Spaghetti and meatballs, a classic Italian-American dish, is a hearty and flavorful meal that is perfect for a family dinner or a casual gathering with friends. The dish consists of spaghetti noodles tossed with a rich tomato sauce and tender, juicy meatballs. The meatballs are typically made with a combination of ground beef, pork, and veal, and are seasoned with a variety of herbs and spices. The tomato sauce is usually made with fresh tomatoes, garlic, onions, and basil, and is simmered for hours to develop a deep and complex flavor. In this article, we will provide you with two delicious recipes for spaghetti and meatballs: a traditional recipe and a healthier version made with lean ground turkey and whole wheat spaghetti. We will also provide tips for making perfect meatballs and a flavorful tomato sauce. So gather your ingredients and let's get cooking!
Let's cook with our recipes!
MY BEST SPAGHETTI & MEATBALLS
One of my favorite childhood memories is going to the Old Spaghetti Factory with my family and ordering a big plate of cheesy spaghetti, meatballs and garlic bread. My homemade recipe reminds me of those fun times and satisfies everyone's craving for good Italian food. -Erika Monroe-Williams, Scottsdale, Arizona
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Dinner
Time 1h50m
Yield 10 servings (2-1/2 quarts).
Number Of Ingredients 27
Steps:
- In a large bowl, combine the first eight ingredients. Add beef, pork and veal; mix lightly but thoroughly. Shape into 1-in. balls. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Brown meatballs in batches; drain., In a 6-qt. stockpot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir 3-5 minutes or until tender. Add garlic; cook and stir 2 minutes. Add tomato paste; cook and stir 3-5 minutes or until paste darkens. Add wine; cook and stir 2 minutes to dissolve any browned tomato paste. , Stir in tomatoes, parsley, sugar, salt, pepper and pepper flakes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 15-20 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Add basil and meatballs; cook 20-25 minutes longer or until meatballs are cooked through, stirring occasionally. Serve meatballs and sauce with spaghetti. Sprinkle with additional cheese.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 290 calories, Fat 15g fat (4g saturated fat), Cholesterol 65mg cholesterol, Sodium 974mg sodium, Carbohydrate 20g carbohydrate (10g sugars, Fiber 4g fiber), Protein 18g protein.
SPAGHETTI & MEATBALLS
This spaghetti and meatball recipe is easy enough for a busy weeknight -- and it's a family favorite, too!
Provided by Jennifer Segal
Categories Dinner
Time 50m
Yield 4 to 6 (Makes 22 to 24 small meatballs)
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and set an oven rack in the middle position.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, basil, parsley, oregano, salt, pepper, garlic and water. Add the meat, breadcrumbs and cheese and mix until just combined (your hands are the best tool). Do not overwork it.
- Roll the mixture into golf ball-sized meatballs and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes, then remove the baking sheet from oven and use a metal spatula to turn the meatballs (they will stick a bit but should release easily when you scrape under them with the spatula). Put the meatballs back in the oven and cook for another 10 minutes, until they are nicely browned and almost cooked through.
- In the meantime, bring the marinara sauce to a simmer in a large skillet. Taste it and adjust the seasoning if necessary (I usually add a healthy pinch of sugar and some freshly ground black pepper). Transfer the browned meatballs to the marinara sauce, leaving the fat behind. Cover loosely with a lid or foil and simmer for about 10 minutes, until the flavors marry and the meatballs are cooked through. Keep warm until ready to toss with pasta.
- While the meatballs are cooking, bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until al dente. Drain, then toss with the sauce and meatballs (you may find it easier to toss everything together in the pasta pot rather than the skillet; it depends on the sizes of pans you are using.). Serve topped with fresh basil and more grated cheese.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cooked meatballs can be frozen, in their sauce, for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, defrost overnight in the refrigerator and reheat on the stovetop until the meatballs are hot in the center.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 731, Fat 29 g, Carbohydrate 78 g, Protein 37 g, SaturatedFat 10 g, Sugar 11 g, Fiber 6 g, Sodium 897 mg, Cholesterol 116 mg
REAL MEATBALLS AND SPAGHETTI
For homemade Italian comfort, make Ina Garten's Real Meatballs and Spaghetti recipe from Barefoot Contessa on Food Network, starring veal, pork and beef.
