This spaghetti and meatball recipe is the ultimate weeknight family dinner — quick, easy!
Best Recipe for spaghetti and meatballs. With a quick 45-minute cook time, it’s perfect for busy weeknights and sure to please even the pickiest eaters. The meatballs are juicy and packed with flavor, with a fork-tender texture that keeps everyone coming back for more. To make things easy and save on mess, Brown the meatballs in the oven on a sheet pan instead of pan-frying them on the stovetop. Use a good quality store-bought marinara sauce to save time, but feel free to use homemade tomato sauce if you have some on hand.
For more family-friendly Italian recipes (everybody loves Italian!), try my baked ziti, stuffed shells, and chicken parmesan. For a ground turkey alternative to the meatballs, try this recipe.
Servings: 4 to 6 (Makes 22 to 24 small meatballs)
Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cook Time: 30 Minutes
Total Time: 50 Minutes
Table of Contents
INGREDIENTS:
INSTRUCTIONS:
NUTRITIONAL INFO:
INGREDIENTS:
1 large egg
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil (plus more for serving)
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon dried oregano
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup water
1½ pounds ground “meatloaf mix” (approximately equal parts ground beef, pork and veal)
¾ cup dried Italian style bread crumbs
½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (plus more for serving)
Large jar (32 oz) good quality Marinara sauce
1 pound spaghetti
INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 350°F and set an oven rack in the middle position.
In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, basil, parsley, oregano, salt, pepper, garlic and water.
Add the meat, breadcrumbs and cheese and mix until just combined (your hands are the best tool). Do not overwork it.
Roll the mixture into golf ball-sized meatballs and place on an ungreased baking sheet.
Bake for about 10 minutes, then remove the baking sheet from oven and use a metal spatula to turn the meatballs (they will stick a bit but should release easily when you scrape under them with the spatula).
Put the meatballs back in the oven and cook for another 10 minutes, until they are nicely browned and almost cooked through.
In the meantime, bring the marinara sauce to a simmer in a large skillet.
Taste it and adjust the seasoning if necessary (I usually add a healthy pinch of sugar and some freshly ground black pepper).
Transfer the browned meatballs to the marinara sauce, leaving the fat behind.
Cover loosely with a lid or foil and simmer for about 10 minutes, until the flavors marry and the meatballs are cooked through.
Keep warm until ready to toss with pasta.
While the meatballs are cooking, bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until al dente.
Drain, then toss with the sauce and meatballs (you may find it easier to toss everything together in the pasta pot rather than the skillet; it depends on the sizes of pans you are using.).
Serve topped with fresh basil and more grated cheese.
Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cooked meatballs can be frozen, in their sauce, for up to 3 months
When ready to serve, defrost overnight in the refrigerator and reheat on the stovetop until the meatballs are hot in the center.
NUTRITIONAL INFO:
Per serving (6 servings)
Calories:731Fat:29g Saturated fat:10g Carbohydrates:78g Sugar:11g Fiber:6 g Protein:37g Sodium:897mg Cholesterol:116mg
