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–+ servings

Italian Spaghetti and Meatballs

Pasta is one of my favorite foods to cook up for a busy weeknight: It’s quick and the whole family loves it. There’s nothing as satisfying as a pasta plate that is perfectly cooked with juicy, tender golden brown meatballs, steaming spaghetti and all together soaked in a hearty, garlicky, flavorful marinara sauce.
5 from 3 votes
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Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: Meatball Pasta, Pasta, Spaghetti, Spaghetti and meatballs
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients

For Meatballs

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4 medium onion, minced
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/4 cup (60ml) milk
  • 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil, plus more for serving
  • 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 teaspoon fresh oregano
  • 1 pound (454g) 85% lean ground beef
  • 1/2 pound (227g) ground pork
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 3/4 cup (80g) dried breadcrumbs
  • 1/2 cup (45g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
  • 1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil, add more if needed
  • 1 pound (16oz/454g) spaghetti

For Marinara Sauce

  • 2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter
  • 1/2 medium onion, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 cans (56 oz/1.6 liters) crushed tomatoes
  • 2 bay leaves, optional
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 2 tablespoons basil, finely chopped (Skip this if the tomato can has basil in their ingredients)

Instructions

  • Make The Meatballs: In a large mixing bowl, combine the beef and pork, onion, garlic, seasonings like salt and pepper, basils, parsley, oregano, milk, egg, parmesan and breadcrumbs. Gently toss mixture and use fingertips to break the meat up, then mix with a wooden spoon until the mixture is fully combined. With greased hands, shape meatballs into even balls, around 1 1/2 inch (like golf ball size).
  • Cook The Meatballs: In a large frying pan/skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the meatballs in 2 batches and cook until golden brown on the bottom. Flip and cook the opposite side until golden brown. Remove from heat and set aside.
  • Make The Marinara Sauce: In the same pan, add butter then saute the onion and garlic until fragrant and light brown. Stir in crushed tomatoes and bay leaves then reduce the heat and allow to simmer for 10 minutes.
  • Add the meatballs to the sauce and allow to cook for another 20 minutes. Gently toss meatballs occasionally. Stir in chopped fresh basil and season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Cook The Spaghetti: In a large boiling water, add some salt and cook spaghetti until al dente under package instructions. Drain the spaghetti then add to the pan with the meatballs and sauce and toss well to combine.
  • Transfer spaghetti and meatballs to a plate. Top with Parmesan cheese and fresh basil/green onion and serve immediately.
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