Description
A comforting and hearty classic spaghetti and meatballs recipe made with tender beef and pork meatballs simmered in a rich tomato sauce, served over al dente spaghetti.
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef (85/15)
- 1 lb ground pork
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 (28 oz) cans crushed tomatoes
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 lb spaghetti
- Fresh basil and grated Parmesan for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine ground beef, ground pork, breadcrumbs, milk, eggs, Parmesan, parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Mix until just combined without overworking the meat.
- Form the mixture into 1.5-inch meatballs and place them on a baking sheet.
- Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Brown the meatballs in batches for 2-3 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
- In the same pot, sauté chopped onion until translucent (about 5 minutes), then add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
- Add crushed tomatoes, sugar, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Stir well and bring to a simmer.
- Return the meatballs to the sauce. Cover and simmer on low heat for 30-45 minutes until meatballs are cooked through and tender.
- While sauce simmers, cook spaghetti according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Serve meatballs and sauce over cooked spaghetti. Garnish with fresh basil and grated Parmesan if desired.
Notes
- Don’t overmix the meatball mixture to keep them tender.
- You can make the meatballs ahead and freeze them for later use.
- Adjust red pepper flakes to control the spice level.
- Use high-quality crushed tomatoes for the best sauce flavor.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe
- Calories: 650
- Sugar: 9g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 55g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 110mg
