Spaghetti and Meatballs
User Reviews
5
Spaghetti and Meatballs
Description
This recipe crafts meatballs by soaking bread crumbs in milk and blending them with Parmesan cheese, garlic, onion, parsley, and seasoning to create a flavorful meat mixture from ground pork and beef. The meatballs are shaped and baked at a high temperature to brown nicely while keeping them moist inside. The pasta component uses spaghetti cooked al dente, ensuring a firm texture that complements the meatballs and sauce.
The dish assembles by pairing the meatballs with jarred tomato sauce, which can be tailored to personal taste or substituted with homemade marinara for increased depth. The use of freshly grated Parmesan and red pepper flakes in the meatball mix gives subtle savory intensity and a touch of heat. Serving suggestions include pairing with garlic bread or a simple salad.
Practical tips include saving some pasta water to adjust sauce consistency with its natural starch, and cooking pasta without rinsing to maintain sauce adhesion. The meatballs are versatile enough for use in sandwiches topped with provolone and basil, warmed in sauce as a hearty sub.
Ingredients
Meatballs:
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil (like canola, vegetable, avocado oil)
- 1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup milk whole
- 2 1/2 ounces Parmesan Cheese 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, grated, Reggiano
- 1/2 yellow onion peeled and roughly chopped
- 6 garlic peeled, cloves
- 1/3 cup parsley Italian variety, leaves
- 1 egg large
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 pound ground beef (I used grass-fed)
- 1 (28) ounce tomato sauce jarred
Pasta:
- 1 pound spaghetti (or pasta of choice)
- 1 (28) ounce tomato sauce jarred
Instructions
To Assemble the Meatballs:
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Brush a half baking sheet with the neutral oil and set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs and milk. Let them stand for about 5 minutes.
- Next, add the Parmesan chunks to the food processor. (If you’re using grated, skip this step.) And pulse until the Parmesan is in little bits. And then, add the chopped onion, garlic, parsley leaves, egg, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper, and reserved bread crumb mixture. Pulse until totally cohesive, scraping down the sides as needed, and then blending one last time.
- *If you don’t own a food processor, no biggie, you can grate the Parmesan (or buy grated Parmesan), and mince up the onion, garlic, parsley with a knife. And then mix everything in a bowl vigorously until cohesive.
- Add the ground pork and ground beef to a bowl. Pour the onion combination and mix together gently until everything is combined. I definitely, like, squeezed the meat between my fingers to get everything thoroughly combined.
- Divide the meatballs into 2-ounce portions and roll each portion into a ball and place them on the prepared baking sheet. I used a 2-ounce cookie scoop to portion out the meatballs and then went back and rolled them with my palms.
To Cook the Meatballs:
- Transfer to the oven to roast for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, pour the jarred tomato sauce in a pot and warm it up over low heat and cover so it’s ready and waiting for the meatballs.
- Open the oven and remove the baking sheet. The meatballs will have browned slightly and rendered out some of their fat—this is good! Transfer the meatballs, one by one, to the sauce. Bring the sauce to gentle simmer, lower the heat to low and cover. Cook the meatballs for an additional 10 minutes.
- These meatballs can be cooled completely and then refrigerated or frozen for up to 3 months. This recipe makes enough meatballs to accommodate 2 pounds of pasta so if you make 1 pound of pasta, you’ll end up with meatball leftovers.
To Make the Pasta:
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Drop the pasta in and cook according to the package’s instructions. I cooked my bucatini for about 10 minutes. Drain in a colander.
- Pour the other 28-ounce jar of tomato sauce into the pot. Turn the heat to medium heat and allow the sauce to warm up for about 1 minute. Add the pasta and toss in the sauce.
To Serve:
- Divide pasta amongst bowls. Top with 3 meatballs, a sprinkling of Parmesan-Reggiano and Italian parsley.
Notes
- To make meatball subs, slice hoagie rolls and add sauce, meatballs, provolone, and fresh basil, then warm until cheese melts.
- Choose quality jarred marinara like Rao's or Angelini for better sauce flavor, or substitute homemade if preferred.
- Cook pasta to al dente—firm but cooked through—and avoid rinsing it to keep sauce clinging to noodles.
- Reserve some pasta water before draining to thin and enrich the sauce if needed.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 320 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 6g | |
| Calories | 320kcal | 16% |
| Carbohydrates | 14g | 5% |
| Protein | 21g | 42% |
| Fat | 15g | 23% |
| Saturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Cholesterol | 32mg | 11% |
| Sodium | 124mg | 5% |
| Potassium | 76mg | 2% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 2g | 4% |
| Vitamin A | 14IU | 0% |
| Vitamin C | 2mg | 2% |
| Calcium | 23mg | 2% |
| Iron | 4mg | 22% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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