Description
Classic Italian spaghetti and meatballs recipe featuring tender ground beef meatballs simmered in a rich tomato sauce, served over al dente spaghetti and topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 1 lb. spaghetti
Meatballs
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1/3 cup bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
- 1 large egg
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- Kosher salt (1 teaspoon for meatballs, plus more for pasta water and sauce)
- 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
- 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
Tomato Sauce
- 1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
- 1 (28-oz.) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 bay leaf
- Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the spaghetti until al dente, about 8-10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- Prepare Meatballs: In a large bowl, combine ground beef with bread crumbs, chopped parsley, grated Parmesan, egg, minced garlic, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and red pepper flakes. Mix gently until just combined, then form the mixture into 16 evenly sized meatballs.
- Brown Meatballs: Heat 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the meatballs and cook, turning occasionally, until evenly browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove meatballs from the pot and place on a plate.
- Make Sauce and Simmer: In the same pot, add finely chopped onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes and bay leaf, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, and bring the sauce to a simmer. Return the browned meatballs to the pot, cover, and simmer gently until the sauce thickens and the meatballs are cooked through, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Serve: Plate the cooked spaghetti and top with a generous scoop of meatballs and tomato sauce. Finish by sprinkling additional freshly grated Parmesan cheese over the dish before serving.
Notes
- For a spicier dish, increase the amount of red pepper flakes to taste.
- Make sure not to overmix the meatball mixture to keep them tender.
- Use freshly grated Parmesan for the best flavor impact.
- Leftover meatballs and sauce can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 1/4 of recipe)
- Calories: 938
- Sugar: 9g
- Sodium: 720mg
- Fat: 48g
- Saturated Fat: 18g
- Unsaturated Fat: 28g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 75g
- Fiber: 7g
- Protein: 48g
- Cholesterol: 140mg
