Spaghetti and Meatballs Recipe (VIDEO)
Spaghetti and Meatballs in homemade marinara sauce. These are amazing “WOW”-inducing MEATBALLS – so tasty and juicy and BIG! We’re sharing all of our secrets for incredibly tender and flavorful meatballs.
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Spaghetti and Meatballs Recipe:
The secret to getting uber tender meatballs is bread; yes, bread. And the secret to getting uber flavorful meatballs is in the combination of meats – I’m talking about lean ground beef with sweet Italian sausage.
You’ll finish these up by simmering them in the super yummy and easy home-made marinara sauce. This are seriously the best spaghetti meatball recipe I’ve ever tried.
Store-bought meatballs can’t touch these (in an MC Hammer kind of way) – I have no idea why I keep referencing Mr. Hammer? I think I grew up in the 90’s, in Seattle.
Ingredients for Meatballs (makes 22-23 meatballs):
- White bread is best but you can use whole wheat or other soft sliced bread
- Use lean ground beef – 7% to 15% fat content
- If you aren’t able to find Italian sausage meat only, use sausages and remove casings
- Use freshly grated parmesan or finely shredded pre-packaged
- Do not skimp on the garlic in the meatballs or the sauce
Ingredients for Marinara Sauce:
- It seems like alot of chopped yellow onion but it shrinks considerably
- If you use “Crushed tomatoes with basil” you can omit the fresh basil if desired
- Bay leaves are nice, but optional if you don’t have them on hand
How to Make the Best Italian Meatballs:
1. Combine diced crustless bread pieces with 2/3 cup water and set aside for 5 minutes then mash together with a fork.
2. In a large mixing bowl (I use my KitchenAid mixer to do the work), add: 1 lb ground beef, 1 lb sausage, 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, 4 minced garlic cloves, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1 egg and the mashed moist bread crumbs. Mix until well combined.
3. Form into 1 1/2″ meatballs (about a flat ice cream scoop’s worth of meat). Dredge/roll meatballs in flour. Heat a deep, large, heavy skillet or a Dutch oven over medium heat with about 3 Tbsp oil. Add meatballs in batches so you don’t crowd the pan and saute until browned on all sides (6 min total or 2 min per side). Remove meatballs to a separate dish and set aside (don’t worry about cooking through at this point).
How to Make Marinara Sauce:
1. In the same skillet over medium heat, add more oil if needed and saute 1 cup chopped onion stirring often until soft and golden (5 min). Add 4 cloves minced garlic and stir 1 minute.
2. Stir in 2 cans of crushed tomatoes and 2 bay leaves. Bring to a light boil (stir to make sure it’s actually boiling and hot and not just letting bubbles to the surface).
3. Add meatballs back into the pan with tomato sauce, partially cover and cook at a gentle simmer for 30 min, turning the meatballs occasionally. Meatballs will be tender and sauce will be thickened. 5 minutes before your sauce is done, stir in chopped fresh basil and add salt and pepper to taste.
Finishing Details:
1. Cook pasta according to package instructions until aldente or softer if your family loves it that way! Truth be told, I love slightly overcooked pasta. Drain pasta and return to the empty pot.
2. Pour sauce and meatballs over spaghetti and toss gently to combine. To serve family-style, transfer to a large platter, garnish with more parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves if desired and serve hot.
More Family-Favorite Pasta Recipes:
Creamy Shrimp Pasta – so creamy with plump juicy shrimp
Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo – Mom’s classic recipe
Chicken Tetrazzini – creamy, cheesy and easy with rotisserie chicken
Watch Natasha Make Spaghetti and Meatballs:
This recipe is also great for meal prep and to-go lunches since it freezes and reheats really well. I hope this becomes a new favorite recipe for you!
Spaghetti and Meatballs Recipe
Spaghetti and Meatballs in homemade marinara sauce. Learn how to make juicy Italian Meatballs - so tender and big! The Best Homemade Spaghetti Meatballs.
Ingredients
Ingredients for Meatballs (makes 22-23 meatballs):
- 3 slices white bread (crusts removed), diced or torn to pieces
- 2/3 cup cold water
- 1 lb lean ground beef (7%-15% fat)
- 1 lb Sweet Ground Italian sausage casings removed
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese plus more to serve
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour to dredge meatballs
- 3 Tbsp Light olive oil to saute or use vegetable oil
Ingredients for Sauce:
- 1 medium yellow onion (1 cup chopped)
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 56 oz crushed tomatoes (from 2 - 28 oz cans)
- 2 bay leaves optional
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 2 Tbsp basil finely minced*
Other Ingredients:
- 1 lb spaghetti
Instructions
How to Make the Best Italian Meatballs:
-
Combine bread pieces with 2/3 cup water and set aside 5 min then mash with a fork.
