Spaghetti and Meatballs Recipe
These are amazing “WOW”-inducing MEATBALLS. So tasty and juicy and BIG! 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 butt-easy (I probably shouldn’t use terms like “butt-easy” but it really is) home-made marinara sauce. These are seriously the best meatballs 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):
3 slices white bread, crusts removed and diced or torn to pieces
2/3 cup cold water
1 lb lean ground beef (7% fat)
1 lb Sweet Ground Italian sausage
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more to serve
4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed with garlic press
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 large egg
3/4 cup all-purpose flour to dredge meatballs
Light olive oil to saute (or use vegetable oil)
Ingredients for Sauce:
1 cup chopped yellow onion (from 1 medium onion)
4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed with garlic press
2 – 28 ounce cans crushed tomatoes *
2 bay leaves
Salt & pepper to taste
2 Tbsp basil, finely minced, optional **
Other Ingredients:
1 lb spaghetti
INGREDIENT NOTES:
*I found really tasty Organic BPA free cans at Fred Meyer and they were about the same price as regular canned tomatoes!
**My canned tomatoes allready had basil in them so if you wanted to skip the basil, your sauce will still taste great.
How to Make the Best Italian Meatballs:
1. Combine 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 (about 6 min total or 2 min per side). Remove meatballs to a separate dish and set aside (don’t worry about cooking them through at this point).
How to Make the 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 pressed garlic and stir 1-2 minutes.
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 or cover with a splatter screen to keep the stove clean 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 (I didn’t feel it needed the basil and didn’t have to add any salt or pepper).
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 and so does my son, and my husband too. 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.
Spaghetti and Meatballs Recipe
Ingredients
Ingredients for Meatballs (makes 22-23 meatballs):
- 3 slices white bread crusts removed and diced or torn to pieces
- 2/3 cup cold water
- 1 lb lean ground beef 7% fat
- 1 lb Sweet Ground Italian sausage
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese plus more to serve
- 4 cloves garlic minced or pressed with garlic press
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour to dredge meatballs
- Light olive oil to saute or use vegetable oil
Ingredients for Sauce:
- 1 cup chopped yellow onion 1 medium onion
- 4 cloves garlic minced or pressed with garlic press
- 2 - 28 ounce cans crushed tomatoes *see notes
- 2 bay leaves
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 2 Tbsp basil finely minced, optional (**see notes)
Other Ingredients:
- 1 lb spaghetti cooked aldente according to package instructions
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 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 them 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 pressed 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 your sauce is done, stir in chopped fresh basil and add salt and pepper to taste (I didn't feel it really needed the basil and didn't have to add any salt or pepper).
Finishing Details:
-
Cook pasta according to package instructions until aldente (or softer if your family loves it that way), 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 more parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves if desired and serve hot.
Recipe Notes
*I found really tasty Organic BPA free cans at Fred Meyer and they were about the same price as regular canned tomatoes!
**My canned tomatoes allready had basil in them so if you wanted to skip the basil, your sauce will still taste great.
♥ 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?
natashaskitchen
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Here you'll find classic Ukrainian food and other favorite recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
I doubled the portion and froze half of the meatballs for another time. My husband and I thought the meatballs were amazing but werent too impressed with the sauce. The flavor of tomatoes was way overpowering for us. So today, I made your Mushroom Marinara Sauce and added the frozen meatballs and it was out of this world!
I’m happy you enjoyed this recipe! Thank you for your feedback!
Hi, what can I substitute the egg with?
Hi Melissa, The egg in the meatball binds the meat, breadcrumbs, and herbs etc. The eff also give is a light and airy meatball vs a dense burger like meat. I haven’t tried it without the egg but I believe a quick google search may bring up a few other options. 🙂
I made your meatballs & sauce tonight. The mearptballs are so lushish and moist…love them. I added tomato paste and a little white wine to the sauce, delicious too.
I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe, Patsy! Thank you for the wonderful review!
Looks wonderful.
Thank you David! I hope you enjoy it!
Yummy!!
Thank you Shawn!
I’m excited to try this recipe! Do you have suggestions for baking these meatballs?
