Description
Classic Italian Spaghetti and Meatballs recipe featuring tender homemade meatballs simmered in a rich and flavorful tomato sauce, served over perfectly cooked spaghetti. This comforting dish blends savory ground beef and pork with aromatic herbs, garlic, and parmesan cheese for a traditional family favorite.
Ingredients
Scale
Sauce:
- 2 (28 ounce) cans whole tomatoes (with juices), preferably San Marzano plum tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional, or more to taste)
- Salt & pepper to taste
Meatballs:
- 1/3 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
- 1/3 cup whole milk
- 1 pound ground beef (80-85% lean recommended)
- 1/2 pound ground pork or ground Italian sausage
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- 1/4 cup packed fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- Pepper to taste
For Serving:
- 1 pound uncooked spaghetti
- Torn or chopped fresh basil (optional, to taste)
Instructions
- Prepare Ingredients: Mince all garlic cloves for both the sauce and meatballs to streamline the process. Break up the whole canned tomatoes with your hands in a large bowl to release juices and ensure even texture in the sauce.
- Start the Sauce: Heat olive oil and butter in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté for about 5 minutes until softened and translucent.
- Add Garlic and Seasonings: Stir in minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the broken tomatoes with juices, Italian seasoning, dried oregano, granulated sugar, and crushed red pepper flakes. Stir well to combine.
- Simmer the Sauce: Once the sauce begins to bubble, partially cover the pot with the lid slightly ajar. Reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Adjust heat between medium-low and low to sustain consistent simmering.
- Make the Meatballs: In a large bowl, combine Italian seasoned breadcrumbs and whole milk, mixing until a paste forms. Add ground beef, ground pork or sausage, egg, parmesan, parsley, minced garlic, salt, onion powder, and pepper. Gently mix with hands until just combined. Form approximately eighteen 1 ½-inch meatballs with a delicate touch to avoid compacting the mixture.
- Add Meatballs to Sauce: Stir the sauce, then carefully place the meatballs into the simmering tomato sauce, submerging them gently. Continue simmering with the lid slightly open for 35-45 minutes, or until meatballs reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). Adjust heat as needed to maintain a gentle simmer throughout cooking.
- Cook the Spaghetti: While the meatballs cook, boil the spaghetti in salted water according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Final Seasoning and Serving: Taste the sauce and season with salt and pepper to your preference. Serve the meatballs and sauce over the cooked spaghetti. Garnish with additional freshly grated parmesan cheese and optional fresh basil for a fragrant finish.
Notes
- The meatball preparation time is included within the overall cook time as the sauce simmers while mixing and forming meatballs.
- Use San Marzano plum tomatoes if available for the most authentic and flavorful sauce.
- Choosing fattier ground meats (80-85% lean) will yield moister, more flavorful meatballs; avoid extra lean meats.
- Optionally, brown the meatballs in a skillet before adding them to the sauce to add a caramelized flavor and reduce cooking time, but it is not necessary.
- 1 pound of spaghetti serves about 6 people; adjust portion sizes if not cooking for a full group.
- When reheating leftovers, boil fresh pasta for best texture instead of reheating spaghetti with the sauce.
- Nutritional values include spaghetti portioned to a little over 2.5 oz uncooked per serving.
- This recipe is featured in the Salt & Lavender: Everyday Essentials cookbook.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 1/6 of recipe with 2.5 oz uncooked spaghetti)
- Calories: 650
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16g
- Trans Fat: 0.3g
- Carbohydrates: 55g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 38g
- Cholesterol: 110mg
