Classic Spaghetti and Meatballs

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!

Best Spaghetti And Meatballs Recipe

Who does not love a delicious plate of spaghetti?!? And throw in some meatballs and it’s heaven! And we have Italian Americans to thank for that. Spaghetti with meatballs was actually born in New York City in the late 1800s when Italian immigrants had more access to meat. So they took some delicious meatballs, added them to a plate of pasta with red sauce, and voila!

Yet, a lot of people think that a spaghetti and meatballs recipe is going to take hours and hours to make. But the truth is, you don’t have to slave over the stove much at all. In fact, my recipe only takes 90 minutes from start to finish. Yes, you read that right! Not all red sauce needs to be cooked for a long time. Done right you can make amazing pasta sauce in under half an hour.

Now, about the meatballs! If you’ve had my Italian Meatballs then you know that I know my way around a good meatball. And these babies are no different! Full of ground beef, ground pork, and fresh herbs along with a bit of white bread soaked in milk blended into them, which is the secret to making super soft and tender Italian meatballs. They are amazing!

• White Bread – Choose soft white bread for the best results. It makes the meatballs extra tender and juicy. 
• Milk – Used to soak the bread and add some moisture.
• Ground Beef – I normally use lean ground beef, but any type will work. You can even use ground veal if you want.
• Ground Pork – Adds some yummy pork flavor. You could also use ground sausage if you like. 
• Eggs – Used to bind the meatballs together and add a bit more richness. 
• Herbs – For the best-tasting meatballs use fresh parsley, basil, and oregano. But if dried herbs are all you’ve got that will work too. They just don’t add as much flavor. 
• Onion – I like to use brown or yellow onion, but any type of onion will work.
• Garlic – Fresh garlic is the best choice. You can use jarred minced garlic, but it sometimes has an odd taste due to preservatives.
• Salt – No meatball recipe would be complete without a touch of salt to enhance the  flavors.
• Black Pepper – Regular ground black pepper works great.

• Olive Oil – For the most flavorful sauce, definitely use a high quality Italian extra virgin olive oil. 
• Onion – Brown onion is ideal for sauces, but any type you have on hand is fine.
• Garlic – Fresh minced garlic is a must. Jarred garlic just can’t provide the same amount of flavor.
• Chicken Broth – I like to use a low sodium variety to control the level of salt. 
• Crushed Tomatoes – Adds some texture and lovely tomato acidity to the dish. In a pinch, you can puree some whole canned tomatoes or diced tomatoes and then add a bit of tomato paste. Canned tomato sauce is not a good replacement for this ingredient. 
• Red Pepper Flakes – Add the perfect touch of spice. Yet, you can omit them if you like or add more. 
• Seasonings – Salt and pepper are used as needed to season the dish.
• Basil – You need some fresh basil leaves. Dried basil will not do the sauce justice.
• Spaghetti – This dish is typically made with spaghetti, but any type of pasta will work such as linguine, fettuccine, or tagliatelle. Even bite-size varieties like farfalle, penne, and rigatoni. 
• Parmesan Cheese – Used to finish the spaghetti and meatballs with a layer of yummy salty cheesy goodness. 

This classic Italian dish is pretty easy to make when you follow my easy steps! The meatballs are foolproof and the sauce comes together in just 30 minutes! 

We start with the secret to perfectly juicy meatballs! First, tear the slices of white bread into pieces and put them in a large bowl. Then pour the milk over the bread and let it soak for 10 minutes. The bread needs time to soak up all the milk so just be patient. It’s worth it!

Once the bread is a mushy mess, add all the remaining meatball ingredients to the large bowl. Then use your hands to incorporate everything together until it’s well combined. Now, form the meat mixture into golf ball size meatballs. Try to make them all about the same size so that they cook more evenly. 

Now that the meatballs are formed, you can get them cooking. You’ll likely need to do this step in batches. To begin, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Then add as many meatballs that will fit into your pan without overcrowding it and cook them for about 10 to 15 minutes until brown and fully cooked. And don’t forget to turn them often so that they hold their shape and cook more evenly. When they are done they will be firm to the touch and the juice will run clear when you poke them with a knife. 

After the meatballs are cooked, transfer them to a plate and set it aside for now. Then remove all the oil except one tablespoon from the skillet. If you leave more oil in the pan it will make the sauce way too oily.

With just one tablespoon of meatball fat left in the skillet you can begin the sauce. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic to the skillet and cook it for about 3 to 5 minutes until the onion is translucent. Next, pour in the chicken broth and deglaze the pan by scraping up all the brown bits from the meatballs, which will add lots of flavor.

Then stir in the crushed tomatoes, red pepper flakes, salt, black pepper, and basil springs. Now, bring the sauce to a boil and then lower the heat to a simmer, cover the skillet with a lid, and cook it for about 20 to 30 minutes while stirring occasionally. During this time the sauce should reduce a bit and thicken up.

While the pasta sauce is simmering you need to get the noodles started! Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high-heat. Next, add about a tablespoon of salt to the water and then add the spaghetti. Now, cook the pasta according to the package instructions or until it reaches al dente. Then reserve about one cup of the pasta water before draining the rest. 

After the spaghetti is cooked, if your sauce is too thick just add a bit of the reserved pasta water to thin it out. Then transfer the cooked noodles to a large bowl and toss them together with about 1 to 2 cups of the marinara sauce. Next, put the cooked meatballs back into the skillet and coat them with the remaining sauce. Now, serve the meatballs over the spaghetti topped with some freshly grated parmesan cheese, basil, and parsley. Now, add some tasty Garlic Bread and you’ve got yourself a yummy Italian meal!

Can You Bake The Meatballs?

Yes, of course! Put the formed meatballs on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and bake them at 400°F (204°C) for about 30 minutes or until cooked through. Then just continue following the recipe directions.

Is It Better To Cook Meatballs In Sauce?

No, it’s not a good idea to cook the meatballs in sauce for a few good reasons. To begin, frying or baking the meatballs first creates a nice crust on them which helps them stay juicy inside. This crust also helps to keep them from falling apart once they are joined together with the sauce. And lastly, it’s good to cook them first so you can control how much fat you want to add to your sauce. If the meatballs are cooked in the sauce all that fat escapes right into the sauce.

Storage

Leftover spaghetti and meatballs will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days in an airtight container. Then to reheat, simply sprinkle the leftovers with a bit of water to add some moisture, and then pop them in the microwave for a few minutes on medium power. You can also reheat them in a pan on the stovetop for a few minutes at a medium temperature.

Other Delicious Meatball Recipes To Try

• Swedish Meatballs
• Thai Red Curry Turkey Meatballs
• Air Fryer Meatballs
• Meatballs with Mushroom Sauce
• Meatball Parmesan
• Firecracker Chicken Meatballs