Hi Alexis! I haven’t tested these in the oven so I can’t say for sure and bake time would vary based on how large you made your meatballs. I’ll have to experiment and get back with you one I do! 🙂
I do! I actually skip the whole part where you dredge them in flour; I mix up the meatballs, shape them and drop them onto a foil-lined baking sheet, and pop them in the oven at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Then I add them to my sauce to let them mingle for a few hours (I cook my own sauce that simmers for most of the day). If you don’t want to add the meatballs to the sauce, just increase the cooking time until they’re done – I’ve done that with a handful of them when my son wasn’t feeling well and just wanted buttered noodles instead of tomato sauce. Hope this helps!
Thanks Terina!
Natasha, I’ve used this meatball recipe twice now and going to use it again tonight. So delish!
I’m so happy you are enjoying this recipe Alexis!
just made this recipe and love it.
Will make it again????
Sounds like you’ll have to make it again! Thank you for the great review, Robbie!
Im sure happy with this, I am a man who havent cook in the 30 years of my life and this recipe was so easy to follow and its the best spaghetti meatballs iv had even went to Bella Italia and it had nothing on this thank you
Thank you for the wonderful review!
I was making this for a mixed vegetarian and not group, so I couldn’t cook the meatballs in the sauce. I thought this might be really tomato-y unaltered, but it was pretty good. However, I wanted to give it a bit more, so I did add the basil, some black pepper, and celery seed. It turned out really well, and it was pretty simple.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I’m not sure if this was asked before but with my very needy little one I tend to do meatballs in the slow cooker in the sauce and add pasta when ready to eat. Has anyone done it this way?
I love that idea! Thanks for sharing!
I make my own sauce that simmers all day. Do you think I could make these meatballs as written the night before and then add them back in the next day?
Hi T.R. I think that would work well.
Thanks for the recipe. It was quite simple. I added 3 tsp red chili sauce and some brown sugar too, we liked it bit sweet n spicy. Family loved it.
What a great suggestion, I will have to try that! I’m glad the whole family enjoys the recipe, thanks for sharing!
This recipe is soo good! Ive made this quite a few times now, and I fall in love over and over each time 🙂 By far the best meatballs ever! The only thing ive changed is soaking the bread in milk rather than water (I honestly dont know if it makes a difference tho)
Thank you for the wonderful review and you are very welcome 😬.
Hello,
Could you substitute the white bread for regular dried bread crumbs? If so, what would be the appropriate measurement?
Thank you!
Hi Erica, 1 slice of bread equals about 1/3 cup of bread crumbs so I would probably add 1 cup of bread crumbs and follow with the recipe using crumbs instead of fresh bread.
Sooo delicious! I hated this dish before and so glad I tried this recipe. Both me and husband were wowed!
I’m glad you both enjoy the recipe so much! Thanks for sharing your great review!
Made the spaghetti and meatball recipe tonight and oh my gosh! Your recipe is AMAZING. Thank you for sharing. My three little boys and husband were pleased. Your instructions ar easy to follow and the ingredients were so simple ! Can’t wait to try more.
My pleasure Raven! I’m happy to hear your family enjoys the recipe as much as mine does! Thanks for sharing your excellent review!
For ground Italian sausage I just buy fresh sausage and squeeze the sausage meat out of the casings….works well. Hot, mild or sweet at Costco.
Great tip Barb! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Can’t find sweet ground Italian sausage… what can I use instead?
Hi Margaret, I found the sausage to be the best in flavor but a mild Italian sausage would work well also. Ground pork could work but you will need to add some additional seasonings.
Many thanks for your speedy reply. I will go with pork mince for now, as I am in Cyprus at the moment and can’t find the Italian sausage. I will add some Italian seasoning to it. Ps loved your pesto chicken rollup. X
My pleasure Margaret!
I’m sure this has been asked somewhere in the thread, but have you tried to freeze the meatballs? I’d love to make a couple batches and freeze them for a quick dinner! My husband LOVES these and requests them often…
I’m so glad to hear that! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review :). 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 best results.