-
In a large mixing bowl add: 1 lb ground beef, 1 lb sausage, 1/4 cup parmesan, 4 minced garlic cloves, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1 egg and mashed bread crumbs. Mix until well combined.
-
Form into 1 1/2" meatballs (about a flat ice cream scoop of meat). Dredge/roll meatballs in flour, dusting off excess. Heat a deep, large, heavy skillet or a Dutch oven over medium heat with about 3 Tbsp oil. Add meatballs in 2 batches without crowding the pan and saute until browned on all sides (about 6 min total or 2 min per side). Remove meatballs and set aside (don't worry about cooking through at this point).
How to Make Easy Marinara Sauce:
-
In the same skillet over medium heat, add more oil if needed and saute 1 cup chopped onion stirring often until soft and golden (5 min). Add 4 cloves minced garlic and stir 1-2 min until fragrant.
-
Stir in 2 cans of crushed tomatoes and 2 bay leaves. Bring to a light boil (stir to make sure it's actually boiling and not just sending bubbles to the surface).
-
Add meatballs back into the pan with tomato sauce, partially cover with lid or cover with a splatter screen to reduce splatter and cook at a gentle simmer for 30 min, turning the meatballs occasionally. Meatballs will be tender and sauce will be thickened. Five minutes before sauce is done, stir in chopped fresh basil and season with salt and pepper to taste.
How to Make Spaghetti and Meatballs:
-
Cook pasta according to package instructions until aldente (or to desired doneness), drain and return to the empty pot.
-
Pour sauce and meatballs over spaghetti and toss gently to combine. To serve family-style, transfer to a large platter, garnish with parmesan cheese and fresh basil and serve hot.
Recipe Notes
*Basil is nice but optional if your crushed tomatoes jar has basil as 1 of the ingredients.
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
♥ FAVORITE THINGS ♥
Shown in this post: (nope, no one paid us to write this; just stuff we love):
* The Le Creuset French Ovens are made to last a lifetime. They’re lovely too.
* These glass bowls by pyrex are perfect for prepping & serving. Love them!
* These Joseph Joseph utensils sit next to the stove and they get used. ALOT!
What is your all-time favorite comfort food?
Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
We made this using a few modifications. First, we used 3 lbs ground beef to 2 lbs hot Italian Sausage. We adjusted all ingredients accordingly. We yielded 34 total meatballs from 5 lbs of meat. These meatballs are about 1/4 cup size. Each would be about 2.35 ounces. I love the simplicity of the ingredients. I had my doubts on the tomato sauce. How can you not put oregano or marjoram in? She only uses basil. I must say, she is right…AGAIN!!!. Her simple basil recipe is all that is necessary. I have once again been Natashized. The sauce also stuck to the noodle, which is the sign of a good sauce. She continues to astound me with her videos and recipes.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Very very disappointing with the sauce
I added a little sugar and fresh basil but the flavor was not there. I have been to Italy 4 times, my last name is Giuliani and I will NEVER make that sauce again. The meatballs are good but not much flavor.
Hi Liz, make sure to season to taste with salt and pepper – maybe it was shy on seasoning? Also, let the meatballs simmer in the sauce for the recommended time – it can make all the difference in developing the flavor.
Can I use regular sausage as I don’t have sweet ground Itallian sausage
I imagine that should work too.
Hi Natasha – we made this yesterday for the second time and my kids (ages 13, 8, 2) all love it. The 8 year old loves meatballs and the 2 year old loves pasta so they enjoy doing some trades also once they’ve been served. It tastes fantastic and with the cold recent weather, it hit the spot yesterday!
That is the best when kids love what we moms make. That’s so great!
I don’t have a dutch oven, so what can I use instead?
Hi Talia, if you don’t have a dutch oven, you can also use a deep skillet (9 to 11-inch).
I used spicy Italian meat and wheat bread. I finally made my own sauce and made sure to let it cook for a long time. This was so good. The onion garlic and bay leaf are key. Very good recipe.
Sounds wonderful! I’m happy that you loved this recipe, Molly. Thank you for sharing!
Hi Natasha, my sister and I made this recipe many times including today. Our family loved it! The sausage in the meatballs definitely adds a lot of flavor to the meatballs. We didn’t have bread on hand today, so instead for today we used 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs. It was still good! Thanks for the recipe Natasha!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
hi CHEF. have made your sauce recipe Bay leaf does add a nice twist. I have not tried sausage in my meat balls and use milk instead of water but tomorrow I will try it flour is of interest will try on some to see difference. So creative you are “Good Eating “
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the wonderful review!
