Spaghetti and Meatballs

By Maria Lichty

Published on April 20, 2021

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Our boys love pasta nights and their absolute favorite meal is Spaghetti and Meatballs. Juicy, tender meatballs covered in rich marinara sauce and served over a big plate of spaghetti. What’s not to love? This classic Italian dish is always a favorite.

This spaghetti and meatballs recipe is easy to make at home and is definitely restaurant quality, maybe even better! Serve with fresh garlic bread and you have the ultimate Italian feast!

Homemade Marinara Sauce

We like to make our Slow Cooker Marinara Sauce to go with the spaghetti and meatballs. It is so EASY! You put all of the ingredients in the slow cooker and let it simmer away.

If you don’t have time to make our slow cooker sauce, our Easy Marinara Sauce is really good too. And of course, you can always use your favorite jarred sauce. Rao’s is our favorite store-bought sauce.

How to Make Meatballs

Josh is the meatball master. He makes meatballs with ground beef and Italian sausage. The combo is perfection! He also adds in garlic, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, parsley, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. If you want to spice things up, you can also add in some crushed red pepper.

• In a large bowl, add beef, sausage, bread crumbs, cheese, garlic, herbs, eggs, salt, and pepper. Stir together until combined. Roll meat mixture into 2-inch sized meatballs.
• In a large, heavy pot heat olive oil over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add meatballs in batches. Do not crowd. Brown well on bottoms before turning or meatballs will break apart. Continue cooking until browned all over.
• Remove meatballs to a plate that has been lined with paper towels, as each batch is finished.
• Place meatballs on a large baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes or until meatballs are cooked all the way through. Remove from oven.

Spaghetti and Meatballs

When the meatballs come out of the oven, they go for a swim in my hearty marinara sauce. While the meatballs are simmering in the sauce, make a big pot of spaghetti. Make sure you salt the water generously and cook until al dente. Drain the pasta and return to the pot.

To serve, top a big pile of spaghetti with marinara sauce and meatballs. Finish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and fresh basil or parsley.

You can also combine the spaghetti, sauce, and meatballs in one big pot and serve family style. This is a great meal for feeding a crowd.

Serving Suggestions

Here are a few side dishes that go great with spaghetti and meatballs.

• Garlic bread (a MUST!)
• Bruschetta
• Easy Green Salad
• Roasted Green Beans
• Roasted Broccoli
• Caprese Salad

How to Freeze

You can freeze the marinara sauce and the meatballs (separately) for an easy weeknight meal. I love having both in our freezer at all times.

To freeze the sauce, let it cool completely. Pour into freezer-safe containers or jars, leaving an inch of space at the top. Freeze for up to 3 months.

To freeze the meatballs, let them cool and then place in a freezer container or bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight. Place the meatballs and sauce in a large pot and reheat over medium heat on the stovetop.

Make fresh spaghetti and serve!

More Pasta Recipes

• Baked Ziti
• Pasta Pomodoro
• Cacio e Pepe
• Rigatoni with Sausage
• Sheet Pan Pasta Bake
• Chicken Parmesan Baked Pasta
• Pasta Fagioli

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Pasta

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Easy homemade meatballs served over a bed of spaghetti with hearty marinara sauce. This recipe is a family favorite!

4.54 from 30 votes

PrintSave RecipeReview

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Cuisine Italian

Servings 8

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 pound ground Italian sausage
• 1 cup seasoned Italian bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 cloves  garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1  teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• Marinara sauce, for serving
• 1 pound spaghetti
• Parmesan cheese and fresh basil, for garnish, if desired

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a large bowl, add beef, sausage, bread crumbs, cheese, garlic, herbs, eggs, salt, and pepper. Stir together until combined. Roll meat mixture into 2-inch sized meatballs.
• In a large, heavy pot heat olive oil over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add meatballs in batches. Do not crowd. Brown well on bottoms before turning or meatballs will break apart. Continue cooking until browned all over. Remove meatballs to a plate that has been lined with paper towels, as each batch is finished.
• Place meatballs on a large baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes or until meatballs are cooked all the way through. Remove from oven.
• Place a large pot of water on to boil for spaghetti. When it boils, add salt and pasta and cook to al dente.
• While the spaghetti is cooking, put meatballs in a large pot and cover with your favorite marinara sauce. Heat over medium-low heat.
• When the spaghetti is done cooking, drain and place in a large serving bowl. Top with meatballs and marinara sauce. Garnish with Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh basil, if desired. Serve immediately.

Notes

Note-we like to use our slow cooker marinara sauce for this recipe, but you can use our Easy Marinara Sauce or store-bought sauce too. 

Nutrition

Calories: 635kcal, Carbohydrates: 53g, Protein: 33g, Fat: 30g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Cholesterol: 124mg, Sodium: 927mg, Potassium: 531mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 140IU, Vitamin C: 1.6mg, Calcium: 137mg, Iron: 3.9mg

Keywords spaghetti and meatballs

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