THIS is where I am going to look for recipes now it was so good. Everyone loved it in my family. Except I’m sad my sister couldn’t try it because she went vegan after watching a video that I cried to. Hey, you should make vegan meals for my sister to eat. She is having trouble finding stuff to eat.
I’m so glad to hear everyone is enjoying the recipes! Thanks for following and I will keep your suggestion in mind Caroline!
Omg! I was looking at your website and found this so i asked my dad to help me make it, it was so good. I never wanted to stop eating! Your food is always so good! How do you do it?
Awww thank you Caroline!! I’m so glad you loved this recipe!!
Your welcome
This is one of my FAVORITE recipes! I have made it a handful of times and my family loves it! The sauce is simple, perfect, and so delicious! I can never go back to a jar of sauce after having this homemade sauce! The meatballs are amazingly good! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe!
My pleasure Laura! I’m glad you’re family enjoys the recipe as much as mine does! Thanks for sharing your wonderful review!
Dude! This sauce was awesome. My entire family loved it! My tip is to add a pinch of Oregano and Granulated Garlic. Gives it that one kick of flavor the sauce was missing.
Great suggestion Gia! I’m glad you enjoy the recipe! Thanks for sharing your review with other readers!
I love the way you present step by step recipes thanks so much it was delicious and with the kitchen aid pretty desent and easy i add a lil of cilantro and green pepper pieces very small and the meatballs are great soft anf delicious thanks so much looking to make some of your delicous salads THANKS TO THE WAY YOU POST STEP BY STEP PICS it is very easy for me GBU
You’re welcome! I’m glad to hear how helpful the instructions are for you! Thanks for sharing 🙂
My Italian friend says “always heat the plate up, it stops the water in the tomatoes from separating.”
That is a great tip!! Thank you so much for sharing 🙂
LOVE it! My picky 2 year old just ate 3 large meatballs and lots of pasta. Thank you for yet another great recipe
My pleasure Vera! I’m glad to hear the recipe is “picky eater approved”! Thanks for sharing your great review! 🙂
Excellent recipe. totally in love. Stay blessed 🙂
I’m glad you enjoy it Sara! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Your spaghetti and meatballs receipes
are perfect. Doubled the receipes with no problem, except not much for leftovers!
Congratulations on your success.
That’s great, I’m glad to hear the recipe is loved by all! Thanks for sharing Virginia!
My hubby & I made this yesterday for dinner, it’s so delicious! Best sauce ever!! ❤️
Awesome, I’m glad you both enjoy the recipe so much! Thanks for sharing Cindy 😀
Dear Natasha, thank you so much for this recipe! My whole family and I love it! It is one of my very favorites.
Sincerely,
Debbie
You’re welcome Debra! I’m happy to hear your family loves it as much as mine does! Thanks for sharing your wonderful review!
Hey Natasha! Thanks so much for sharing this delicious recipe. After recently being out of work, I am making a point to cook better food for my family and learn some recipes. Your spaghetti and meatballs will be part of our weekday meals for a long time to come. Life can be difficult but your recipe makes life delicious! Thanks again. -Peter
Hi Peter, thank you so much for your kinds words and amazing review. It really means alot to me 🙂 I wish you success in the next chapter of your life and blessings for work that exceeds your expectations 🙂
Hi..is there an alternative to the Sweet ground Italian Sausage..I live in Perth Australia and can’t seem to source it.. love spaghetti and meatballs and looking for a great recipe..Thanks. 🙂
Hi Robert, you could use ground regular sausage or just ground pork and adjust the seasoning to give the meat more flavor since Italian sausage has flavorings added to it. Just from a quick google search, I found this post which might be helpful – you would probably be ok just adding a little Italian seasoning and salt – maybe a dash of garlic powder.
Hi Natasha!
I have just recently gone dairy free and want to make this recipe again (made it before and it was delicious!). Can you offer a substitute for the white bread?
I’m so glad you liked it! I really have not tried anything besides bread, because it works so well. I think you could use breadcrumbs, but that probably doesn’t help you if you want to get away from bread.
