Spaghetti and Meatballs
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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
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- 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.
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I personally like to slow cook my meatballs all day in my slow cooker in the sauce, after I’ve baked them, and the flavor of the sauce cooks all the way through. I also bake at 400 degrees so they are kinda browned on the outside so they don’t fall apart and get so many compliments and requests for them. I also do 10 lbs. up at a time and freeze, then can take out in the morning for whatever size meal I need that night, put in crockpot with my trusty Ragu sauce (I add parmesan cheese to that as well) and then put in the meatballs and let them cook all day on low. The house smells wonderful walking in the door at night, 10 minutes to cook spaghetti and toast some bread and we’re ready!
Known for my ‘meat-a-balls”, I’ve always used a little milk, not water. Also, mine are broiled – not baked – turned over 1/2 way so you get a little bit of the crispy on the outside w/o the frying. The meat mix is def the way to go – as is the cheese etc. Finish cooking them off in homemade ‘gravy’ – Delicioso!
I adore oregano.I put it in my spaghetti meat sauce,on my pizza as well as in my bbq beans ( an old family recipe I’ve used for over 35 years ).A old family friend made up the recipe and its been such a big hit at parties and picnics.
I just put the raw meatball into a homemade sauce, and if I have them I’ll toss in a few pork chops and or chunks of stew beef or small chuck roast, and let it go for a few hours. The meatballs should go in last about an hour after the meat. If you make a quality meatball why ruin it with anyones store made sauce?
Clearly, there are dozens of ways to make a meatball, even a ‘traditional’ one. I married an Italian, and every cook in his family makes them differently! My preference for the liquid part is a little of the sauce added to the meat mix rather than water. It adds to the flavor rather than just plain water. I only fry or bake if we’re going to munch on some while the rest simmer in the sauce. Otherwise, I drop them directly into the gently simmering sauce raw. I use about a tsp of salt per pound of meat, pepper, fresh garlic, dry oregano, fresh parsley, pecorino romano, and start out with an egg per pound of meat and add more as I get the ‘feel’ of the meat as I mix it, and the bread crumbs. Most importantly, I use good quality, straight beef – or pork – or turkey, never mixing them, or to me it loses the flavor of any of the meats used. If I want a turkey meatball for instance, then that’s what I’ll make. Not Italian, but my husband and his relatives all say the same – I must be putting some secret ingredient in my meatballs from my own ethnic background to make them better than anybody’s lol!
parsely garlic …………….are the spices
The best meatballs are my grandmothers recipe
1 lb Ground beef, pork and veal
1 egg
1 cup breadcrumbs soaked in 1/4 cup of milk
2 tbl parsley
2 tbl basil
1/4 cp romano cheese
1/8 cp sugar
1 Tbl garlic powder
1 Tbl onion powder
1 tsp salt the romano cheese is already salty so be careful not to add too much salt
the sugar and milk make the meatball moist and give great flavor to the meatballs and we always throw the meatballs right in the sauce to cook it gives the sauce great flavor too…This is the best sauce you will ever have
your recipe sounds good, gonna try it; thanks for posting…
i seamer my meata balls in my home made sause(gravy) think make them tender as can be and larger, if u cook sausage, al so simmer them together for a 2-3hrs. i think u will enjoy this method the best. thanks for looking
that is exactly how I make my meatalls ecept I use wine instead of water
HMMMMM,!!!! Wine in MB’s ?? sounds interesting enough to give it a try Mary.
I always add a little red wine to my home made sauce, ( About 3-4 tablespoons)
Stay Well
I used evaporated milk in my meatballs. Plus
instead of oregano I use mixed Italian seasoning.
My family does not like to see chunks so eggs milk and onion, garlic , and seasoning go into the blender until smooth. They are then mixed with dry ingredients. Then poured over and mixed with meat. I would never get 24 meat balls out of 1 1/2 lbs of meat more like 12. I also use a very low fat meat and add aome olive oil to meat mixture. I would use two eggs and 1 cup of cheese.