Make the best Spaghetti and Meatballs in homemade marinara sauce from scratch with this incredible recipe. These are amazing “WOW” factor MEATBALLS – so tasty and juicy and BIG. I’m sharing all of my secrets for incredibly tender and flavorful meatballs with an easy-to-follow video below.
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Helpful Reader Review
“If there is 10 stars, I would’ve given it. The meatballs is soooo unbelievably good. Moist, juicy, succulent. I cannot thank you enough for this recipe. xoxo” – Julina ★★★★★
Spaghetti and Meatballs Video
Watch me make Spaghetti and Meatballs from scratch with my easy recipe and timeless technique. Even beginners can master my easy recipe.
Best Spaghetti and Meatballs Recipe
This is seriously the best spaghetti meatball recipe I’ve ever tried. Store-bought meatballs can’t touch these (cue M.C. Hammer), and they are incredibly easy to make. Pair with a Caesar Salad and Garlic Bread, and dinner is made.
First, I mix together a super-flavorful meatball using the best kitchen tool–your hands (or your KitchenAid if your muscles need a break). Then, after I brown the meat, I finish these up by simmering them in the super yummy and easy homemade marinara sauce made in the very same pot as I cooked the meatballs–that means fewer dishes.
This recipe tastes authentic and complex, but it’s completely beginner-friendly! It is also great for meal prep and to-go lunches since it freezes and reheats really well.
Ingredients for Meatballs
The secret to getting uber tender meatballs is bread; yes, bread. And the secret to getting uber flavorful meatballs is using a combination of meats: lean ground beef with sweet Italian sausage. This combo gives such depth of flavor and the perfect texture. It makes 22-23 meatballs, depending on the size.
- Bread absorbs moisture, so the meatballs are super juicy and hold together nicely. White bread is best, but you can use whole wheat or other soft sliced bread. You can also use gluten-free bread.
- Lean ground beef – 7% to 15% fat content, which makes for the best texture, perfectly moist without being greasy.
- Italian sausage adds extra flavor to the meatballs. If you can’t find ground sausage, you can buy sausages and remove the casings.
- Parmesan cheese – Use freshly grated parmesan or finely shredded
- Egg – egg binds all the ingredients together so the meatballs don’t fall apart when cooking. You can omit the egg, but the meatballs will be more delicate.
- Flour – all-purpose flour works great to create a nice browned crust on the meatballs. You can substitute 1:1 gluten-free flour.
Ingredients for Easy Marinara Sauce
After browning the meatballs, you’ll make this easy marinara sauce right in the same pot. It only takes 5 ingredients, so opt for better-quality canned tomatoes for the best flavor.
- Onion and garlic – staple Italian ingredients! It seems like a lot of chopped onion, but they shrink considerably when cooked
- Crushed tomatoes – If you use “Crushed tomatoes with basil,” you can omit the fresh basil if desired
- Bay leaves – these are optional if you don’t have them on hand, but they lend a depth of flavor
- Basil – Fresh basil adds vibrant flavor. You can substitute with 1 1/2 tsp dry basil, but add it to the sauce at the beginning of simmering.
- Pasta – We use spaghetti for that classic bite, but you can substitute your favorite pasta, like homemade pasta, linguine, or angel hair pasta. You can also use Spaghetti Squash.
How to Make Italian Spaghetti and Meatballs
My spaghetti and meatballs recipe is so simple to make in about an hour! First, we’ll make the meatballs, then the sauce, and then we’ll simmer the two together while boiling pasta. Follow along below.
- Soak the cut bread in 2/3 cup water and then mash together with a fork.
- Mix – In a large mixing bowl (while I often use my hands, feel free to use a stand mixer to do the work), add all the remaining meatball ingredients except for the flour.
- Brown the meatballs – Use your hands or an ice cream scoop to roll 1 1/2″ meatballs, and then lightly coat in flour. In a deep, large skillet or a Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. When hot, cook meatballs in batches until each side is browned (2 minutes per side). Set aside browned meatballs to finish cooking in the sauce.
How to Make Marinara Sauce
Use the same pan for the sauce to sop up all the great flavor from browning the meatballs.
- Saute the chopped onion, stirring often until soft and golden (5 minutes). Add minced garlic and stir 1 minute until fragrant.