I started to cook again and now love it because of you. I am 100% Italian. I have been making/eating my moms meatballs for 59 years and your recipe is almost the same except we use 2 eggs per pound of meat, and 2 wet slices of bread per pound. One thing I never saw was the flouring of the meatballs before frying. What’s the purpose of that?
So great to hear that, Barbara. I actually rolled the meatballs in flour before cooking them. I would recommend going through the recipe again for the instructions. I hope you like it!
got to much Basil. you can freeze it. we use cleaned ricotta container. grow a lot all summer just wash leaves to clean of dust to start crush paper towel place in bottom add hand full leaves crush another towel push down on top and so on leaf will turn black but the oils in leaf is preserved break up some leaf add to sauce. will disintegrate into sauce with great flavor. also tomato paste can be added for a rich tomato flavor. ” Good Eating “
I have been craving spaghetti and meatballs for awhile so decided to make this recipe. It was delicious and very satisfying. Definitely on par with some of the best spaghetti and meatballs I’ve had at restaurants. This will get added to the family recipe box for sure. One small note: it took quite a bit longer to make the recipe than the time listed. The prep (chopping, mixing, forming/dredging meatballs) was definitely closer to 1 hour and the actual cooking, between browning the meatballs, heating up the sauce before adding them in, and cooking everything after adding meatballs was closer to 1.5 hours. Maybe second time around I can figure out ways to be faster 🤷🏻♀️
Thank you so much for sharing that feedback with us! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe.
This was so good I added a little bit more basil and a little bit of fresh rosemary and oregano in the onions…and my family is in love with Bucatini noodles so we used those instead but man the meatball where so juicy and tender….great recipe thank you so much!!!!
You’re welcome, Allie! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe.
Really nice recipe – I had to find a recipe to compare with our favourite Italian Restaurant in Perth, Western Australia; and this did.
4 out of 4 family members really liked this. Have eaten it fresh, the next day reheated and after freezing and “Frozen Reheat”ing in my Panasonic Microwave later. All 3 ways are beautiful. If making for later though, I may be tempted to add a little more liquid to the sauce, as it is absorbed into the spaghetti a bit more when reheated next day, or frozen as above. Thank you very much. This will become a staple family favourite dish !!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
I really love this recipe, I have made it twice now. This second time, I used my air fryer for the meatballs, way less grease, and they came out perfectly!
So nice to know that you’ve already tried it both ways. Glad you loved this recipe, Rae!
Natasha can I make the sauce and meatballs in a slowcooker and if so for how long?
Hi Karen, I have not tested this in a slow cooker to advise. I’ve seen it done before, but it may be possible. If you happen to experiment, I would love to know how you like this recipe!
I made this exactly as directed but the meatballs kind of fell apart. They were delicious as is the sauce but they fell apart after cooking. Any ideas about what to do differently? They were very moist!
Hi Jennifer, sorry to hear that. They should stick together well. Did you omit or make any changes to the meatball recipe?
I live in Zimbabwe and when planning my meals your blog is the first place I go to and I am never disappointed. Made these meatballs and WOW!!!!! utterly devine.
Thank you for that wonderful compliment! I’m happy our site is your go-to.
Hi Natasha. How many people does this serve? Thank you!
Hi Cat, we have the serving size listed in the highlighted recipe card towards the bottom of the post.
I made your meatball recipe and marinara sauce. It was the best meatballs I’ve made and the marinara sauce was better than store bought which is what I usually buy. My husband ate 2 helpings of everything.
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
My bread looks a lot smaller than yours … about how many cups would you think I should use?
Hi Norma, I haven’t measured it that way. We used three regular white bread slices.
Thank you for your reply.
Hi Natasha, can I just say that I love all of your recipes…and my family loves it when I make this Spaguetti and meatballs recipe!!
Thank you for sharing that with me.
Hi Natasha,
Could i sub the italian sausage with minced chicken…?
Hi Ava, that could work, but you would need some more seasoning as Italian sausage is more flavorful than ground chicken.
Thanks for your reply! I made this yesterday but I had to add more salt and pepper. The result was 👌😋
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Could I sub the italian sausage with minced chicken and still use beef…?
Hi Ava, that could work, but you would need some more seasoning as Italian sausage is more flavorful than ground chicken.
I made the meatloaf last night & just like the chicken parmesan it was SO JUICY & SO TASTY YUM😋
Hello Sandy, thank you so much for your great comments and feedback. I’m glad you enjoyed it!
This is a delicious recipe and we make this at least once a month.
