This Spaghetti and Meatballs recipe is going to become a family favorite with the combination of pork and beef alongside classic Italian spices!
If pasta and Italian flavors are popular in your family, make sure you check out this Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Pasta Recipe as well as this simple Potato Gnocchi Recipe with Proscuitto.
Table Of Contents
Recipe Details
Spaghetti and Meatballs is a classic dish loved by many, and being a pasta lover myself, this dish is impossible to resist. Making your own meatballs and sauce takes this dish to a whole new level that your family will love!
- TASTE: The mixture of pork and beef with Italian spices is delicious. And the homemade sauce has fresh basil and chopped plum tomatoes to give it the most amazing flavor.
- TEXTURE: The meatballs are so fluffy, tender, and juicy in this recipe. And the sauce is thick with chunks of tomato throughout.
- TIME: This dish takes just under 2 hours to make.
- EASE: This recipe isn’t as easy as using sauce from a jar, but it will make all the difference in flavor. It’s simple enough, just follow along with my step-by-step instructions for the best Spaghetti and Meatballs you’ve ever had!
What You’ll Need
Ingredient Notes
- Meat- We’re using a combination of Ground Pork and Ground Beef to give these meatballs extra flavor and juiciness.
- Flavor boosters- Onions, Garlic, Oregano, Thyme, Black Pepper, and Salt are all staples in Italian cooking. These spices and vegetables give the sauce and meatballs depth of flavor that you’ll love.
- Breadcrumbs and Eggs– Any brand of breadcrumbs or homemade is fine. These two ingredients will bind the meats together.
- Parmesan Cheese– This adds salty, cheesy flavor to the meatballs that’s so delicious.
- Fresh basil- Using fresh herbs really enhances flavor and this basil will give an earthy flavor that will make your sauce sing!
- Whole tomatoes- These are chopped, but they add flavor and texture to the sauce that can’t be beat. So much better than just using pureed tomato sauce.
- Brown sugar- This ingredient is optional, but if you use it, it balances the flavors in the sauce and cuts the natural acidity of the tomatoes.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Add some heat- A sprinkle of red pepper flakes in the sauce will give it a little kick.
- Make it gluten-free- Substitute the breadcrumbs with a gluten-free version, or make your own with gluten-free bread.
- Use just one meat- You can easily make this recipe with just beef, or just pork, if you only have one or the other on hand.
- Make the sauce thinner- If you prefer a thinner sauce, you can use a combination of tomato paste and water to thin it out.
How to Make Spaghetti and Meatballs
- Saute the onion. In a medium pan, sauté the chopped onion in olive oil over medium heat.
- Mix the meatball ingredients together. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the ground beef, ground pork, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, grated garlic, salt, black pepper, dried thyme, dried oregano, and eggs with the paddle attachment.
- Add water. Once the meat has come together, add 1/3 cup water and stir to combine.
- Cook the meatballs. Using a cookie scoop, round the meatballs. Then in a large skillet, heat 1/2 cup olive oil and cook the meatballs over medium high heat until they’re almost completely cooked. Then set aside.
Pro Tip: You can check the internal temperature of the meatballs to make sure they are just under 165 degrees Fahrenheit, which is the temp for doneness.
- Saute onions and garlic. In the same skillet, sauté the chopped onion and minced garlic cloves.
- Add the other sauce ingredients. Add the chopped plum tomatoes, salt, black pepper, dried oregano, dried thyme, chopped fresh basil, and brown sugar (optional). Cook over medium low heat for 40 minutes.
- Add the meatballs. Add the meatballs to the sauce and cook for another 40 minutes.
- Cook the pasta and combine. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions in a pot of salted water and add it to the meatballs and sauce. Serve.
Recipe Tips
- Use a cookie scoop to mold the meatballs- Keeping the meatballs to a uniform shape helps them cook evenly, and packing them into shape also ensures they don’t fall apart as they cook.
- Don’t overcook the meatballs- You won’t cook them fully because they are placed in the sauce and will cook further there. So don’t overcook them in the first stage.
- Cook the pasta al dente- You don’t want your pasta to be mushy, especially when mixed with your meatballs, so only cook it to al dente.
- Don’t rush the process- This dish needs time to simmer and let the flavors develop and marry together, so don’t rush it. It’s worth the wait!
FAQs
While you can put raw meatballs directly in your sauce to cook, I suggest browning them first either in a saute pan or in the oven. This will make them more sturdy and less likely to break apart, and also gives them more flavor.
If your meatballs are falling apart, it could be that you have used too much or too little breadcrumbs. Too much makes the meatball mixture loose, and too little isn’t enough to bind them. Also, molding the mixture into balls helps pack them together. I like using a cookie scoop for this.
Serving Suggestions
This recipe for Spaghetti and Meatballs is so versatile, you can serve it with basically anything. Pair this dish with bread, salad, vegetables, and something sweet for dessert.
