Spaghetti and Meatballs Recipe: Juicy, Sausy, and Even More Delicious than Restaurant Meals

There’s nothing more tempting than eating a huge portion of spaghetti and meatballs. It’s that type of dish that creates a cozy atmosphere instantly. The aroma of the tomato sauce fills the whole apartment after a long period of cooking. Nevertheless, if you have no experience with homemade spaghetti and meatballs or have never tried it before, today’s recipe will change your perception of it completely.

I started preparing this spaghetti and meatballs recipe several years ago. Back then, I needed something tasty, delicious, and impressively rich enough to greet my relatives. Unfortunately, I made dry and chewy meatballs since I overworked the meat mixture. These days, I stop stirring the mixture once I have combined everything. As a result, I make incredibly juicy meatballs.

Spaghetti and meatballs offer you tender meatballs, a delicious homemade sauce, and well-sauced spaghetti. Let me show you how to cook it.

Meatballs Ingredients List

• 1 onion, medium-sized (approximately 1 cup / 150 g)
• 1/4 cup parsley, flat-leaf, fresh (10 g)
• This ingredient gives a fresh taste and can be easier to mix.
• 1/2 cup basil, fresh (around 20 g)
• 3 garlic cloves (15 g)
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs (55 g)
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan (50 g)
• 2 large eggs (100 g)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt (9 g)
• 3/4 teaspoon black pepper, cracked (2 g)
• 2 lemon zests (optional)
• 1 pound ground beef (454 g)
• 1 pound ground pork (454 g)
• A combination of two meats makes the flavor richer.
• 3 tablespoons olive oil (45 ml) for frying

Sauce Ingredients List

• Fat and olive oil leftover from cooking the meatballs
• 1 onion, medium-sized (150 g)
• 4 garlic cloves (20 g)
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (1–2 g)
• 2 cans of crushed tomatoes (28 oz each), 1.6 kg total
• 1/2 cup water (120 ml)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano (1 g)
• 2 teaspoons salt (12 g)
• 1 teaspoon black pepper (3 g)
• 1/2 cup basil, fresh (20 g)

Pasta Ingredients List

• 16 oz spaghetti (454 g)
• Boiling water with added salt
• Pasta water leftover

Preparing Ingredients

To save your time and reduce the duration of cooking, I recommend preparing all ingredients beforehand. Chopping, pressing, and mincing everything may take much time; however, this way, you’ll be able to devote all your attention to cooking.

The smell of basil is truly unique. It is quite peppery and fresh. That’s why I love adding more basil to my sauces since it greatly improves the taste.

You might ask whether it’s possible to use a garlic press for cooking spaghetti and meatballs. Sure thing! If you have a garlic press, go for it. Personally, I stopped mincing garlic manually several years ago.

Pro tip: Place a little bowl of water on your table next to the place where you’ll prepare meatballs. It’ll help you handle the mixture better.

Mixing Meatball Mixture

Put together breadcrumbs, parmesan, parsley, eggs, garlic, salt, pepper, and lemon zest in a large bowl. Stir them first and then add the meatballs.

At this stage, your mixture has a savory and cheesy taste. Lemon zest gives it some lightness.

Add ground beef and pork to the bowl. Mix everything with your hands.

Many cooks overlook the significance of this step. Believe me, it’s essential. The first homemade meatballs I cooked were tough and chewy since I thought that they’d distribute seasonings properly. These days, I stop mixing once all ingredients are blended.

The texture of the mixture shouldn’t be too heavy. You should feel some stickiness, yet there should be no compact mass like meatloaf.

Pro tip: Do not use lean meat. It needs to contain some fat in order to remain juicy during the cooking process.

Shaping the Meatballs

Shape the meat mixture into roughly 2-ounce balls. You should obtain around 18 balls of equal size.

I suggest using an ice cream scoop because it will allow you to create equally sized meatballs. Afterward, gently roll the balls between your palms.

The meat mixture should be quite soft and sticky; however, it should not adhere strongly to your hands. In case of excessive stickiness, wet your hands.

Remember: do not press the balls. You only need to gently round the meatballs.

If you plan to prepare the meatballs for a weeknight dinner, you might want to prepare them in advance. Cover them with plastic wrap and store them in the refrigerator.

Browning the Meatballs

Place a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat and pour in olive oil. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add meatballs to the pot.

You should hear a distinct sound of sizzling, which indicates that the pan is sufficiently heated.

