Description
A hearty, homemade spaghetti and meatballs dish featuring tender meatballs and rich marinara sauce. This easy-to-follow recipe captures classic Italian-American comfort food with simple, fresh ingredients and no shortcuts.
Ingredients
1 lb (450g) ground beef, 80/20 blend preferred
1 lb (450g) spaghetti, durum wheat
3 cups (700ml) marinara sauce, homemade or quality store-bought
1 cup (120g) breadcrumbs, fresh
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp water for breadcrumbs
Instructions
Cook spaghetti according to package instructions.
In a small bowl, mix breadcrumbs with 2 tbsp water.
In a mixing bowl, combine ground beef, eggs, garlic, onion, salt, and pepper to form a mixture.
Use 2 tbsp meat mixture to form 1 1/2-inch meatballs. Form 30 total (6 servings x 5 meatballs each).
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Cook meatballs in batches (8–10 minutes per batch) until browned on all sides.
Transfer meatballs to a 375°F (190°C) oven for 10 minutes.
Pour marinara sauce into the skillet and bring to a simmer.
Return meatballs to the sauce; simmer 10–15 minutes until sauce thickens.
Serve meatballs with drained spaghetti and additional sauce.
Notes
Chill meat mixture for 30 minutes before forming for cleaner meatballs.
Cook in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan and ensure golden crust.
Use fresh garlic for optimal flavor.
Measure meatball portions with an ice cream scoop (2 tbsp) for consistency.
Reduce marinara sauce by 15 minutes if it’s too watery.
- Prep Time: 30
- Cook Time: 45
- Category: Baking
- Method: Baked and Simmered
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 meatball, 1/2 cup spaghetti, and 1/2 cup marinara sauce
- Calories: 600
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 1300mg
- Fat: 19g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 24g
- Cholesterol: 67mg