Classic Spaghetti and Meatballs

Name: Classic Spaghetti and Meatballs
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 8 serving
Ingredients: 3 lices white bread; ½ cup milk; 1 pound ground beef; 1 pound ground pork; 2 large eggs; ¼ cup fresh parsley; 2 tablespoons fresh basil; 1 tablespoon oregano; 1 medium onion; 3 cloves garlic; ½ teaspoon salt; ¼ teaspoon pepper; 3 tablespoons olive oil; 1 small onion; 2 cloves garlic; ½ cup chicken broth; 56 ounce crushed tomatoes; ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes; ½ teaspoon salt; ¼ teaspoon pepper; 2 large basil sprigs; 1 pound Spaghetti; Parmesan Cheese

User Reviews

4.7

240 reviews

Excellent

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr 20 mins
Servings
8
Calories
637 kcal
Course
Main Course, Dinner
Cuisine
Italian, American

Classic Spaghetti and Meatballs

Joseph Powell

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This easy Classic Spaghetti and Meatballs is the ultimate Italian-American comfort food with tender meatballs and perfectly cooked noodles all covered in a flavorful tomato sauce! It’s a well-loved tried and true family favorite that can be made with simple ingredients in less than 90 minutes!

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Ingredients

Servings

For Meatballs

3 lices white bread
½ cup milk
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground pork
2 large eggs
¼ cup fresh parsley chopped
2 tablespoons fresh basil chopped
1 tablespoon oregano dried or fresh
1 medium onion chopped
3 cloves garlic minced
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper

For Sauce and Everything else

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
½ cup chicken broth low sodium
56 ounce crushed tomatoes (2 28 oz cans)
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon salt or to taste
¼ teaspoon pepper or to taste
2 large basil sprigs
1 pound Spaghetti uncooked
Parmesan Cheese

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Instructions

Break the bread slices into pieces and place in a large bowl. Pour the milk over them and let the bread soak for about 10 minutes.
To the same bowl add the remaining meatball ingredients. Mix well using your clean hands. Shape the meatball mixture into balls around the size of a golf ball.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the meatballs and sauté until brown and cooked through. Turn them often so they hold their shape. You might also need to do this in a couple batches, depends on how big or small your meatballs are and the size of your skillet. It should take about 10 to 15 minutes per batch.
Transfer the meatballs to a plate and set aside. If there's too much oil in your skillet, drain some of it out. You need about 1 tbsp of fat remaining in skillet.
Add the onion and garlic to the skillet and cook for about 3 to 5 minutes until onion is soft and becomes translucent. Deglaze the pan with the chicken broth and scrape all the brown bits from the meatballs, this will add flavor to the sauce.
Add the crushed tomatoes, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper and basil springs. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the skillet with a lid and simmer for about 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce should reduce a bit.
While the sauce is simmering cook the spaghetti according to package instructions. Reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water.
If your sauce is too thick, add some of the pasta water to thin it out a bit until desired consistency is achieved.
Place pasta in a large bowl and add about 1 to 2 cups of the sauce to the pasta and toss well. Add the meatballs to the remaining sauce in the skillet and toss. Serve the meatballs over spaghetti, sprinkled with Parmesan cheese and garnished with parsley or basil.

Notes

Put the meatballs in the fridge to firm up a bit before frying them. This can help them hold their shape while they are cooking. You can even make them the night before if you like.
After adding the chicken broth, do a good job scraping up all those brown bits on the bottom of your pan. This is the secret to making any sauce really flavorful.
Make sure to reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water to thin out the sauce. The salt in the water helps to add flavor while the starch in the water helps to add moisture without making the dish watery.
Chill the meatballs. Put the meatballs in the fridge to firm up a bit before frying them. This can help them hold their shape while they are cooking. You can even make them the night before if you like.
Deglaze properly. After adding the chicken broth, do a good job scraping up all those brown bits on the bottom of your pan. This is the secret to making any sauce really flavorful.
Reserve cooking water. Make sure to reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water to thin out the sauce. The salt in the water helps to add flavor while the starch in the water helps to add moisture without making the dish watery.
If you feel like the amount this recipe yields is too much, you can hover your cursor over the number of servings in the recipe card. A slider will appear, and you can change the number of servings. The recipe will change accordingly.

Nutrition Information

Show Details

Serving 1serving Calories 637kcal (32%) Carbohydrates 66g (22%) Protein 35g (70%) Fat 26g (40%) Saturated Fat 8g (40%) Polyunsaturated Fat 3g Monounsaturated Fat 12g Trans Fat 0.4g Cholesterol 125mg (42%) Sodium 703mg (29%) Potassium 1177mg (34%) Fiber 7g (28%) Sugar 13g (26%) Vitamin A 728IU (15%) Vitamin C 24mg (27%) Calcium 162mg (16%) Iron 6mg (33%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 8Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 637 kcal

% Daily Value*

Serving	1serving
Calories	637kcal	32%
Carbohydrates	66g	22%
Protein	35g	70%
Fat	26g	40%
Saturated Fat	8g	40%
Polyunsaturated Fat	3g	18%
Monounsaturated Fat	12g	60%
Trans Fat	0.4g	20%
Cholesterol	125mg	42%
Sodium	703mg	29%
Potassium	1177mg	25%
Fiber	7g	28%
Sugar	13g	26%
Vitamin A	728IU	15%
Vitamin C	24mg	27%
Calcium	162mg	16%
Iron	6mg	33%