- Bread: Enjoy this spaghetti with bread to sop up all the delicious sauce. Try it with some Garlic Cheese Bread, Copycat Pizza Hut Breadsticks, Focaccia Bread, or Rustic Bread.
- Salad: Pair it with a Caprese Salad, Antipasto Salad, Cucumber Tomato Feta Salad, or Tomato Garlic Salad.
- Vegetables: Serve it alongside some Sauteed Garlic Asparagus, Crispy Air Fryer Broccoli, Air Fryer Green Beans, or Crab Stuffed Mushrooms.
- Dessert: Finish the meal with a slice of Tiramisu Cake (VIDEO), Zeppoles (Italian Donuts), Chocolate Dipped Almond Biscotti, or Coffee Chocolate Mousse.
Make This Recipe in Advance
Make ahead: You can easily prepare the meatballs ahead of time and the sauce as well. Just cook them, let them cool, and then place them in an airtight container in the fridge until you’re ready to make the spaghetti.
Storing: Store any leftovers of this Spaghetti and Meatballs in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Freeze: The sauce can be frozen in a freezer ziplock bag. Freeze it flat to save space in your freezer. The meatballs should be flash-frozen on a sheet pan for 1-2 hours, then transferred to a ziplock bag to be frozen. Both will last up to 3 months.
More Tasty Italian Dishes!
Full Recipe Instructions
Spaghetti and Meatballs
Ingredients
For the meatballs
- 1 lb. ground pork
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1/2 cup onion chopped
- 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp olive oil divided
- 1/2 cup bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 garlic clove grated
- 2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup water
For the spaghetti sauce
- 1 medium onion
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 28 oz San martzini pealed plum tomatoes (roughly chopped)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
- 4 tsp brown sugar optional
Instructions
- In a medium pan sauté 1/2 cup chopped onion in olive oil over medium heat.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine ground beef, ground pork, 1/2 cup bread crumbs, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, 1 grated garlic clove, 2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp dried thyme, 1/2 tsp dried oregano, and 2 eggs. Mix using the paddle attachment.
- Once the meat has come together, add 1/3 cup water. And mix once more.
- Using a cookie scoop, round the meatballs.
- In a large skillet heat 1/2 cup olive oil. Cook the meatballs over medium high heat until almost completely cooked. Then set aside.
- In the same skillet, sauté 1 chopped onion and 2 minced garlic cloves.
- Add the chopped plum tomatoes, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp dried oregano, 1/2 tsp dried thyme, 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil, and 4 tsp brown sugar (optional). Cook over medium low heat for 40 minutes.
- Add the meatballs and cook for another 40 minutes.
- Cook the pasta according to the package and add it to the meatballs.
Notes
- Use a cookie scoop to mold the meatballs- Keeping the meatballs to a uniform shape helps them cook evenly, and packing them into shape also ensures they don’t fall apart as they cook.
- Don’t overcook the meatballs- You won’t cook them fully because they are placed in the sauce and will cook further there. So don’t overcook them in the first stage.
- Cook the pasta al dente- You don’t want your pasta to be mushy, especially when mixed with your meatballs, so only cook it to al dente.
- Don’t rush the process- This dish needs time to simmer and let the flavors develop and marry together, so don’t rush it. It’s worth the wait!
Nutrition
This recipe was originally posted on March 7, 2016, we’ve tweaked it a bit since then.
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Laura says
HI Dina,
I have already tried your Tuscan chicken recipe and: my boyfriend loved it! Usually it is him who cooks, so I was a bit nervous but I have to admit, I also think it was delicious. I will now try this meatballs and homemade spaghetti sauce. What I can recommend to add to the sauce – this is how we eat it – is grated carrots and celery, a bit of red wine. Also I have heard – and can confirm – that using the salt water from the pasta for the sauce helps.
Thank you for you great recipes and your amazing blog!
Kind regards from Hungary!
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you so much for taking the time to write such a thoughtful recipe review, Laura! I will definitely need to try your version. It sounds so flavor-packed and delicious!
Matilda says
I absolutely loved the taste of the meatballs, they were scrumptious! It took a while to prepare and make, but it’s well worth the effort. It’s a big portion size too, so I’ve been able to freeze some of the meatballs to use in pasta sauce for later on. I’ll be using this recipe again in the near future. Thank you x
simplyhomecooked says
Matilda, thank you so much for your kind review! I’m thrilled to hear that you enjoyed the spaghetti and meatballs 🙂
Lara says
Made this last and it’s DELICIOUS! Thank you for the recipe! Love your blog!!! Keep posting for more. 🙂
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you Lara! I’m so happy you love my blog! Enjoy! Many more recipes coming 🙂
Olga Vorobey says
Made this today and it was absolutely delicious..Made it with pork & turkey instead of beef and also added mushrooms and peppers..Definitely making this again..Love your blog…good job..
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you Olga! So kind of you to leave such great feedback 🙂
Lidia says
That looks so yummy! Can’t wait to try it!
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you Lidia!