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The best spaghetti and meatballs, featuring tender, juicy meatballs simmered in a rich marinara sauce. This is the one and only spaghetti sauce recipe you will need! Always a huge hit with the family and every guest!
This spaghetti and meatball recipe is so quick and easy to toss together! The meatballs and sauce are made in the same pan which means fewer dishes and an epically flavorful sauce.
Why I love this recipe:
- Family Favorite: This is one of the most requested meals in our home. Even the pickiest of eaters enjoys this dinner.
- Simple Ingredients: There’s no reason to pay an expensive price for quality marinara sauce when you can easily make one that tastes better at home with just a few basic ingredients.
- Feeds a Crowd: When we’re hosting, spaghetti is a great option! It goes a long way towards feeding a large group of people.
How to Make Spaghetti & Meatballs:
- Make Meatballs: Mix the ground beef, eggs, bread crumbs, salt, pepper, grated parmesan, minced onion and minced garlic together in medium sized mixing bowl. Slowly pour in the milk and mix using hands to ensure thoroughly mixed. Mixture will be wet.
- Heat oil in a large pan or dutch oven over medium heat. Using hands roll meatball mixture into small balls about 1 inch in diameter. Place in the pan coated with oil.
- Cook the meatballs over medium heat, turning while they cook, until browned on all sides. Cook in batches if needed to avoid over-crowding. Once all meatballs are seared remove from the skillet and set aside. (do not worry if the meatballs are cooked through, they will finish cooking in the sauce)Drain the grease from the pan, but leave all the blackened bits.
- Make the Sauce: Return the pan to the stove at a low heat. Add the onion and cook until softened. Add the garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Stir in the tomato paste. Pour in the tomato sauce and crushed tomatoes. Add in the oregano, basil, salt, and black pepper. Stir to combine. Add in the light brown sugar and stir.
- Simmer with Meatballs: Return the meatballs to the pot. Gently mix into the sauce. Bring sauce to a simmer. Cover and cook for 30 minutes.
- While the sauce is simmering cook the spaghetti noodles according to their directions. Combine the sauce and noodles together in the sauce pan, or just pour the sauce directly over the noodles.
Serve: Plate the spaghetti and meatballs with additional grated parmesan on top and garnished with fresh herbs. Serve with a side salad and French or garlic bread.
More Easy Family dinner Recipes:
Spaghetti And Meatballs
Spaghetti and Meatballs. The PERFECT meatball, tender, juicy and loaded with flavor simmered in a rich tomato sauce. This is the one and only spaghetti sauce recipe you will need! Always a huge hit with the family and every guest!
Ingredients
Meatballs
Spaghetti Sauce
- ½ cup onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 (14 ounce cans) tomato sauce
- 2 (14 ounce cans) crushed tomatoes
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1½ tsp dried oregano
- 1½ tsp dried basil
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp salt more to taste
- 1 tbsp light brown sugar
- 1 lb spaghetti noodles
Topping
- parsley
- parmesan grated
Instructions
- Mix the ground beef, eggs, bread crumbs, salt, pepper, grated parmesan, minced onion and minced garlic together in medium sized mixing bowl. Slowly pour in the milk and mix using hands to ensure thoroughly mixed. Mixture will be wet.
- Heat oil in a large pan or dutch oven over medium heat.Using hands roll meatball mixture into small balls about 1 inch in diameter. Place in the pan coated with oil.
- Cook the meatballs over medium heat, turning while they cook, until browned on all sides. Cook in batches if needed to avoid over-crowding.
- Once all meatballs are seared remove from the skillet and set aside. (do not worry if the meatballs are cooked through, they will finish cooking in the sauce)Drain the grease from the pan, but leave all the blackened bits.
- Return the pan to the stove at a low heat. Add the onion and cook until softened. Add the garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds.Stir in the tomato paste.
- Pour in the tomato sauce and crushed tomatoes. Add in the oregano, basil, salt, and black pepper. Stir to combine. Add in the light brown sugar and stir.
- Return the meatballs to the pot. Gently mix into the sauce.
- Bring sauce to a simmer. Cover and cook for 30 minutes.
- While the sauce is simmering cook the spaghetti noodles according to their directions. Combine the sauce and noodles together in the sauce pan, or just pour the sauce directly over the noodles.
Notes
Recipe will make about 20 large meatballs.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 | Calories: 505kcal | Carbohydrates: 71g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 86mg | Fiber: 8g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
No lie: best spaghetti and meatballs I’ve ever had! And so easy! Can’t put my finger on why this was so much more special than any other spaghetti and meatballs recipe, but it WAS! I used plain panko and added some dried Italian spices–that was really the only thing I did diff. SOOOO good! Adding this to my “rotation”!
The meatballs get
Cooked in olive oil with chopped onions and minced
Garlic. Other recipes include chopped onions & minced garlic in the ground meat and then fry in olive oil
Just asking you to make sure I’m reading the instructions correct. Thank yoy
The meatballs are cooked. And then the spaghetti sauce is made, and that is why onions and garlic are cooked in the pan, for the sauce.
Yummm! Just had this for dinner and even my meat-loving husband raved about it! Thanks for the share. Thanks, for sharing this delicious recipe.
Thank you so much!
Hi what size cans should I use for the tomato sauce and diced tomatoes?
Omg YYYUUUUMMMMM!!! I found this recipe scrolling through Pinterest and decided it looked too good not to try it. I was really full but went back for a secret d bowl and now I’m overflowing but my god… my mouth is still watering! THANKS!
Xx Lauren from Sydney Australia
So happy you enjoyed!!
This sauce was like my Mom and just delicious. The only thing different I did was add parm cheese to meat balls. Thank you
Hi! Was wondering if you could tell me approximately how many servings this makes? Having 7 people over for Sunday dinner and curious if this is enough 🙂
Hi Maggie!! This recipe makes a large batch of spaghetti. It calls for (2) 1 pound boxes of noodles. It is my definite go to meal when we’re having company or I want left overs. It’s so hard to say for 7 people, are they 7 adults with healthy appetites?? I always prefer to have extra food for leftovers and to send home with people than to not have enough. You would most likely be good for 7 people, but it might be close. I would just go for 1 and 1/2 of the recipe. If you need help breaking that down let me know! Enjoy your Sunday dinner!