This easy Spaghetti and Meatballs recipe has juicy homemade meatballs simmered in a homemade tomato sauce, served over spaghetti for a cozy, comforting meal!
1/2cupshredded Parmesan cheesefresh if possible -- up to 1 cup for extra cheesy meatballs!
1egg
1teaspoonItalian seasoning
1/2teaspoonsalt
1/4teaspoonpepper
Spaghetti and Sauce
2tablespoonscanola or olive oil
1onionfinely chopped
2tablespoonsminced garlic
1teaspoonItalian seasoning
1/2teaspoonsalt
1/4teaspoondried basil
1pinchred pepper flakes(more or less depending on how much spice you like)
3/4cuplow sodium beef broth
798mlcanned crushed tomatoes(28 oz)
1-2tablespoonsgranulated sugar
375gramsspaghetti
Instructions
Meatballs
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F and line a baking sheet with tin foil -- optional but helps with clean up! (OPTIONAL: instead of baking, you can also simmer right in the tomato sauce for 8 minutes per side. I bake a big batch at once, which is why I do it this way).
Tear bread into small pieces and place in a food processor. Process until the bread is in fine crumbs and combine with water. Stir and let sit for a few minutes.
In a large bowl, combine beef, pork, cheese, eggs, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and soaked bread until just combined -- don't overmix!
Shape into 1.5-2" balls (I get about 20 this way, but you can get up to 30 if you shape them into 1" balls) and place 1" apart on the baking sheet.
Bake for 10-15 minutes (longer for 2" rounds, shorter for 1" rounds), until a meat thermometer reads at least 160 degrees F in the largest meatballs (a meat thermometer is your best chance at having perfectly cooked meatballs!)
Remove from the oven.
Spaghetti and Sauce:
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened and beginning to brown.
Add garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, basil, and pepper flakes and cook 1-2 minutes.
Stir in beef broth to pick up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Then stir in the crushed tomatoes and sugar. Cover and simmer on low heat for 15-20 minutes.
Stir meatballs into sauce, cover, and let simmer on low heat for 5-10 minutes, until heated through (NOTE: if you are cooking them raw in the sauce, you will need about 8 minutes per side)
While the sauce is simmering, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until desired tenderness is reached.
Reserve 1 cup of starchy pasta water and drain the spaghetti. Stir just enough pasta water into the sauce so that it comes together and desired thickness is reached.
Stir in a couple big scoops of tomato sauce into the drained spaghetti and stir to coat.
Serve spaghetti with meatballs and a generous dose of freshly shredded Parmesan cheese if desired.