- Stir in tomatoes and bay leaves, and then bring to a light boil (stir periodically to keep the sauce from splattering).
- Add all of the meatballs back into the sauce, and lower the temperature to cook at a gentle simmer for 30 minutes. Stir basil, salt, and pepper into the sauce 5 minutes before it’s done. Remove the bay leaf before serving over al dente spaghetti noodles.
Pro Tip:
While the meatballs and sauce simmer in step 3, use another pot to cook the pasta according to package directions. It should be ready just in time! See my quick directions below.
Combine with Pasta and Serve
While some Italians eat meatballs as a side dish, Americans love a heaping plate of saucy pasta and meatballs served together. Here’s how I serve spaghetti and meatballs.
- Cook the pasta in salted, boiling water until al dente or softer if your family loves it that way! Truth be told, I love slightly overcooked pasta. Drain pasta and return it to the empty pot.
- Pour the saucy meatballs over the spaghetti and toss gently until covered in sauce. Plate in a large bowl and garnish with basil and parmesan. Serve with Garlic Bread and Roasted Broccoli.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Spaghetti and Meatballs keep well in the fridge to serve later or for meal planning. Let everything come to room temperature, and then store in an airtight container.
- Make Ahead: Meatballs in sauce can be made ahead and refrigerated for 3-4 days. When ready to serve, reheat gently on the stove and toss with pasta.
- Refrigerate Leftovers: Store in the fridge for up to 4 days
- Freezing: For meal prep, it’s best to freeze the meatballs in sauce separately from the pasta for up to 3 months. You can also freeze leftover combined spaghetti and meatballs for 2-3 months.
- To Reheat: Thaw in the fridge overnight. Heat in the microwave or pan on the stove, stirring gently until heated through. Add a splash of water to re-moisten.
Traditional Spaghetti and Meatballs is the best family-style, crowd-pleasing meal to serve, and this recipe makes it easier than ever to make the whole meal from scratch in just an hour! Impress your family with this timeless Italian comfort food.
Spaghetti and Meatballs Recipe
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, plus more to garnish
Other Ingredients:
- 1 lb spaghetti
Instructions
How to Make the Best Italian Meatballs:
- Soak – Combine bread pieces with 2/3 cup water and set aside for 5 minutes, then mash with a fork.
- Mix – In a large mixing bowl or a stand mixer with paddle attachment, 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 breadcrumbs. Mix until well combined.
- Brown the meatballs – 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 Marinara Sauce:
- Saute onion – 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 minutes until fragrant.
- Stir in 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 and cook at a gentle simmer for 30 minutes, turning the meatballs occasionally. Meatballs will be tender, and the sauce will be thickened. A few minutes before the sauce is done, stir in chopped fresh basil and season with salt and pepper to taste. While meatballs simmer, make the pasta.
How to Make Spaghetti and Meatballs:
- Cook pasta according to package instructions in salted water until al dente (or to desired doneness), drain, and return to the empty pot.
- Toss together – 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.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
More Family-Favorite Pasta Recipes
- Homemade Lasagna
- Creamy Shrimp Pasta
- Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo
- Penne Alla Vodka
- Chicken Tetrazzini
- Chicken Florentine Pasta
- Baked Feta Pasta
- Chicken Orzo Bake
Out of this world! I made this recipe for my Mom’s birthday this weekend and everyone raved about how delicious the sauce and meatballs were. Best meatballs ever made and the sauce – perfection!!! This now in my regular rotation for spaghetti dinners – the one recipe I’ll ever use.
What a great review and feedback! Thank you so much for sharing that with us, Karen.
every receipt that I make is delish…especially the Italian meatball that I am making again today…thank u thank u
sandie
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Sandie!
Natashas,
New to your blog, but I am loving it so far. On this recipe I baked the meat balls due to limiting any oil. It still turned out great.
Hi Robert! Welcome. I hope you find recipes you’ll love. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
I will be making this as soon as weather cools down. It sounds so wonderful and my husband John love spaghetti and meatballs.
Sincerely Marjorie
Sounds great, Marjorie! I hope you both love this recipe as well. 🙂
So delicious! The meatballs were so moist and tasty. Thank you for this amazing recipe!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Nadja!