FYI, by accident i bought sweet chicken sausage instead of regular sweet sausage. Did not realize this until the meatballs were already simmering in the sauce. Turned out just fine. Few of us thought it was even better than with regular sweet sausage
It looks like you found a great substitution! Thank you for sharing that with us!
This came out amazing! I added a tsp of oregano to the sauce, and it cane out perfect. Definitely will make again!
That sounds perfect! Thanks for sharing that with us, Sarah.
My son is severely autistic and will not eat most things I make. He actually ate the meatballs! I love all of your recipes but, this is probably a new staple for us!
Wow! I’m so inspired reading this! Thank you for that amazing review, Natasha!
Spaghetti is my husband’s favorite. I made this last night and he loved it so much, claiming that he made it. Every single recipe looks so delicious that I want to cook something new!
I’m so glad you (and YOU) enjoyed it! Thank you for the wonderful review!
Absolutely delicious! I made this recipe with Natasha’s homemade garlic bread. My husband said “this is restaurant quality” 😂. Definitely will make this again, thank you Natasha. I am slowly making my way through your recipes and have not found one that wasn’t amazing yet!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
Ok so im not a meatball person, but my husband is. I decided to try these for him and he told me they are the best meatballs he’s ever had lol and my son hugged me and thanked me sooooo again its a win!! Natasha your recipes are ALWAYS a hit in my home. THANK YOU! ❤
Hi Marie, I’m so happy you’re all loving our recipes! Thank you so much for the fantastic review and your encouraging words. I am smiling big reading your comment
Hi Natasha! Love love love all your recipes! Thank you for sharing! Do you have a link to the tiny wooden pinch bowl you use a lot? Thank you
Thank you, Janene.You can see the kitchen tools that I use here in my Amazon affiliate shop
I can’t find the wooden pinch bowl listed. If you come across it, please share. Thanks!
Hi, those are from Cost Plus World Market
This recipe was so delicious and actually very easy to follow! My boyfriend and his family loved it so much he even suggested to open up my own restaurant (no thanks lol!) Will be trying your creamy mashed potato recipe tomorrow! Love your blog and videos!
Wow, they loved it that much! Thank you for your excellent feedback and for sharing that with us. I’m so glad you all loved it.
Forgot to put the parsley in the recipe. After I mixed it all up I noticed it but was kind of late and bad proof reading on Natasha’s part
Hi Sally, there is no parsley in this recipe although you can add it if you prefer. I added the basil in step 3 of making the sauce.
Hello Natasha, I can eat chicken meat only, and is it ok to use dried basil instead of fresh? and or can I add Italian spice? aside from bay leaf? Thank you and more power.
Hi Rowena, I haven’t tested this with only chicken (it may be a tad dry), but dried basil can work! I hope you love this recipe!
I love the way you start you cooking.
Thank you for that feedback & for watching our videos!
Just wanted to say that I was not a big fan of meatballs before finding this recipe! Now I wish I could eat this every night. I use my family’s spicy breakfast sausage along with the ground beef and love it! Thank you Natasha!
Sounds like you found a new favorite Allie! I’m so happy you enjoyed that!
best spaghetti and meatballs ever! i have made this recipe like a dozen times since i found it i modified it i put 1 1 /2 Ibs of pork sausage(without casings) and 1/2 Ibs ground beef and added 2 tbsp flour to the mixture and instead of meat balls i made them fast like patties and served with garlic potatoes and homemade sauce thank you for this amazing recipe!!
You are very welcome! I’m just happy to read your awesome comments and feedback, thank you!
Please help! I am a horrible cook. I tried your recipe, but my meatballs keep falling apart. What did I do wrong? Thank you!
Hi Trinity, sorry to hear that. They should stick together well. Did you omit or make any changes to the meatball recipe?
Hi, this recipe has great reviews and I want to try it. Is there any way to make the meatballs/marinara sauce in a slow cooker so I can just quickly cook the spaghetti when I get home from work and have this meal mostly ‘prepped’ ahead of time?
Hi Jocelyn, I have not tested this in a slow cooker to advise. I’ve seen it done before so it may be possible. If you happen to experiment I would love to know how you like this recipe!
Hi Natasha, last night I made this spaguetti and meatballs, we all love it!!! The meatballs are soooo yummy!!!!! Thank you for sharing this recipe!!! Blessings for you and your beautiful family!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Cristina! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
Hi Natasha! At what point in the process would you freeze the meatballs if I want to spread out the process a bit? Would you freeze them right after forming into balls, or partially cook them on all sides in the Dutch oven first and then freeze?
Hi Corinne, I haven’t tried freezing them but I think it would work fine to freeze them. I would probably thaw in the fridge before sautéing the meatballs for the best results.