Cook the meatballs for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally and ensuring even browning. Do not overcrowd the pan, or the meatballs will begin to release moisture.

The smell in the kitchen becomes truly unbelievable. It smells like garlic, beef, pork, parmesan, and olive oil are cooking simultaneously. It feels like you are cooking in a true Italian restaurant.

Do not fully cook the meatballs in the pan. They will be cooked to perfection in the sauce.

Transfer the meatballs to a separate plate and continue cooking additional batches.

Pro tip: In case you do not want to clean the pot afterward, you may bake the meatballs at 400°F (200°C) for 20-30 minutes.

Building the Sauce

When the meatballs are cooked, you will notice flavorful fat on the surface of the sauce. Reserve 2 tablespoons and discard the rest.

Add onion and cook for around 5 minutes, stirring occasionally and scraping the browned pieces off the bottom.

Onions become soft and slightly golden. The smell changes from sharp to sweet.

Once the onions are ready, add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Garlic tends to burn quite quickly. It happened to me once because I was distracted by a message, and it destroyed the entire sauce. Moreover, burnt garlic adds a bitter taste to the sauce, which is hard to remove.

Once the garlic is cooked, pour in crushed tomatoes and water, and stir the mixture. Add the bay leaf, oregano, salt, and pepper.

At first, the sauce appears thin and fatty, but it does not matter at all. Once you let it simmer, it will turn into an incredibly flavorful and rich sauce.

Pro tip: In case the sauce seems excessively acidic, let it simmer for a while before adding sugar.

Simmering

Let the sauce simmer for a couple of minutes, and then add the meatballs to it. Do not stir the mixture for now.

Once the meatballs are added, cover the pot and simmer everything for around 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

The aroma is becoming increasingly stronger and more complex. The sauce turns rich and flavorful, and the meatballs absorb the sauce.

During the last 5-7 minutes, add basil and remove the bay leaf from the pot.

The final basil addition refreshes the sauce, and it fills the kitchen with a fresh aroma.

Cooking the Spaghetti

Around 45 minutes after starting to cook the sauce, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

I am a strong supporter of heavily salting pasta water because it is the only time you can season pasta. The water should taste slightly salty, like broth.

Cook spaghetti for about 1 minute shorter than recommended by the package, drain, and save some water for the sauce.

Pro tip: It is important to retain a portion of pasta water because it helps to loosen the sauce.

Serve the Spaghetti and Meatballs

Serve spaghetti in a wide dish, pour sauce on top, and arrange meatballs.

Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and garnish with fresh basil.

The sauce should cling to the spaghetti. Also, the meatballs should be tender and easy to cut.

I usually serve spaghetti and meatballs with some bread. Someone will definitely ask for a piece of bread to dip in the sauce.

Common Mistakes in Spaghetti and Meatballs Cooking

Overworking the Meatball Mixture

When the meat mixture is overworked, it results in chewy meatballs. Stop working on it once it is homogeneous.

Using Lean Meats

In order to maintain juiciness, use a combination of ground beef and pork. In case you are a vegetarian, you can use ground beef alone.

Crowding the Pan

It is hard to brown meatballs when the pan is overcrowded. You should brown meatballs in batches to achieve a perfect crust.

Burning the Garlic

Since garlic burns quickly, it should be added only when it is thoroughly cooked. Otherwise, it will burn and give the sauce a bitter taste.

Discarding Pasta Water

It is important to save some pasta water because it helps the sauce cling to spaghetti.

Changing Spaghetti and Meatballs Recipe

There are several ways to diversify the classic recipe. For instance, I sometimes double the amount of red pepper flakes to add some spicy notes to the sauce. Another idea is to incorporate cubes of fresh mozzarella into meatballs prior to forming the balls.

Storing and Serving Spaghetti and Meatballs

Homemade spaghetti and meatballs may be stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The taste will improve during storage.

It is possible to freeze the sauce and meatballs separately from spaghetti for up to 3 months. I freeze the sauce and meatballs separately because spaghetti becomes soggy after being defrosted.

In order to reheat the spaghetti and meatballs, place the meatballs in a pot with some water and cook them for 1 minute. Next, add the sauce and warm it for a couple of minutes, adding water if necessary.

This spaghetti and meatballs recipe tastes best when served hot with fresh parmesan, chopped basil, and some bread. A simple salad will create a sense of a full dinner.

This spaghetti and meatballs recipe became one of my favorite ones. It is cozy, rich, and delicious.