I always use oats instead of bread
Thank you for sharing! 🙂
I live in China and Western dishes are hard to make, but I’m really crossing my fingers I can find ingredients for this one. I’m practically drooling on my cell phone. 🙂 ~Katherine
LOL! Let me know what you think of the recipe if you get a chance to try it Katherine!
Thank you so much for your site. I really appreciate all of the valuable information you share. You’ve helped me become a better cook.
That is so kind of you to say and it means a great deal to me. Thank you Vincent!! 🙂
I have found that whole peeled San Marzano tomatos are fabulous for marinara sauce. Instead of pork, I use ground veal for the meatballs – it yields a wonderfully velvety texture. I do bake them – and they come out great.
Thank you so much for sharing!! Is there a specific brand of San Marzano tomatoes you like?
I did not find sweet Italian sausage so I got Italian sausages, peeled the skin and added a little bit of brown sugar. I think it worked? 🤓 because it sure tasted good! Adding the bread did the trick with my usually dry not so tender meatballs. I had about 45 large meatballs from that portion of meat so we definitely had some leftovers. I love leftovers!
Great recipe!
I am glad to hear you enjoy the recipe! Thank you for sharing!
This is seriously the best stuff ever! I’m obsessed with olive garden pasta with meatballs but these are even more delicious! Thank you for your amazing recipes(:
Thank you for sharing your wonderful review Dasha! 🙂
I tried this recipe and it came out really good. Last week I tried your chicken meatballs recipe and that came out good too. I love your website. Everything looks so delicious! What I love the most is the step by step pictures which really helps when I’m trying something for the first time. I’m a fan 🙂
Thank you for such a wonderful review Milana! 🙂
How much would I need for the meatballs if I cut the servings in half ? Serving for 4 ?
Hi Morgan, this recipe would work well cut in half, just cut all of the ingredients in half and follow the same assembly and cooking instructions, just with half the amount of ingredients 🙂
Hi Natasha,
Can the meatballs be baked? If so what settings and for how long would you suggest. Would that alter the taste in any way? Thank you!
Hi Jasmin, I haven’t tested these in the oven so I can’t say for sure and bake time would vary based on how large you made your meatballs. I’ll have to experiment and get back with you one I do! 🙂
These meatballs are so good and the sauce was amazing ! Love it , thanks for sharing that recipe ! I will make it again for sure its my new favorite meatballs and sauce recipe .
Yanick, thank you for sharing such a nice review! Your comment made me smile 😁.
Taking this as a meal to someone – should I tell them to reheat for 20-30 mins at 350? Thanks!
Hi Laurie, it depends on how you’re reheating it (meatballs only or meatballs and pasta) and how much at a time. That sounds about right but just heat until hot – you don’t want it to continue cooking 🙂
Hi Natasha I love your recipes!
I don’t have ground turkey and crushed tomatoes.
I have tomato sauce. Do you think if I skip the turkey and crushed tomatoes will it still turn on good ?
Hi Nastia :). Do you mean ground beef or ground pork? This recipe doesn’t have turkey. I like mixing the two meats together because one has more fat and one is more lean and they blend really well together and create a balanced meatball. I don’t think they would be as good using just one of the meats listed. Also, the crushed tomatoes add great texture to the sauce while tomato sauce should be used more for soups, stews or casseroles. I really haven’t tested it with tomato sauce but I would guess that the crushed tomatoes work best for this sauce.
This was delicious just as is. My family loved it and I can’t wait to try another of your recipes!
Oh that’s awesome!! I’m so happy you enjoyed it 🙂
So happy to find your recipes & try them out! Wanted to reach out cuz i found your posts so funny & i could totally relate (90’s comment– mc hammer- i totally got it!) Mom of 5, i get bored of same ol stuff or reluctant to try new. But I’m making those meatballs!! Thanks for the detailed pics. First thing to catch my eye was your name…. my second daughter is Natassja, & husband’s family is from Ukraine. I usually don’t post comments, but your site is very intriguing & can’t wait to try some recipes– just wanted you to know, & Keep up the good work!! ♡ KAREN
Karen, thank you so much for writing in, I really enjoyed reading your comment 😀. I always wonder if others understand my attempt at humor, thanks!