Provided by Ina Garten
Categories main-dish
Time 2h
Yield 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 23
Steps:
- Place the ground meats, both bread crumbs, parsley, Parmesan, salt, pepper, nutmeg, egg, and 3/4 cup warm water in a bowl. Combine very lightly with a fork. Using your hands, lightly form the mixture into 2-inch meatballs. You will have 14 to 16 meatballs.
- Pour equal amounts of vegetable oil and olive oil into a large (12-inch) skillet to a depth of 1/4-inch. Heat the oil. Very carefully, in batches, place the meatballs in the oil and brown them well on all sides over medium-low heat, turning carefully with a spatula or a fork. This should take about 10 minutes for each batch. Don't crowd the meatballs. Remove the meatballs to a plate covered with paper towels. Discard the oil but don't clean the pan.
- For the sauce, heat the olive oil in the same pan. Add the onion and saute over medium heat until translucent, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the wine and cook on high heat, scraping up all the brown bits in the pan, until almost all the liquid evaporates, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, parsley, salt, and pepper.
- Return the meatballs to the sauce, cover, and simmer on the lowest heat for 25 to 30 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through. Serve hot on cooked spaghetti and pass the grated Parmesan.
SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS
For a bowl of Italian comfort, make Rachael Ray's Spaghetti and Meatballs recipe from 30 Minute Meals on Food Network.
Provided by Rachael Ray : Food Network
Categories main-dish
Time 35m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 19
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Place a large pot of water on to boil for spaghetti. When it boils, add salt and pasta and cook to al dente.
- Mix beef and Worcestershire, egg, bread crumbs, cheese, garlic, salt and pepper. Roll meat into 1 1/2 inch medium-sized meatballs and place on nonstick cookie sheet or a cookie sheet greased with extra-virgin olive oil. Bake balls 10 to 12 minutes, until no longer pink.
- Heat a deep skillet or medium pot over moderate heat. Add oil, crushed pepper, garlic and finely chopped onion. Saute 5 to 7 minutes, until onion bits are soft. Add beef stock, crushed tomatoes, and herbs. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes.
- Toss hot, drained pasta with a few ladles of the sauce and grated cheese. Turn meatballs in remaining sauce. Place pasta on dinner plates and top with meatballs and sauce and extra grated cheese. Serve with bread or garlic bread (and some good chianti!)
MAMA'S BEST EVER SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS
A classic Italian-American dish that can be as simple or fancy as you want it to be.
Provided by Food Network
Categories main-dish
Time 40m
Yield 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 5
Steps:
- Combine ground beef, bread crumbs, eggs and ½ cup Sauce in medium bowl; shape into 18 meatballs. Bring remaining Sauce to a boil over medium-high heat in 12-inch skillet. Gently stir in uncooked meatballs. Reduce heat to low and simmer covered, stirring occasionally, 20 minutes or until meatballs are done. Serve over hot spaghetti.
THE BEST SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS
Who knew that the same technique for shredding pulled pork with two forks will also work for meatballs? In this case, the method ensures that your ingredients are thoroughly mixed yet not compressed, so the resulting meatballs are tender and light. After browning the meatballs, we finish them in a hearty tomato sauce. The meatballs flavor the sauce as they finish cooking.
Provided by Food Network Kitchen
Categories main-dish
Time 1h15m
Yield 4 to 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 19
Steps:
- Whisk together the panko, Parmesan, parsley, fennel seeds, 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the oregano, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper in a medium bowl until combined. Stir in the cream.
- Combine the beef, pork and veal in a large bowl. Pull the ground meat apart with two forks as if you were shredding pulled pork, breaking up the clumps and incorporating the meat without compacting it until thoroughly mixed and no clumps remain. Add the panko mixture to the meat and use the same pulling technique to mix until all the ingredients are evenly incorporated.
- Lightly oil your hands. Scoop out portions of the meat mixture with a 1/4-cup measuring cup or large ice cream scoop; roll the meat gently between your hands into balls. Arrange the balls on a rimmed baking sheet.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the meatballs and cook, turning and rolling occasionally, until they are browned on all sides, about 5 minutes total; remove to a plate. The meatballs will not be cooked through; they will finish cooking in the sauce. Repeat with the remaining meatballs.
