Spaghetti and Meatballs

Ingredients

• For the pasta
• 1 lb Spaghetti
• 1 tbsp Kosher salt (plus more to taste)
• For the sauce
• 2 tbsp Olive oil
• 1 medium Yellow onion (finely chopped)
• 4 cloves Garlic (minced)
• 2 tbsp Tomato paste
• 28 oz Crushed tomatoes (1 can)
• 0.5 cup Water
• 1 tsp Dried oregano
• 1 tsp Dried basil
• 0.25 tsp Red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 tsp Granulated sugar (optional, to balance acidity)
• 0.25 cup Fresh basil (torn, optional)
• For the meatballs
• 1 lb Ground beef (80–85% lean)
• 0.5 lb Ground pork (or mild Italian sausage, casings removed)
• 0.75 cup Panko breadcrumbs
• 0.33 cup Milk
• 1 large Egg
• 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese (finely grated, plus more for serving)
• 0.25 cup Fresh parsley (finely chopped)
• 2 cloves Garlic (minced)
• 1.5 tsp Kosher salt
• 0.5 tsp Black pepper
• 2 tbsp Olive oil (for browning)
• For the sauce
• 1 tbsp Butter (optional, for richness)

Instructions

1. Make the sauce: Heat olive oil in a large pot or deep skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft, 5–7 minutes.
2. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes to deepen flavor.
3. Add crushed tomatoes, water, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes (if using), and sugar (if using). Bring to a gentle simmer. Season with salt. Reduce heat to low and let it simmer while you make the meatballs (at least 20 minutes; longer is even better). Stir occasionally.
4. Make the meatball mixture: In a small bowl, combine panko and milk; let soak 5 minutes. In a large bowl, add beef, pork, soaked crumbs, egg, Parmesan, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix gently just until combined (don’t overwork).
5. Form into 16–20 meatballs (about golf-ball size).
6. Brown the meatballs: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown meatballs in batches, turning to color most sides, 6–8 minutes total per batch. They don’t need to be cooked through yet.
7. Simmer meatballs in sauce: Add browned meatballs to the simmering sauce (and any pan juices). Cover partially and simmer until meatballs are cooked through, 15–20 minutes. Optional: stir in 1 tbsp butter and/or torn basil at the end.
8. Cook pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it well. Cook spaghetti until al dente according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain.
9. Combine and serve: Toss spaghetti with a ladle or two of sauce (add a splash of pasta water if needed). Plate pasta, top with meatballs and more sauce. Finish with Parmesan and parsley or basil.

Nutrition per Serving