Spaghetti and Meatballs
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
This spaghetti and meatball recipe is the ultimate weeknight family dinner — quick, easy, and picky eater-approved!
This is my go-to recipe for spaghetti and meatballs. With a quick 45-minute cook time, it’s perfect for busy weeknights and sure to please even the pickiest eaters. The meatballs are juicy and packed with flavor, with a fork-tender texture that keeps everyone coming back for more. To make things easy and save on mess, I brown the meatballs in the oven on a sheet pan instead of pan-frying them on the stovetop. I also use a good quality store-bought marinara sauce to save time, but feel free to use homemade tomato sauce if you have some on hand.
For more family-friendly Italian recipes (everybody loves Italian!), try my baked ziti, stuffed shells, and chicken parmesan. For an alternative to beef meatballs, try my favorite turkey meatballs.
What You’ll Need To Make Spaghetti and Meatballs
For the most flavorful meatballs (or meatloaf), I recommend using equal parts beef, veal, and pork; at most supermarkets, this blend is labeled “meatloaf mix.” If your market doesn’t carry the blend, you can use half beef and half pork (since ground veal isn’t readily available).
For the cheese, be sure to use the real-deal imported Parmigiano-Reggiano from Italy; domestic Parmesan pales in comparison. You can always tell if it’s authentic by looking at the rind, which is embossed with the name over and over. If the cheese is already grated, it should be labeled “Parmigiano-Reggiano,” not “Parmesan.”
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin with the meatballs: In a large bowl, combine the egg, basil, parsley, oregano, salt, pepper, garlic and water; whisk well.
Add the meat, breadcrumbs and Parmigiano Reggiano. meatball recipe
Mix with your hands until just combined.
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 the oven and use a metal spatula or tongs 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.
Transfer the spaghetti and meatballs to serving bowls and top with fresh chopped basil and more grated cheese.
You may also like
- Turkey, Spinach & Cheese Meatballs
- Bolognese
- Chicken Meatballs with Tomato-Balsamic Glaze
- Orecchiette with Sausage and Broccoli
- Turkey Meatballs in Marinara Sauce
- Cacio e Pepe
Spaghetti & Meatballs
This spaghetti and meatball recipe is the ultimate weeknight family dinner — quick, easy, and picky eater-approved!
Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil (plus more for serving)
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup water
- 1½ pounds ground "meatloaf mix" (approximately equal parts ground beef, pork and veal)
- ¾ cup dried Italian style bread crumbs (such as Progresso)
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (plus more for serving)
- Large jar (32 oz) good quality Marinara sauce (such as Rao's)
- 1 pound spaghetti
Instructions
- 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.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
Powered by 
- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 731
- Fat: 29 g
- Saturated fat: 10 g
- Carbohydrates: 78 g
- Sugar: 11 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 37 g
- Sodium: 897 mg
- Cholesterol: 116 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
See more recipes:
Comments
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Dear Jen,
My husband and son made the spaghetti and meatballs recipe for my birthday this week. They used your recipe for the homemade tomato sauce, which we have made twice before. This was the best spaghetti and meatballs we have ever had. This is my favorite meal and the guys did a great job making it for me! The simple things in life! Just perfect!! Thank you for sharing your talent with us, Jen!
I just finished this recipe using turkey rather than beef and it is delicious. I also used a package sauce mix with other dried sauces. I’ve never made this dish before and I will definitely try it again. Thanks for posting ☺️
Very easy to make and was absolutely delicious! The meatball were not dry at all like the ones I’ve tried to make in the past! However, I was unable to find a 32oz. jar of Rao’s Marinara Sauce (I’ve seen the 15.5, 24 and 28 ounce sizes, the latter being a twin pack from Costco). Is that something that needs to be ordered from their website? I wish that I had those extra 6 ounces because I also added two links of mild Italian Sausage (to fish out later in order to make a combo sandwich with some of the meatballs)!
Hi Chris, Glad you liked this! I don’t have a problem finding the 32 oz jar of Rao’s at my store, but you can either order it online (I saw it on Amazon) or directly from Rao’s You could also use two 15.5 oz jars and you’d just be one ounce shy of the 32.
I made this recipe last night and it came out amazing.
the whole family loved it.
Thank You
This dish was so delicious and so easy to prepare. The meatballs were perfect! One again, thank you.
Very delicious recipe and easy to follow. The meatballs were soft and put together
Your recipes are amazing, and the meatballs are one of my go to’s. Living abroad makes it difficult to follow all the measurements successfully or quickly. Is there any plan in the future to include metric measurements ?
Hi Danielle, So glad you like the recipes! The great majority of my recipes have metric measurements. If you look in the top right corner of the recipe card, you’ll see a little button that allows you to toggle between metric and cup measures. Hope that helps!
First of all I have really enjoyed trying so many of your recipes! I’m recently retired and have more time to experiment in the kitchen. I have a question-You use freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese in numerous recipes and in Indianapolis it’s hard to find and when I do it’s very expensive. Do you have a good substitution? Thanks again and happy holidays!
So glad you like the recipes and you now have more time to play in the kitchen! While it’s a bit saltier and has a stronger flavor, pecorino Romano is a good substitute. Happy holidays to you! 😊
A definite family favourite. I have had great success in batching this recipe. I cook the meatballs in the oven and then freezing the meatballs in 2oz size. Our children (university students) absolutely love all your recipes.
Best meatballs ever! Jen nails another recipe. Meatballs are moist, tender and full of flavor. So delicious. Clever use for surplus garden parsley and basil. Planning on making meatballs again this weekend before frost takes out the basil.