Spaghetti and Meatballs Recipe
Make a comforting dinner with my easy recipe for classic Spaghetti and Meatballs. An instant family favorite!
Servings 6 servings
Calories 884kcal
Equipment
- mixing bowl
- Large Pot
Ingredients
For the Meatballs:
- ½ cup bread crumbs (55g)
- ¼ cup chopped parsley (10g)
- ½ cup grated parmesan (40g)
- 2 large eggs
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- ¾ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 pound ground beef (450g)
- 1 pound ground pork (450g)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
For the Spaghetti:
- 1 small yellow onion finely chopped (155g)
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- 2 (28-ounce/794g) cans crushed tomatoes
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ cup chopped fresh basil
- 1 (16-ounce/454g) package spaghetti
Instructions
- In a large bowl, stir together the bread crumbs, parsley, parmesan, egg, garlic, salt, and pepper. Add the ground beef and pork. With your hand in a claw shape, gently incorporate the beef and bread crumb. Shape into about 18 meatballs, about 2 ounces each in size.
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Working in batches, brown the meatballs for 6 to 8 minutes total, rotating them occasionally to brown on all sides. Remove the meatballs from the pot and set aside on a plate.
- Remove all but 2 tablespoons of oil from the pot, then add the onion. Cook, stirring occasionally to scrape up brown bits at the bottom of the pan, until the onions are tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes if using, and cook for 1 minute more.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, ½ cup water, bay leaf, oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir together and bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Add the meatballs back to the pot (do not stir) and cover. Once the pot returns to a simmer, reduce the heat to low. Simmer gently for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Stir in the basil.
- After 45 minutes of simmering, cook the spaghetti according to package instructions. Reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain. Toss with 2 cups of sauce and a little bit of pasta water from the pot until the sauce coats the pasta.
- Serve the meatballs and sauce over the spaghetti. Top with parmesan cheese and extra basil if desired.
Video
Notes
- Be gentle with the meatball mixture when combining it. The more gently you handle it, the more tender the meatballs will be, so use a light hand and stop when the mix looks relatively consistent.
- Use a spring-loaded cookie scoop for evenly sized-meatballs. Once portioned, dampen your hands with water or oil to prevent it from sticking, and gently roll the meatballs between your palms.
- For smaller meatballs, divide the mixture into 24 meatballs, about 1½ ounces each.
- Salt your pasta water! You only get one shot to infuse the noodles with seasoning, so don’t miss it. The water should taste like the sea–I typically use 1 teaspoon of salt per quart of water.
- Want to switch things up? Make homemade marinara sauce for a lighter pasta sauce.
- Serve with garlic bread! Homemade garlic bread is the perfect side for scooping up that pasta sauce clinging to the bowl.
Nutrition
Calories: 884kcal | Carbohydrates: 77g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 44g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 20g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 177mg | Sodium: 1868mg | Potassium: 1098mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 803IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 210mg | Iron: 6mg