Meatballs with Spaghetti

Top down view of white plate filled with spaghetti and meatballs sitting on white countertop with a white napkin

Meatballs with Spaghetti

There's no more iconic pairing than meatballs with spaghetti. A lot of times, the noodle is the main focus of meals made at home. But this recipe focuses on the meatball and complements it with a delicious homemade sauce. When mixed together, it's a match that's made in heaven!

Course Dinner

Cuisine Italian

Difficulty Intermediate

Method Baking

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 30

Total Time 50

Servings servings

Calories 741kcal

Author Kaleb

Ingredients

For the meatballs

2 slices bread crust removed
⅓ cup whole milk
1 lb ground beef
1 lb ground pork
1 ½ tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp dried basil
½ tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
1 large egg
3 tbsp grated onion
3 cloves garlic
2 oz Parmesan cheese

For the sauce

1 small onion grated
2 cloves garlic
½ tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp dried basil
½ tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
½ tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp salt
2 28-oz cans diced tomatoes (with juice)

For the pasta

12 oz spaghetti

Instructions

For the meatballs

Preheat oven to 375°F.
In a small bowl, tear the slices of bread (with the crust removed) into small pieces. Add the milk and mash into a paste. Then set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the beef, pork, prepared bread paste, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, basil, oregano, thyme, egg, onion, garlic, and Parmesan. Using hands, combine and work together until the mixture is very evenly mixed. Do not worry about overmixing. Make sure it is evenly combined. Portion the mixture into 12 equal meatballs and set on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
In a 12-inch skillet, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium. Add half of the meatballs and brown on all sides, about 1-2 minutes per side. Repeat with the second half of meatballs. Once all the meatballs are browned, return to the parchment-lined baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven. Bake until the meatballs reach an internal temperature of 160°F, about 15-18 minutes.

For the sauce

Heat the same skillet the meatballs were browned in over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, basil, oregano, thyme, fennel seeds, salt, and stir until fragrant, 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a low simmer for 20 minutes.
When the sauce is finished, dress the spaghetti to personal preference and use the remaining sauce with the meatballs.

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