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A quick and easy Spaghetti and Meatballs recipe that includes a delicious pasta sauce that is full of flavor. The perfect family night dinner to try.
Well…
You know what it is like when you have one recipe that has pretty much become a standard because it works so well. It is the kind of recipe that you have made so many times that you could make it in the kitchen with your eyes closed. This kind of recipe does not even have to be a hard recipe to make, just one that you make really well and everyone is impressed each time you make it. That is exactly how I feel about my spaghetti and meatballs recipe.
It has become a staple in my house and my go-to recipe when I want to make something hearty and delicious. When I first began making this recipe, I would use a jar pasta sauce, until I realized how quickly and easy I could make my own sauce using a few ingredients. I have shared the recipe for this pasta sauce on the blog before, but just in case you missed it then I will be sure to link it here. We have used this pasta sauce for dipping breadsticks, as a pizza sauce, and of course in my pasta dishes.
Now do not get me wrong when I say the sauce is everything in this dish, but the real MVP is the meatballs. The meatballs pictured are made using ground beef, but I have also substituted ground turkey and a mixture of ground pork and sausage as well. Basically, you can use any kind of meat that you prefer and it will still turn out just as well. Remember it is your kitchen and you can do whatever you want to do. But back to these meatballs…you can make them in any size that you want and feel free to add in more or less of the seasonings as you prefer. In other words, you really cannot mess this recipe up. If you decide to give it a try, then be sure to let me know how it turns out for you.
Spaghetti and Meatballs Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/2 cup bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 large egg
- 4 to 8 tablespoons oil (depending on the size)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix together the beef, bread crumbs, milk, onion, garlic, cheese, salt, peppers, egg, and fold together until everything is fully combined. Form into bite-size balls using your hands or a small cookie scoop to form the meatballs.
- In a large deep pot, heat the oil of medium heat, add in half of the meatballs, and brown on all sides, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the cooked meatballs and repeat the process with the other half of the uncooked meatballs, add in more oil if needed.
- *To make a quick pasta sauce, use the same pot and pour in a 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 1 tablespoon of minced garlic, 1 tablespoon basil, 1/2 tablespoon dried oregano, 1/2 tablespoon dried rosemary, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring the sauce to a low boil on medium heat, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to come together.
- Add the meatballs back into the sauce and simmer another 5 to 10 minutes until the meatballs are heated throughout. Serve with cooked spaghetti.
Nutrition
Got any comments, questions, or ideas for another Spaghetti and Meatballs recipe? Share them in the comments below!
6 Comments
Tamara
April 4, 2017 at 9:58 AMI do like to experiment with different meats for meatballs, so it’s heartening to know they all pretty much work. I’d love to try ground beef with ground turkey.
This recipe is a classic. I LOVE the photos.
admin
April 4, 2017 at 10:33 PMThank you so much! Yes I pretty much use whatever I have in my freezer and it always works. Although I have not tried the beef/turkey combo, will have to give that one a try 🙂
Akaleistar
April 9, 2017 at 9:26 PMThose meatballs look so good!
admin
April 10, 2017 at 10:45 AMThank you 🙂
Sonya
April 12, 2017 at 10:10 AMYum!!! I love spaghetti and meatballs, because it’s an easy meal that’s tasty.
admin
April 14, 2017 at 1:54 PMYes to all of that. I could not agree with you more!