Easy Spaghetti and meatballs Recipe
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
INGREDIENTS For Easy Spaghetti and meatballs Recipe:
- 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 For Easy Spaghetti and meatballs Recipe:
- 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