Creamy & Flavourful Marry Me Pasta with Venison Meatballs

When I tell you this Marry Me Pasta with Venison Meatballs may just be my favorite pasta dish ever, it is no exaggeration. This pasta is easy, creamy, full of flavor and has the most delicious tender venison meatballs.

Pasta night is a regular occurrence in this house, and this recipe is the perfect Spring pasta dish to make! It is full of vibrant flavours and isn’t too heavy making it perfect to enjoy al year round. You will be in LOVE!

If you have never had marry me pasta it is a creamy sauce full of garlic, onions, sun dried tomatoes, spinach and fresh parmesan. I top mine with fresh basil for an extra pop of goodness. This dish can be made using any ground wild game meat you have or even beef. The meatballs are my classic Italian Venison meatball that turn out perfect every time and will have anyone enjoying venison.

You can use homemade pasta, store bought or gluten free. Whichever you prefer. I keep it a bit lighter using half and half cream, and then some of the pasta water to make it extra saucy. This marry me pasta is a versatile dish that is perfect served for family weeknight dinner or served up as a beautiful meal for a dinner party!

Tips for Making Perfect Marry Me Pasta with Venison Meatballs

1. I always recommend using ground venison or other wild game meat that has at least 10% fat added to it. Especially when making meatballs! This helps ensure they stay juicy and tender without drying out.
2. When making the pasta sauce, it is best to have all your ingredients prepped before starting it. The sauce comes together quick, so having everything ready to go will make it much easier on you.
3. DO NOT forget to reserve pasta water before straining your pasta. This is essential in helping loosen up the sauce and give it that beautiful creamy texture without adding a ton of cream.

Marry Me Pasta with Venison Meatball Ingredients

Ground Venison– This can be venison, moose, elk, beef, etc.

Pasta– I love spaghetti for this recipe, but use any kind of pasta you like.

Parmesan Cheese– You want fresh grated as it melts the nicest.

Sun Dried Tomatoes– If you buy the whole ones, you will want to slice them.

Bread Crumbs– Act as a binder in the meatballs. Use gluten free if you need.

Spinach– This dish can be made without spinach if you prefer, but if adds color, nutrients and you hardly taste it.

Basil– Fresh basil is best.

Half & Half Cream- Many marry me pastas use heavy cream but I prefer to use half and half to keep the sauce a bit lighter.

Garlic– Fresh minced garlic as always.

Onion– White or Yellow onion.

Egg– You need 1 egg to help hold the meatballs together.

Tomato Paste– Just a touch, adds some depth of flavor to the sauce.

The Steps

1. Start by preheating your oven to 400F.
2. Then, add all of the meatball ingredients to a bowl, and stir until combined.
3. Using a cookie scoop or a spoon, form the meat mixture into meatballs and place them on a baking sheet. I make mine a couple tbsp in size.
4. Bake the meatballs for 10-15 minutes or until internal temp reaches 165F.
5. While the meatballs cook, boil the pasta in salted water, making sure to remove about 1 1/2 cups of the pasta water before straining the noodles.
6. For the sauce, heat a large skillet with a couple tbsp of butter. Add in the onion and garlic and saute for about 3-4 minutes.
7. Next, add in the sun dried tomatoes and the tomato paste. Stir and cook for another minute.
8. Pour in the heavy cream followed by about 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Season with the salt and pepper and stir.
9. Let the sauce cook over medium low to thicken slightly, then stir in the grated parmesan until smooth.
10. Finally add in the spinach, and cook the sauce over low until the spinach has cooked down.
11. Add the strained noodles into the sauce, stir, and add in a bit more of the pasta water until you have your desired sauce consistency.
12. Stir the cooked meatballs in with the pasta, then serve into bowls topped with more fresh grated parmesan, fresh chopped basil and a sprinkle of chili flakes if you like. Enjoy!

If you give this recipe a try, leave a comment or recipe review below!