Description
A delicious and healthy spaghetti and meatballs recipe that kids will love, featuring a flavorful blend of ground beef and pork meatballs simmered in a homemade tomato sauce and served with perfectly cooked al dente spaghetti. This family-friendly meal balances taste with nutritional value in under an hour.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 1 pound Ground Beef (85% lean / 15% fat)
- 1/2 pound Ground Pork
- 1 cup Breadcrumbs (use gluten-free breadcrumbs if needed)
- 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese (or Pecorino Romano)
- 1 large Egg
- 2 cloves Garlic (minced)
- 1/4 cup Fresh Parsley (or half amount dried)
- 1/4 cup Fresh Basil (or half amount dried)
- 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
- 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 teaspoon Salt
Sauce & Pasta
- 1 small Onion (optional)
- 28 ounces Crushed Tomatoes (no-sugar-added preferred)
- 8 ounces Spaghetti
- 1 tablespoon Cooking Oil (for browning meatballs)
Instructions
- Prepare Meatball Mixture: In a large bowl, combine ground beef, ground pork, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, egg, minced garlic, fresh parsley, fresh basil, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Mix gently until just combined to avoid dense meatballs.
- Shape Meatballs: Form the mixture into roughly 1-inch meatballs, aiming to make about 30 pieces for even cooking and serving.
- Cook Spaghetti: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta.
- Brown Meatballs: In the same large pot, heat a tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Add meatballs and brown on all sides for 5-7 minutes for a flavorful crust. Remove meatballs and set aside.
- Sauté Aromatics and Prepare Sauce: In the pot, sauté diced onion (if using) until translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir in the crushed tomatoes and pasta sauce if using, combining well.
- Simmer Meatballs in Sauce: Return browned meatballs to the pot with the sauce. Cover and let simmer over low heat for 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld and meatballs to cook through.
- Toss Pasta and Adjust Sauce: Add the cooked spaghetti into the sauce and meatballs. Toss well to coat the pasta evenly. Use reserved pasta water to adjust sauce consistency to your preference before serving.
Notes
- For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free breadcrumbs and pasta.
- Use fresh herbs for a brighter flavor, but dried herbs can be used in half the amount.
- Simmering the meatballs in sauce ensures they stay juicy and flavorful.
- Reserving pasta water helps achieve the ideal sauce texture to cling to the noodles.
- Make sure not to overmix the meatball mixture to keep them tender.