Hi Natasha, my mom has made spaghetti and meatballs before
but nobody liked it so she had to eat all of it so when I made your recipe it was a HUGE hit!!!
Thanks!!!!!!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Hi Natasha this recipe is just amazing and delicious, my family just loves it, thank you so much for it, thanks!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Zoe!
Hi Natasha,
This looks delicious, I am a huge fan of your recipes and videos. My family doesn’t eat beef, would this recipe work with just chicken mince instead? If yes would I need to make any other adjustments to the recipe?
Hi Dipika, I haven’t tested that with chicken but that may work. If you experiment please let me know how you like that.
I really like your recipes, thanks for doing such a great job! I have a question about your website. A few seconds after I open a recipe music starts playing which makes me jump every time, it also stops whatever audio I am playing in the background while cooking. This really bugs me and it has woken my toddler up a cupple of times. I immediately turn off the sound on my phone, finding which video is playing takes forever, and all of it makes me stop using the website. Is there a way I can stop this happening? Thank you!
Hi Lena, thanks for your feedback. There should be an x button on the video that is playing on the background if it doesn’t show up just wait for a while as it should allow you to close it.
This was so delicious! The meatballs were so tender and juicy. Everyone in my family loved this recipe. Next time I’m going to skip the spaghetti and make meatball subs. Thanks for this recipe!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it!
Sounds great! So happy to know that your whole family enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing!
Hello Natasha
Can I use other cheese? For some reason Parmesan is limited in my local supermarket in Subang, Malaysia! What would you recommend, cheddar ok?
Thanks
Mimi
Hi Mimi, I haven’t tried this with cheddar, but you might try just leaving out the cheese.
Hi Natasha. May I ask where did you get your cheese grater? Thank you.
Hi Wynn, you can find our favorite kitchen tools in our blog shop HERE or our Amazon Shop HERE. I hope that helps!
Really loved this recipe. I’m from the Caribbean so we use a lot different seasonings here so in addition to the seasonings added to the minced beef I also included some Celery, onions, parsley pimentos and a little Worcestershire sauce (added pimentos, Celery, parsley, sugar and a little all purpose seasoning to the sauce as well). Meatballs were really tasty and a nice size. I didn’t have much pasta sauce so I believe it was a bit dry, also I used more pasta and tried to toss which broke some of the balls but still it came out pretty good. Will try to perfect the technique the next time I try it. Used whole wheat homemade bread for the breadcrumbs which worked great as well.
And Shadon beni, can’t forget the shadon beni. Used in the both the meatballs and the sauce
Thank you for sharing those changes with us Sasha! I’m glad you enjoyed that.
In my opinion the sauce needs work as it lacks a rich tomato flavor and is missing key Italian spices.
Meatballs would be better without the addition of pork. It makes them too dense.
Hi William, pork usually makes the meatballs more tender versus all beef. It sounds like maybe the meat was overworked which can cause it to become dense. Overcooking will also cause the meatballs to seem more dry or dense.
Wow! So delicious! This will be my second time making, and I can’t wait. I used ritz crackers instead of bread and they turned out fantastic! Best spaghetti and meatball recipe- HANDS DOWN!
Thank you 🙂
That is so great! Thanks for the excellent feedback, we appreciate it.
I can’t find the link for the Parmesan Cheese Grater. Please help.
Hi Lorenzo, here’s the Grater that you’re looking for.
Dear Natasha, I want to start off by saying I have been one of your followers for awhile now and have enjoyed watching your videos but never really made any of your recipes till today which I have just made your meatball and spaghetti recipe! I thoroughly enjoyed eating the best moist and tender meatballs ever!! Although I forgot to put in the grated cheese, they were still delicious! I can’t wait for my 5 year old granddaughter to try these! You are so easy to watch in the way you cook and a smooth sound to my ears! My next recipe of yours is to make your tiramisu! I saw your family photo and yes your husband is very handsome and so is your son! You have a beautiful family! Keep on loving what your doing! Thank you for sharing all your delicious recipes with us! May god bless you & your family!
Hello Rita, wow your comments and feedback just made me smile. Thanks for your kind words and appreciation, my husband will be happy with your compliment too! Stay safe and healthy always
First time to use fresh bread in meatballs. Didnt have white bread but the whole-grain was also good. Great, easy, simple recipe. Thanks, Natasha.
I’m so glad you enjoyed that Carla! Thank you for that great review!
I made this once with both meats and a second time only with beef. We liked the all beef version better, less “hearty” and the sauce was delicate and tasty.
I’m so glad you enjoyed that Peter!
Hi Natasha,
I love your recipe. I have a question instead of basil can I use parsley? I don’t have basil on me right now.