Actually before anything else I so much loved the taste of the sauce.
And because i already had the frozen meatballs,i just added the cheese to the sauce.the food tastes yummy .it is the best Natasha.so yummy😊😚
I love that you improvised and made it even easier. I hope you give the meatballs a try some day. They really are spectacular 🙂
i am interested in the meatball recipe. is there a video of you making it to watch?
I haven’t created a video for this one yet but it’s a great suggestion – thanks! 🙂
These were delicious omg omg!!!
I’m in love just melt in your mouth best meatballs ever had! Love your recipes bless you:)))
Lana, you’re so nice! Thank you! 🙂 I’m all smiles 🙂
Really the best spaghetti and meatballs! So good. Thank you!
I’m so happy you loved it! Which reminds me, I need to make it again soon! 🙂 Now I’m craving it 😉
What size pan do you recommend for the sauce and meatballs?
Hi Bryce, I used a 5 1/2 Qt Dutch oven but you can also use a deep skillet (9 to 11-inch).
I made thisnrecipe because it looked amazing, I hate spaghetti, but these meatballs made me fall in love with it. I had left over meat from the meatballs since we are a small family I made 3 meatballs each with a total of 9. We used the left overs and made a meatloaf, horseradish mashpotatoes, which was amazing. Will be making this recipe again!
That’s so great Kristen! It sounds like you have a new favorite 😄
These are simmering on top the stove now. Very easy, well printed directions. Thank you! Had to make a change in that I didn’t have sweet Italian sausage but had bratwurst and so I used that, adding 2 TBS Italian seasoning to add some Italian flavors. It smells Soooo good!
Mmm I can imagine how good that will taste. I hope you LOVE it! 🙂
Hi, Natasha! This looks delicious!! I don’t have any sausage to use at the moment though. Would it still be okay to follow the recipe as is without the sausage?
Hi Anna, 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.
This dish was amazing. My husband also loved it. It was easy to make and the meatballs were so tender and moist. It was my first time making meatballs and we loved it. I will be making this more often. Thanks for the great recipes! I will be trying more of them!
Like always, the steps are so easy to follow! =)
I’m so happy to hear that Tina! Thank you for sharing your great review and you are welcome! 😀
In the recipe you list bay leaves..in the pictures you show basil. Which is it?
Thx, Barb
Hi Barb, 🙂 I have both listed in the ingredients and in the pictures and I used both. When making the sauce, add bay leaves in step 2 and basil in step 3. If your sauce has basil in it, you can omit the fresh basil and it will still taste great.
awesome recipe!!! the meatballs comes out very soft and delicious. Thank you Natasha!!! this is the best meatballs recipe I’ve ever tried.
I’m so happy you loved it! Thank you so much for the awesome review! 🙂
You guys are a bunch of sluts this dish was amazing my whole family and friends loved it 😏😎 leave your rude Italian bullshit for the birds
Woah! lol. Thanks Linda, I’m so glad you all loved it 🙂
Hi, I’m thinking about trying this recipe but one thing I would change would be to soak the bread in milk instead of water. I have a meatloaf recipe that calls for bread to be soaked in milk and it turns out soft and delish everytime. Just FYI if you want to try it out someday 😀
Thank you so much for sharing that with me! 🙂 I will have to give it a try!
Looks yummy… I am planning on trying this recipe during the holidays. Are the meatballs moist? I have another spaghetti and meatballs recipe that includes adding warm water to the meatball mixture.
Paula, meatballs are very moist and juicy, I would love to hear what you thought of the recipe. Happy Holidays to you 😁.
Do you cancelled my comment?
This recipe isn ‘t italian, sorry!
We italians don’t eat never spaghetti with meatballs. Don’ t eat also chicken parmesan. Bleah!!!
It’s there. The meatballs are based on an Italian recipe that I’ve been using. I agree I don’t think spaghetti with meatballs is traditionally Italian despite popular belief. I do love it and chicken parmesan nonetheless.
Good thing we’re not in Italy! 😜 I have searched Pinterest and I’m making my own meatballs. I’ve had tons of people say the mixture of the 2 meats makes them taste so much better. Your sauce looks amazing as well! Can’t wait to try these meatballs for Sunday. Thanks for sharing your recipe!
