This tasty Spaghetti and Meatballs recipe brings together tender, juicy, browned meatballs with an easy-to-make, flavor-packed, simple six-ingredient marinara that is so much better than jarred sauce.
Indulge in a classic Italian dish with this delicious spaghetti and meatballs recipe. Hearty meatballs and rich tomato sauce make for a perfect comfort food meal. Enjoy this classic pasta dish with a simple garden salad, Italian chopped salad, or garlic cheese bread.
Ingredient Notes with Substitutions
See the complete list of ingredients on the recipe card below.
- Meat: Italian sausage and ground beef (don’t go too lean on the ground beef).
- Breadcrumbs: Italian or homemade breadcrumbs. If using panko breadcrumbs, add ½ teaspoon of Italian seasoning to the meatball mixture.
- Oregano: If you don’t have oregano, use marjoram; it is less pungent, sweeter, and less earthy than oregano.
- Parmesan Cheese: Use the freshly grated cheese for the best flavor.
- Olive Oil: Extra virgin olive oil.
- Crushed Tomatoes: Use great quality, such as Muir Glen or Cento.
How to Make Spaghetti and Meatballs
This is a summary version; for the complete list of ingredients and instructions, please refer to the recipe card below.
- Combine the Italian sausage, ground beef, breadcrumbs, onion, garlic, salt, freshly ground black pepper, eggs, oregano, chopped parsley, and grated Parmesan Cheese.
- Roll the meatballs into golf-sized balls and place them on a baking sheet. Freeze for about 30 minutes.
- Bake the meatballs for about 25 minutes or until cooked through.
- While the meatballs bake, cook the spaghetti according to the package instructions and drain well.
- Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft. Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic, red pepper flakes, and black pepper.
- Add the crushed tomatoes and simmer. Add the meatballs to the marinara sauce.
Cook’s Tips For Success
- Mix the meat mixture gently, and only until combined. Overmixing will make the meatballs dense and dry.
- Use a 1½ tablespoon cookie scoop for uniform-sized meatballs. Lightly moisten your hands with cold water to make rolling meatballs easier.
- Pop the meatballs in the freezer for about 30 minutes to help keep them round while they bake.
- Use your favorite jarred marinara or tomato sauce to speed up the recipe on busy weeknights.
- If desired, you can cook the meatballs until browned in a large skillet, working in batches.
- Don’t overcook the spaghetti. For most recipes, cooking pasta slightly al dente is better for taste, digestion, and texture.
More Pasta Recipes
Spaghetti and Meatballs
This homemade Spaghetti and Meatballs recipe combines tender, juicy meatballs with a made-from-scratch six-ingredient marinara sauce.
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Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 883kcal
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 lb ground Italian Sausage
- 1 lb ground beef
- ¾ cup Italian breadcrumbs
- ⅓ cup minced onion
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 2 large eggs
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 3 tablespoons Italian parsley, finely chopped
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
- 1 lb spaghetti noodles
Marinara Sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ medium onion, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- Grated fresh Parmesan cheese, optional garnish
- Chopped fresh Italian parsley or basil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Using a large bowl and your clean hands, gently combine the Italian sausage, ground beef, breadcrumbs, minced onion, minced garlic, eggs, salt, black pepper, oregano, chopped parsley, and grated Parmesan Cheese.
- Using a 1½-tablespoon scoop for uniform size, roll the meatballs and place them on a sheet pan with a little space between each meatball for warm air to flow. Bake for 25 minutes or until cooked through.
- While the meatballs are baking, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti slightly al dente according to package directions and drain well.
- Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, approximately 7 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic, red pepper flakes, and black pepper; cook for 1 minute while stirring. Add the crushed tomatoes and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Add the baked meatballs to the marinara sauce and stir gently to combine. Simmer for 5 minutes. Top with freshly grated Parmesan Cheese and chopped fresh parsley.
Notes
- Store spaghetti and meatballs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheat in the microwave at reduced power or on the stovetop over low heat. If at all possible, wait to add the Parmesan cheese after reheating. It can make for sticky pans to clean up.
- To freeze, first cool completely. Then transfer it to a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to three months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in the microwave at reduced power or on the stovetop over low heat.
Nutrition
Calories: 883kcal | Carbohydrates: 72g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 47g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 21g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 173mg | Sodium: 1173mg | Potassium: 692mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 378IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 169mg | Iron: 5mg
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Khush
It’s one of my favourite dish. I love it with your cheese garlic bread. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Karen
My new favorite, spaghetti and meatballs! So tasty with everything homemade and fairly easy to make. Thanks for sharing!
Jupiter
What a good recipe for a classic dinner! Thank you so much for sharing this.