Classic Spaghetti and Meatballs

This Classic Spaghetti and Meatball recipe is a slow simmered pot of comfort food. Tender meatballs combine with a chunky homemade tomato sauce that’s bursting with flavor.

Making Classic Spaghetti and Meatballs

This classic spaghetti and meatballs recipe is just the dish for leisurely weekend cooking. Nothing is terribly difficult with this dish, it just takes time for it to simmer and let all the wonderful flavors develop.

A combination of beef and veal, along with bread cubes that have been soaked in milk, create an incredibly soft and tender meatball. The sauce gets it flavor from a mix of herbs, a splash of red wine and a healthy amount of fresh garlic.

After a nice long simmer, the sauce thickens up nicely and simmering the meatballs in the sauce gives it a deep meaty flavor.

Classic Spaghetti and Meatballs is Great for Entertaining

This classic spaghetti and meatballs recipe is a great meal to serve for weekend entertaining. You can get this simmering on the stove well before your guests arrive.

Once they arrive – and smell the wonderful aroma coming from your kitchen – all you need to do is cook the pasta.

Serve this dish with a field greens salad and these easy Parmesan Puffs or a loaf of crusty bread and you have a complete meal.

 

Ingredients Needed for Classic Spaghetti and Meatballs

You can find complete instructions for making this recipe below in the recipe card

For the sauce:

• Olive oil
• Onion
• Garlic
• Dry red wine
• Canned whole tomatoes
• Fresh oregano
• Fresh basil
• Fresh parsley
• Sugar
• Salt
• Pepper
• Hot cooked pasta

For the meatballs:

• Onion
• Garlic
• Olive oil
• Sliced white bread
• Milk
• Eggs
• Ground Beef
• Veal
• Salt
• Pepper

How to Make Classic Spaghetti and Meatballs

• Starting with the sauce, heat olive oil in a large pot.
• Add onions and sauté.
• Add garlic and crushed red pepper continuing to sauté.
• Add wine and allow to reduce.
• Add chopped tomatoes and reserved juice. Bring to a bubble, reduce heat to low and stir in herbs, sugar, salt and pepper.
• Cover and simmer sauce for at least 1-1/2 hours.
• While sauce is simmering, prepare the meatballs.
• Heat a small amount of olive oil in a small skillet. Add onion and sauté for a few minutes, then add garlic and sauté for another minute. Allow to cool slightly.
• Meanwhile, put bread cubes in a bowl and pour enough milk over them to cover. Soak for a few minutes, until bread is soft. Remove from bowl and squeeze out excess milk.
• In a large bowl, add all of the meatball ingredients. Mix with your hands until well combined. Shape into 16 meatballs.
• Heat olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Brown meatballs for about 4 minutes per side.
• Once sauce has simmered for at least 1 1/2 hours, add browned meatballs and simmer for 1 hour more.
• Serve over hot cooked pasta.

 

FAQs for Making Classic Spaghetti and Meatballs

I can’t find veal at my grocery store, is there a substitution I can make?

If you can’t find veal or you just don’t care for it, ground pork is a good substitution.

Does the fat content of the ground beef make a difference?

I feel like 85% lean ground beef is best. The fat content helps to keep the meatballs moist, without making the sauce greasy.

Why soak the bread in milk?

The combination of using fresh bread and soaking it in milk helps to create a soft and tender meatball.

What is the best way to mix the meatballs?

Your hands are by far the best and easiest way to get the ingredients mixed together.

How do I get the meatballs to be a uniform size?

An ice cream scoop is a great tool for helping you to get a uniform size.

More Pasta Recipes You Might Enjoy:

• BLT Pasta
• Chicken Asparagus Pasta
• Skinny Chicken Fettucine Alfredo
• Tortellini Butternut Squash Pasta with Pancetta and Spinach
• Creamy Rotel Pasta
• Chicken Piccata Pasta Toss

ENJOY!