You are welcome Heather and I hope you’ll love it 😀
My Italian friend’s love spaghetti with meatballs!
Awesome! Thanks Paula 🙂
was making ahead 1 day before a party would this effect it all and by leaving the meatballs in sauce.
thank you
Jim
That should be fine to make it ahead and leave the meatballs in sauce.
Anyone who are really italiana can eat it!
Recipe looks delicious and I can’t wait to try it tomorrow!! Question, I have canned whole tomatoes, not crushed. If I blend them will the recipe (flavor) change? Thanks!
Perla, pulse them coarsely in the food processor or chop them. Let me know how it turns out :).
For as long as I can remember no matter how much I drained my pasta, (never rinse it) or had a thick sauce, there would always be a little pool of watery tomato liquid in bottom of bowl. I learned from an Italian cooking school I went to on vacation in Italy a trick I have never varied since. Just as you take pasta off to drain take 2 ladels of the pasta water (about 1/2-3/4 cup ) and mix into the sauce. It doesn’t dilute sauce in anyway nor make it too thin. What this does is cause the sauce to bind to the pasta in a perfect way with never so much as a teaspoon of watery liquid on your plate/bowl One of the best cooking tricks I’ve ever learned
That is a brilliant tip! Thank you so much for sharing 🙂
Hi Natasha, I was wondering if I can freeze meatballs? Do I cook them first or freeze them raw? thank you
I think it would work either way. If freezing them raw, don’t dust with flour until after they thaw, just before cooking them. Make sure they are fully thawed in the refrigerator before sauteeing them – I have found that if you cook frozen ground meats, they let off weird white stuff (sorry I don’t know the technical term). 🙂
Just made this for dinner and froze a batch, they turned out very delicious, thank you!
That’s awesome! I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe. Did you freeze them raw or cooked?
Natasha,
I just finished making these and it smells very nice in the house! I really liked that your recipe was simple and it tastes delicious. Like you, I topped with parmesan cheese. Thank you for sharing your recipes with us!
You’re welcome and thank you for the great review! 🙂
I made this exactly as written – it is delicious! I’m so excited to have found your site! The technique of browning the meatballs and then finishing them in the sauce makes for fantastic flavor, and less dishes – amazing! I don’t have kids but if I ever do, this will be my go-to “Mom’s spaghetti and meatballs!” 🙂 I loved the excuse to use my french oven too!
Awww that’s so sweet of you to say. I hope you are known for your fantastic spaghetti and meatballs :). I’m so happy you loved the recipe!
this recipe is delicious, thanks for sharing. I’m always looking for new recipes to try 🙂
Simon
Hi Simon! I hope you love it! 🙂
Great recipe, I wont to try making it right now!!!! How does it reheats???
It reheats really well either over low heat on the stove-top or in the microwave. We enjoyed it for a couple of days before it disappeared 🙂
I just made this using lamb and it came out delicious. Can’t go wrong with meatballs!
Thank you for the recipe!!
Thank you for the great review Dasha, reading your comment is making me hungry :).
I made this last weekend with my 6 year old daughter, and we LOVED it! The meatballs were fantastic, and the sauce was outstanding. Thank you for another great recipe!
Thank you for the great review, I’m so happy to hear that your daughter loved it, music to my ears :D.
Made these earlier this week and this is the best spaghetti and meatballs ever! Definitely tops anything bought in a restaurant.
Thank you Shayla for the awesome review! I’m so happy you loved the recipe! 🙂
We have ALWAYS soaked bread for meatballs but we always soaked bread in cold milk instead of water. Not sure if there’s a difference, just thought I’d mention it:) Trying this recipe tonight!!
I’ve made chicken katleti with bread and milk. I guess this version is a little more “kosher” – although we don’t really follow kosher standards 🙂
Comfort food at its best! Love them!
Thanks Shinee, I totally agree :).
The recipe looks great! I am from the UK and have just searched for Sweet Ground Italian sausage but have had no luck in our online supermarket stores. Is there an alternative you would recommend? Could I use plain pork with certain spices?