Thank you for a great recipe! I made your meatballs and they were excellent! 😋 A definite keeper!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Laurie!
I only have ground beef, no pork or sausage. If I use just beef, any other adjustments you would recommend?
Hi Samanta, a substitute may work, keep in mind if it’s not sausage, you would likely need some more seasoning as Italian sausage is more flavorful than ground chicken. Our readers have mentioned trying ground beef, ground chicken. Etc.
We made it and loved it as we do with all your recipes. We always enjoy watching your videos and first discovered your channel from a friend in Germany! Since then, constantly use your recipes for every occasion. Thank you so much to you and your family.
That’s so heart warming for us, thank you for your support!
Hey Natasha,
I made your spaghetti and meatballs recipe. OMG!!!!!
So good. I have friend coming over to visit over the holidays , I will be making this for her. She loves spaghetti. Love your recipes.
Thanks 😊
Hi Peggy! Thank you. I hope your friend loves this recipe. 🙂
I am wondering if I can use frozen meatball? To shorten the cooking time. Thanks Natasha!
Hi Yelena, we prefer to make it fresh, but to shorten time what may work! I hope you love this recipe!
great meatballs but try adding tomato paste prior to tomatoes a richer will develop stir it in witht= those onions after they soften keep stirring until paste breaks down. just try it you will like it ” Good Eating “
Thanks for the tip, I”ll try that next time. We appreciate it!
The meatballs were the best I’ve ever had. I will always make them from now on.
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Elaine!
We made this tonight. They were the best meatballs we ever made. We followed the recipe to a T and will not change anything when making it again.
Hi Diane! So glad you enjoyed this recipe. Thank you for the review.
Wow, amazing recipe. My husband, teenager and 2 year old adored it and gobbled it up like candy.
The only difference is I forgot to buy parmesan so I substituted with colby Jack.
The recipe directions are so well explained. This was by far the best spaghetti and meatballs I have ever had. Thank you Natasha! 🙂
Hi Gisele! That is great. So glad your family loved it.
Delicious! My only change was using breadcrumbs (eyeballed, but probably ~3/4 cup) instead of bread cubes. Will definitely make again.
Hi Alyssa, I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Made the recipe, almost to a tee! I omitted the bread + egg because your meatballs should hold shape if they’ve been in the fridge long enough. Also, used 2 onions for the sauce and a whole garlic split between the meatballs and sauce (5-6 for the sauce, 5-6 for the meatballs).
Otherwise, the methodology remained the same. Fantastic base for a recipe which can you modify however you need!
Thanks for sharing your experience trying out this recipe, I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Made this for dinner yesterday and it was a hit! I used 1/2 cup of bread crumbs and a little bit of water and also added some minced onions to the meatball mix. I also cut up some mozzarella cheese sticks into small squares and placed them inside the meatballs to turn them into mozzarella stuffed meatballs. The recipe came out great!
So glad you enjoyed this recipe. Thank you for the feedback, Kayla.
I made the spaghetti and meatballs. It came out great. Thank you for the recipe!
You’re very welcome/ Thank you for sharing, Larry! I’m glad you enjoyed this recipe.
This was so good. I kind of changed the recipe a bit, because I did not have Italian sausage, but it was still really good! Thank you, Natasha!
Hi Zoe, good to hear that you enjoyed the recipe. Thanks for sharing that with us!
These are so yummy! I cooked half the meatballs, and froze the rest of the meatballs uncooked. I’ve been looking for guidelines on cooking the frozen meatballs, but don’t seeany right now. Can you please walk me through it? Do they need to be pre-thawed? What else do I need to know? For some reason using frozen homemade food makes me nervous 😬
Thank you!
Hi Jessica. I haven’t frozen these meatballs uncooked. Many of my other readers have frozen them cooked and reheated them just fine. I think you could bake the frozen meatballs without thawing, but I would do a google search for some advise on this.
Thank you for your speedy reply… I’ll research this more and proceed accordingly. Next time I’ll just cook them first, before freezing!
This recipe looks amazing. My nephew is graduating and I’d like to make this for him – but he is allergic to dairy. Can I do these meatballs without the parmesan cheese? TIA!
Hi Cynthia, I have not tested this without parmesan cheese but feel free to do an experiment. Please share with us how it goes if you give that a try!