Thank you for your good feedback Arlin. Basil is nice but optional if your crushed tomatoes jar has basil as 1 of the ingredients.
Hi Natasha,
You are welcome. Thank you for your reply. I don’t think the tomato jar has basil in it. So if it doesn’t can I substitute it with parsley?
If you try that I would love to know how you like it.
I love watching you and your recipes are so basic and easy to make. Thanks
You’re welcome, Krissy! Thank you for the wonderful feedback!
Hi Natasha, I’m fixing them now. My meatballs stuck to my dutch oven even though I had oil in with the meatballs, how can I keep them from sticking? Did I not have enough flour on them?
Hi Michaela, it could be that the surface on your dutch oven was the culprit – a coated dutch oven works a little better. You might try a non-stick pan if your coating is prone to sticking.
Awesome recipe!! The post had my mouth watering so I decided to try it tonight…
I was wondering, how do you stay so slim after cooking such delicious meals?
Thank you Shikha. I go to the gym (I work out at home now) and eat everything in moderation!
Thank you for replying, Natasha!
I made it and the meatballs were a total HIT!! Delicious recipe..
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!
Hi Natasha, I don’t eat pork products. What is a good substitute for italian pork sausage that will give a good compliment for the beef and make that delicious meatball?
Hi Andrea, if you replace the sausage with all beef, it’s best to use a beef that isn’t too lean so the meatballs don’t end up dry. Beef is not as moist as pork but I do think it would work ok as all beef meatballs.
Hi Natasha, Im not a fan of the chunky tomato sauce. What would you recommend to substitute? Would tomato sauce work and a bit of tomato paste to thicken it?
Hi Melissa, I would recommend our easy homemade marinara sauce.
is the extra left over sauce and meatballs freezable?
Hi Cheryl, yes this freezes really well.
Hi Natasha! I added the basil right in the sauce and not at the end like you suggested. Hopefully that doesn’t change the flavor too much. :/
HI Patty, that is still ok. I like how the basil is more pronounced in flavor if added later but it will still taste great.
Hi Natasha. Can I substitute beef with chicken and omit the Italian sausages? We don’t eat beef.
Thanks.
Amrita.
Hi Amrita, I haven’t tested that with chicken but that may work. If you experiment please let me know how you like that.
Hi Natasha. I tested it with chicken and it came out really nice. My kids just couldn’t get enough of it. The only problem I had was the chicken was not binding well to make firm balls but if you add cornstarch/cornflour, it would help in binding. You can also add breadcrumbs. Thank you for the lovely recipes you share with us. I have tried so many of yours recipes and everyone of them came out perfect.
Thank you for sharing that with us, Amrita. I hope that you will love all the recipe that you will try!
Exactly what I did and tasted so good! Breadcrumbs helped the overly moist chicken mince. Thanks Natasha. Dint think I could do a yummy spaghetti dish!
De-li-cious!
Thank you
Isn’t it the best! Thank you for that great review!
The taste is great but I can’t get them to form balls. They fall apart easily and they resemble more like flatter meat pies. Is there something to make them more solid? Bread or less water maybe?
I’m so sorry to hear that Sean. Was anything substituting in the balls making them my dry?
Thanks for the receipt, i m going to cook this coming monday. It looks very delicous
I hope you love this recipe, Angi! We look forward to your feedback.
I cooked this for The Nigerian Society and everyone loved it. Beeeeeeg Yoshi Approves
Wow! That’s so awesome! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Hi Natasha!
Will You please send me the
Cooking/Steaming instructions
for Snow Crablegs? I saw it
recently & didn’t “SAVE” it, now
I can’t find it!!!
Thank You!
Hi Valerie, you can find that recipe here. I hope that helps.
Didn’t see the cheese grater in comments!
Hi Betty, here is the hand-cranked cheese grater you are looking for.
Looks amazing plan on making it tonight!! Can I use wheat bread instead of white?
Yes you can use wheat bread or any other soft bread that you prefer. Hope you love it!
Hi cutie, I was interested in the thermometer and where I can find it. Love watching and listening to you but most of all love making your recipes. Your the best😉
Hello Gail, I usually use Thermapen
Amazing. I tried it today, and my pocky kids loved it and even asked for more.
The meat balls were so juicy and flavorful. I used ground turkey instead of sausage and turned out so good.
Thanks Natasha
You’re welcome! I’m so glad you enjoyed that Salma!
I made this twice. First as per recipe, really delicious. Second time I subbed hot Italian sausage and used chopped tomatoes with basil, oregano and garlic (a quick trip through the food processor to get it to crushed status).
The hot Italian sausage infused a nice heat throughout the sauce. Super tasty. Will make again!