- Reduce the heat to medium, add the onion and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the tomato paste, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon oregano and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomato paste is brick red, about 1 minute. Stir in the wine, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, and cook until the liquid is almost completely evaporated, about 3 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes and basil to the sauce, smashing and breaking up the tomatoes into bite-size pieces with a wooden spoon. Bring the sauce just to a boil, and then add the meatballs with any accumulated juices. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to low and simmer until the meatballs are cooked through, about 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook the spaghetti according to the package directions. Drain well.
- Transfer the meatballs to a plate. Discard the basil and season with salt.
- Add the pasta to the sauce. Gently stir until the sauce coats the pasta. Transfer the spaghetti to a serving platter and top with the meatballs. Sprinkle with Parmesan before serving.
ITALIAN SPAGHETTI SAUCE WITH MEATBALLS
This is a recipe I got from my mother years ago -- it's great.
Provided by Jeremy
Categories Side Dish Sauces and Condiments Recipes Sauce Recipes Pasta Sauce Recipes Tomato
Time 2h20m
Yield 6
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- In a large bowl, combine ground beef, bread crumbs, parsley, Parmesan, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, garlic powder and beaten egg. Mix well and form into 12 balls. Store, covered, in refrigerator until needed.
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, saute onion and garlic in olive oil until onion is translucent. Stir in tomatoes, salt, sugar and bay leaf. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 90 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, basil, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and meatballs and simmer 30 minutes more. Serve.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 346.6 calories, Carbohydrate 23 g, Cholesterol 77.4 mg, Fat 21.2 g, Fiber 4.5 g, Protein 18.9 g, SaturatedFat 5.9 g, Sodium 1492.5 mg, Sugar 11.1 g
SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS
There's little more comforting on a weeknight - or any night - than spaghetti, tossed in marinara sauce and paired with savory meatballs. This hearty recipe features three kinds of meat - ground pork shoulder, veal and beef chuck, along with minced bacon - rolled into small balls, which are then browned in a sauté pan, and baked until cooked through. Serve the whole thing with a bowl of grated Parmesan, ready to be heaped on.
Provided by Pete Wells
Categories dinner, weekday, pastas, main course
Time 1h
Yield Serves 6
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- Make the meatballs: In a large bowl, combine bread crumbs and cream. Let it sit for 5 minutes, then mash the mixture with a fork. Mix in the oregano, pepper flakes, black pepper, salt and bacon. Gently work in the pork, veal and beef. Be careful not to knead it into oblivion, or the meatballs will be tough little pebbles. Fry a little of the mixture in some butter and oil in a skillet and taste, adjusting seasonings. Roll into small meatballs, about an inch across. (If you have a kitchen scale, measure an ounce apiece.)
- Heat the oven to 375 degrees. In a large sauté pan, warm the butter and olive oil over medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs, turning every couple of minutes. (Work in batches if they won't all fit in the pan.) Transfer them to a roasting pan big enough to hold them all. Pour 2 cups of cold water into the pan and transfer it to the oven to bake for 20 to 30 minutes or so, until the meatballs are cooked through. Transfer to a plate and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.
- Boil the spaghetti in a large pot of salted water, and heat the marinara sauce in a pot. When the spaghetti is tender, toss it with the sauce. Season to taste. Put the cheese in a bowl and set it on the table. Make sure to ask your family if they want their meatballs on top of the spaghetti or on the side.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 841, UnsaturatedFat 19 grams, Carbohydrate 91 grams, Fat 35 grams, Fiber 6 grams, Protein 39 grams, SaturatedFat 13 grams, Sodium 862 milligrams, Sugar 8 grams, TransFat 1 gram
OUR FAVORITE SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS
Our ultimate version of everyone's favorite family-night dinner has a super tender and robust meat mixture, slow-simmered and flavorful sauce, and tons of cheese.
Provided by Rhoda Boone
Categories Beef Pasta Pork Kid-Friendly Dinner Veal Back to School Peanut Free Tree Nut Free Soy Free Frankenrecipe Small Plates
Yield Serves 6
Number Of Ingredients 27
Steps:
- Make the tomato sauce:
- Heat a large, wide pot over medium-low and add oil and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is golden brown on all sides (if it starts to burn, reduce heat), 8-10 minutes. While garlic cooks, break up tomatoes into smaller pieces with a paring knife or kitchen shears. When garlic is almost ready, add red pepper flakes and cook, stirring occasionally, until toasted and fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, bay leaves, salt, oregano, and pepper and stir, breaking up tomatoes with a wooden spoon, until well combined.