Best wishes.
Helen
You could use ground pork and season it to make it a sweet Italian “sausage.” I don’t currently have a recipe for that as I usually just buy it but a google search will probably be the best option to find a recipe for sweet Italian Sausage. I hope that helps 🙂
Great recipe natasha. I need to try it.
I love how you have picture for each step. So much easier to go along with. Theres couple other food blogs websites i look at too but some dont do the pictures with steps and it sucks. So good job again that u try so hard and include pictures.
Thank you Lilya for the feedback, I know that I’m heading in the right direction :).
Your top photo is the best picture I’ve ever seen for spaghetti and meatballs! Beautiful! You’ve got me craving these now. Job well done :)!
Thank you so much Jaclyn! 🙂 That’s quite a compliment 🙂
Wow! These pictures are GORGEOUS!! Soooo drool-worthy. I’m not a huge meatball fan… but after reading your post I think I just might give them another try. Pinned! 🙂
Thank you so much and I sure appreciate that you pinned the recipe. You should also try these meatballs in a hoagie roll and eat it as a sandwich. So good!
You can never go wrong with a classic spaghetti and meatballs. Can’t remember the last time I made this though – so thanks for the inspiration and recipe!
You are welcome Thalia and I totally agree with you :).
Meatballs and spaghetti is one of our kids favorite meal. You are right about home made. My kids won’t touch schools meatballs and spaghetti after eating home made for long time. Home made is di best!
Your kids are blessed to have you for a mama. I guess that’s what happens when you spoil them with the best home made food ;).
This photo is incredible. Very impressive. You have so many great pasta recipes and you look so tiny. Well, the watermelon that you carry around should be there, I am sure it’s not because of past 😉
You’re so sweet. Thank you! 🙂 It definitely feels like a watermelon; particularly at the end of the day. 🙂
Beautiful pot of spaghetti! Totally agree on using combination of sausage with ground meat. I do it all the time for quick potsticker (manti) type of dinner.
Oh that’s brilliant for manti! Do you use a steamer to make your manti?
I just love spaghetti and meatballs! It’s one of my favorite dinners. Your pictures just make me want to dig right in:).
I completely agree with you that bread is the secret to juicy meatballs!
Thank you so much Olga. What kind of foods are you craving the most right now or in pregnancy in general? My last pregnancy all I wanted was plain foods and cereal. Now I want everything!
Well, that’s kind of a hard one. I still feel sick most of the time, so definitely soups and toast would be #1. I don’t think I could have survived without them. Whenever I feel good, I crave veggies (roasted or sautéed), with rice or pasta. I’m crazy about veggies. Also seafood. No chicken or meat usually, and not really into sweets either. I was craving chocolate and sweets with my first pregnancy, so this is different.
New Subscriber here! I just found your blog through Pinterest and spent an hour going over so many recipes. This Spaghetti and Meatballs recipe looks divine. Definitely a must try 🙂
Welcome to the blog! Im so happy you’re here :-). Enjoy the spaghetti and I hope you find many more new favorite recipes!
You just redesigned spaghetti and meatballs! How is that even possible?! This is such a gorgeous plate! Can’t wait to try it myself. 🙂
Thank you Loraine, you’re so nice 🙂 Good things happen when a prego gets to craving spaghetti and meatballs 😉
Would you recommend to stick with beef for the meatballs? Or would turkey be okay as a substitute?
You could probably make them with turkey and still have a tasty and juicy meatball, but I do like the depth of flavor from the beef and Italian meatballs are traditionally made with beef. Let me know if you do try it with turkey.
Are you kidding me!! These are the beautiful-est ( yes, I am willing to break Grammar for them) meatballs ever! Totally agree on the meat combination, it produces the best flavour and wait for it…tenderness!
Thanks so much Julia and thank you for pinning (I saw that!) and I always appreciate it! I break grammar all the time to describe food. It’s perfectly acceptable when you just can’t put it into normal words otherwise ;). For example, in a recent text message I sent to my sister to invite her over for this dish, I described the meatballs as “so juicy and bomzilla.” lol.