Awesome thank you for sharing that with us and for the great feedback!
It turned out so good!
I’m so glad you enjoyed that, Izabel!
Please use homemade Marinara Sauce, everyone. Love mixing the spaghetti with the sauce and meatballs in one big bowl. The pasta absorbs the sauce. This is even better the next day for breakfast – a bowl or two. Thanks.
Thank you for that suggestion, Lynn. We do have a homemade version here.
I know you have the homemade Marinara Sauce recipe, I meant for the people using store-bought.
We control the sodium.
Just made this recipe. Best meatballs I’ve ever made! Followed the recipe exactly.
The white bread makes the difference instead of using dried breadcrumbs….meatballs beautifully tender.
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review Todd!
So I’ve made this recipe before but today I needed/wanted to try this in the instant pot. Here is what I did:
Used the saute button to brown the meatballs then I cleaned the pot from the browning bits, used the saute to make the marinara sauce. I put the meatballs back into the pot with the sauce set it on HIGH for 10 minutes, let it depressurize naturally and these meatballs were so melt-in-your-mouth good! If you dont want them so tender the use the Quick Release after done cooking.
I hope this helps those others who Love this recipe as much as their Instant Pot
Thank you Natasha!!
Our readers will find this so helpful! Thank you for that amazing review, Nikole!
Really it’s delicious and just perfect
Thanks for your great feedback, Lana!
Really it’s delicious and just perfect
Thank you so much for the great review!
I just made it and it is amazing!! The best meatballs I’ve ever had!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Yes, they are worth 5 stars. We did the meatballs with Jamie Oliver’s Classic Tomato Spaghetti sauce recipe from Ministry of Food for the sauce. Amazing.
Thanks for the great review, Andrew. So happy to know that you loved this recipe!
I want to
Make this so bad but I don’t have any sausage on hand. Can I use just 2lbs of ground beef?
Hi Tracy! We prefer sausage but beef should work. Since the fat content will be less you may need to make a few adjustments. I hope you love this recipe!
I’m making the meatballs right now..
This is the best recipe in the world!!! My boys loved it & it was so easy to make. Most definitely use the Muir Glen Fire Roasted Crushed Tomatoes. I also pureed them in the food processors since Michael & D.C. do not like chunks of tomatoes in their sauce. You must try this recipe if you love spaghetti and meatballs. It is also fun to do with your kids!!!
That’s so awesome, Darlene! Thank you for that amazing review!
These meatballs are the very best! The combination of ground beef and mild Italian sausage is a must. I have made many meatballs in my 50+ years of cooking and these top everyone of them.
I’m smiling big reading this comment, Janet! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
If I were to make this ahead would I add the meatballs to the sauce right away and just reheat it all the day I serve it or wait till the day I serve it to add the meatballs?
Thank you
Hi Dinah, yes that would work great. The meatballs in sauce reheat well together.
I love to make your food never disappoints!
I’m so glad you’re enjoying our recipes!
My son has been asking for spaghetti and meatballs so I would like to try this recipe. Can I use only ground beef?
Hi Naz, we love the combination, but the recipe will still work with using only ground beef. I would recommend a ground beef that isn’t too lean though.
WOW looks amazing I will try it
I hope you love it Shereen!
I subscribe to Muir Glen Fire Roasted diced tomatoes, so I will use them for this Marinara sauce.
I’ve been making overly complicated recipes lately, so I was happy to find a simple Marinara sauce I can make with ingredients on hand.
I make horrible meatballs, so I bought some frozen ones and will heat them up with the sauce.
I never serve spaghetti…..I prefer Angel Hair or Linguini. But tomorrow night I’ll use your Marinara recipe, throw in the meatballs, and serve with spaghetti.
Thanks for helping me get back to basics!
You’re welcome! I’m glad you found this recipe!
Can you make the meatball and sauce day before a party?
Hi Jim, yes that would work great. The meatballs in sauce reheat well together.
Hello Natasa. As always, your recipes are 1.000% a success, no doubt. I used my own tomate sauce, simply out of this world (as someone said). Greetings from Costa Rica.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Valentin! I’m so glad you enjoyed it.
I don’t have a splatter screen is a lid okay or is the splatter screen necessary to allow it to reduce?
The splatter screen does allow it to reduce, correct. The cover should work also if it is mostly open
I made this today. Everything step by step so yummy even my fussy toddler had two servings. Thank you Natasha
That is the best when kids love what we moms make. That’s so great!
Just a question- for all of you that are baking the meatballs, are you still browning in the pan first? This recipe sounds delicious and I’m all for making large batches and freezing some- however time constraints may prevent me from being able to do so. Thanks
I did not brown mine after baking. But I did pour all the juices from the baking pan into the red sauce. No flavor wasted! Tasted great!
