaghetti in a large pot according to package directions, without added salt or oil.

8. In a large pan, heat marinara sauce; add cooked meatballs to the sauce and simmer until the pasta is ready.

Per Serving: Calories 404, Calories from Fat 60, Total Fat 6.9g (sat 2.4g), Cholesterol 52mg, Sodium 242mg, Carbohydrate 58.4g, Fiber 3.4g, Protein 27.7g

Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
Calories 579
Total Fat 13 g
Saturated Fat 4 g
Unsaturated Fat 5 g
Cholesterol 79 mg
Sodium 857 mg
Carbohydrates 76 g
Dietary Fiber 7 g
Protein 39 g
(The nutrition information on our recipes is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. Individual results may vary.)