Spaghetti and Meatballs

5 from 6 votes

This spaghetti and meatballs recipe has that classic rich taste you love! It's got juicy meatballs in a flavorful tomato sauce, and everything is made from scratch in this Italian-American favorite.

Prep Time20

Cook Time1 10

Total Time1 40

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Italian American

Keyword: spaghetti and meatballs

Servings:

Author: Natasha Bull

Ingredients

Sauce:

2 (28 ounce) cans whole tomatoes (with juices) see note
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 add more, to taste)
Salt & pepper to taste

Meatballs:

1/3 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
1/3 cup milk whole milk recommended
1 pound ground beef see note
1/2 pound ground pork or ground Italian sausage
1 large egg
3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese + more for serving
1/4 cup (packed) fresh parsley chopped finely
4 cloves garlic minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
Pepper to taste

For serving:

1 pound uncooked spaghetti see note
Torn/chopped fresh basil optional, to taste

Instructions

I recommend prepping all ingredients before getting started to make it easier. The meatballs and sauce both use minced garlic, so be sure to mince it all at once (I use a garlic press to make this go fast). Add the canned tomatoes (with juices) to a large bowl and use your hands to break the whole tomatoes up.
To start the sauce, add the olive oil, butter, and onion to a soup pot or Dutch oven and sauté over medium heat for 5 minutes.
Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
Add in the tomatoes, Italian seasoning, oregano, sugar, and red pepper flakes. Give it a good stir. Once the sauce starts to bubble, cover the pot with the lid slightly open and reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes (adjust between medium-low and low heat as needed to maintain a constant simmer).
While the sauce is cooking, make the meatballs. Add the breadcrumbs and milk to a fairly large prep bowl. Mix/mash together until you've got a paste.
Add the remaining meatball ingredients to the bowl. Using your hands, mix it together and then form about 18 (1 ½-inch) meatballs. Don't over-mix or pack them too tightly, and use a delicate touch. Place the meatballs on a couple of plates or a parchment paper lined baking sheet as you go along for easy clean-up.
Give the sauce a stir, then place the meatballs in the pot and gently arrange them so they're submerged in the sauce. Continue simmering (lid slightly open) for another 35-45 minutes or until they're cooked through (165F). You may need to increase the heat to get it going again, then reduce the heat and adjust as needed to maintain a simmer.
Give the sauce a taste and season with salt & pepper as needed (I'm generous with both). Serve with cooked spaghetti, more freshly grated parmesan cheese, and some fresh basil if desired.

Notes

The meatball prep time is counted within the cook time since the sauce is cooking while you're prepping the meatballs.
I recommend using San Marzano plum tomatoes for best flavor.
Fattier ground meats equal moister and more flavorful meatballs, so avoid anything that's extra lean (80-85% lean is good).
If you have a strong preference, feel free to brown the meatballs in a skillet ahead of adding them to the sauce, but our kitchen tested both methods and the meatballs are tasty either way (and this saves time and extra dishes)!
1 pound of spaghetti feeds 6, so I would not make the full amount if you're not planning on eating it all right away. Boil fresh pasta when you're warming up leftover meatballs & sauce.
Nutritional information includes the spaghetti (just over 2.5 oz uncooked/person).

Nutrition