I’ve made this recipe twice now, and it was perfect both times. I followed the recipe exactly, so delicious and simple to make. Love this recipe so much!!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
I made last night for my party of 6/ mother-in-laws’ 90th birthday dinner. It was a dish soft enough for her to eat (dental issues) and absolutely packed with perfect
Italian flavor! It was so darn delicious! With a good red wine, candle light, and Italian music in the background, It made for a perfect special occasion dinner better than any Restaurant! And 10 plus times cheaper! I rolled mine in flour and baked them on parchment paper @ 350 for 15 min., then turn, then another 10 minutes as suggested in one fo the reviews. The Parchment paper soaked up some of the sausage grease. I served with an Italian spring green mix salad with olives and banana peppers etc. that I found online. I plan to make this again for another Party of 6 (invite 2 other couples over) for a Holiday dinner gathering. And this time pull out my mothers China (that I never use!) It’s a keeper!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review! Please wish your mother in law a happy 90th Birthday!
Hi Natasha…this recipe looks amazing and I can’t wait to try it! One question…you had a wonderful cheese grater that I am interested in and I couldn’t find the link. Can you send that to me?
Hi Cheryl, it’s one of our favorite tools for dinners – so fancy and fun! Here is the link to the grater.
Amazing Recipe! The meatballs are so flavourful. Can you please tell me how you store the block of parmesan cheese?
Hi Tanya, It should be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and kept in the refrigerator.
This is an outstanding recipe and is very similar to how I make mine. Depending on the acidity of the crushed tomatoes, I use Cento and stir in 1/4 tsp of baking soda to smooth it out. For anyone that likes great spaghetti and meatballs, look no further as this will have you saying “mama mia”!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review!
Hi Natasha! This looks amazing! One question, can sausage can be substituted by any other meat? Trying to avoid pork:)
Hi Marina. I think that should work too!
Which meat would work best if not sausage?
Hi Marina, I’m sure there is a variety you can try like a mix of pork and turkey?
Hi Natasha! Just wanted to say thank you! I found my passion for cooking after reading and applying your recipes! Every dish is a hit! I was born in Ukraine too and even though my mom is an AMAZING cook, she’s now taking tips from me ( after I’m taking tips from you…hehe)
Hi Julia, that’s so great! I’m so inspired reading your feedback, thank you!
Hey natasha, my boyfriend is allergic to spices. Would it still be tasty if i ommitted the garlic? Thanks.
You are welcome to although it will change the flavor profile a bit.
We have been enjoying this recipe for a few months, the meatballs tender with a wonderful flavor and very good sauce. The second time I made it, I doubled the meatball portion of the recipe so I’d have them on hand for a night I only had time to make the sauce or for meatball subs. They freeze very well. So I’ve made the double batches a couple of times. Over the weekend I had the bright idea of tripling the meatball portion, seemed like such a good idea. So yesterday I got started on it, had thirty meatballs ready to cook, then I had to leave unexpectedly for the afternoon, so they went in the fridge with the remaining meat mix. This morning I started cooking and shaping more meatballs. Cooked the first thirty on the stove top as usual and realized I would be cooking for three days! I wanted to try baking them, checked the comments and found at least two of you had baked them – thank you! I was able to fit 42 slightly smaller meatballs on a cookie sheet, baked at 350 for 15 minutes, turned them and baked for another 10 minutes. If we had not been snacking on them, I’d have had 204 meatballs for the freezer (the first 30 are in the sauce right now). I baked them with and without dredging them in the flour, very good either way. I think they cooked up just a bit more without flour. Both ways were still moist and tender.
Thank you Natasha for sharing this wonderful recipe!!
Thank you so much for sharing that with us, Lottie!
Just WOW! I just made your recipe as written except I doubled the meatball ingredients because my hubby enjoys bowling balls in his sauce. And he LOVED it!!!! I can’t thank you enough. I’m already planning to double, triple, quadruple (and beyond!) your recipe for our parties. We usually have 4 or 5 each year and I know this will be a big hit. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review!
Best spaghetti and meatballs ever! Never thought a simple sauce could be so delicious.
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review, Lisa!
I love your amazing body language and room lighting smile! Your recipes show the love you bring to the table… thank you for your nourishing energy! It’s just amazing
I’m so happy you love our recipes! Thank you so much for the fantastic review and your encouraging words. I am smiling big reading your comment, Antonio.
Thanks a lot for the inspiration. No Italian sausage where I live, had to make do with a mixture of beef and pork and linguine, perfect otherwise.