- Increase heat slightly and gently simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce has thickened and flavors have concentrated, at least 2 hours and up to 3 hours.
- Meanwhile, make the meatballs:
- Place bread in a medium bowl, add milk, and let rest until moistened, about 5 minutes. Squeeze bread with your hands to remove excess milk, discarding milk. Tear bread into smaller, pea-size pieces and return to the medium bowl.
- Combine beef, pork, veal, eggs, garlic, 1 cup Parmesan, 1/2 cup parsley, 1 tsp. salt, oregano, pepper, fennel, and red pepper flakes in a large bowl. Using your hands, gently mix in bread until ingredients are evenly distributed (do not overmix).
- Fill a small bowl with cool water. Moisten your hands and roll meat mixture between palms into golf-ball-sized balls, occasionally moistening hands as needed. Place meatballs on a rimmed baking sheet-you should have about 24-and chill until sauce is ready.
- Finish the sauce and cook the meatballs and pasta:
- After 2-3 hours of simmering, pluck out bay leaves and add basil. Using an immersion blender (or transfer sauce to a food processor or blender, working in batches, if necessary), purée until slightly chunky but not smooth. Reserve 1 1/2 cups sauce; keep remaining sauce in pot warm over very low heat.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high and add oil. Once hot, add meatballs to skillet (without crowding) and work in batches to brown on all sides, turning frequently, about 5 minutes per batch. Return meatballs to baking sheet as you brown them.
- Once all meatballs are browned, add them to pot with tomato sauce. If your pot is not large enough, divide sauce and meatballs between 2 pots. Increase heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until meatballs are cooked through, 10-15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking liquid, and return pasta to pot over medium-low heat. Spoon reserved 1 1/2 cups sauce over pasta and toss to coat. Add pasta cooking liquid, 1/4 cup at a time, as needed to loosen sauce and coat pasta.
- Divide pasta among plates and top with meatballs and remaining sauce. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan and 1/4 cup parsley.
- Do Ahead
- Sauce can be made, cooled, and refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Meatballs can be shaped and refrigerated 1 day in advance. Meatballs can be cooked in sauce, cooled, and refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
BEST SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS
One evening, we had unexpected company. Since I had the ingredients on hand, I made this spaghetti and meatballs recipe. Everyone raved! This classic recipe makes a big batch and is perfect for entertaining. -Mary Lou Koskella, Prescott, Arizona
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Dinner
Time 2h30m
Yield 16 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 21
Steps:
- In a Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions; saute until softened. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in tomato paste; cook 3-5 minutes. Add next 6 ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, for 50 minutes., Combine the first 7 meatball ingredients. Add beef; mix lightly but thoroughly. Shape into 1-1/2-in. balls., In a large skillet, heat canola oil over medium heat. Add meatballs; brown in batches until no longer pink. Drain. Add to sauce; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, until flavors are blended, about 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Serve with hot cooked spaghetti.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 519 calories, Fat 18g fat (6g saturated fat), Cholesterol 106mg cholesterol, Sodium 1043mg sodium, Carbohydrate 59g carbohydrate (8g sugars, Fiber 4g fiber), Protein 30g protein.
Tips:
- Choose the right ground beef. Opt for a blend of 80% lean and 20% fat for juicy meatballs.
- Use a combination of bread crumbs and grated Parmesan cheese. This mixture adds flavor and helps bind the meatballs together.
- Gently mix the meatball ingredients. Overmixing can toughen the meatballs.
- Chill the meatballs before cooking. This helps them hold their shape.
- Cook the meatballs in a combination of olive oil and butter. This gives them a nice browned crust.
- Simmer the meatballs in tomato sauce for at least 30 minutes. This allows the flavors to meld and the meatballs to become tender.
- Serve the meatballs over spaghetti or your favorite pasta.
Conclusion:
These meatballs are a classic for a reason. They're easy to make, delicious, and can be served with a variety of sides. Whether you're making them for a weeknight dinner or a special occasion, these meatballs are sure to be a hit.
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