Description
Classic Italian-style Spaghetti and Meatballs made with a rich homemade tomato sauce simmered with onions and butter, tender meatballs combining ground beef and pork, and served over perfectly cooked spaghetti topped with fresh parsley and Parmesan cheese. This comforting and hearty dish is perfect for family dinners or special occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
Tomato Sauce
- 3 (28-ounce) cans whole stewed tomatoes
- 2 (28-ounce) cans tomato sauce
- 3 large white onions, halved
- 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter
Meatballs
- 2 pounds 80/20 ground beef
- 1 pound ground pork
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup Italian-style breadcrumbs
- ¾ cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, plus more for serving
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper
For Serving
- 2 pounds cooked spaghetti
Instructions
- Prepare the tomato sauce: In a large pot, combine the whole stewed tomatoes with their juices, crushing the tomatoes by hand as you add them to the pot. Add the tomato sauce, halved onions, and salted butter. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook while stirring frequently until the onions are softened, approximately 40 minutes.
- Remove onions from sauce: Using tongs, carefully discard the softened onion halves from the sauce. For a smoother sauce, you may blend the sauce with an immersion blender at this stage.
- Make the meatballs: While the sauce simmers, combine the ground beef, ground pork, eggs, breadcrumbs, finely chopped parsley, grated Parmesan cheese, minced garlic, kosher salt, and freshly cracked black pepper in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly to combine all ingredients evenly.
- Shape meatballs: With wet hands, form the mixture into golf ball–size meatballs, approximately 2 tablespoons each. You should yield about 40 to 45 meatballs total.
- Cook meatballs in sauce: Carefully add the formed meatballs into the simmering tomato sauce. Return the sauce to a light simmer over medium heat, then reduce heat to low, cover the pot, and cook for 30 minutes or until the meatballs are fully cooked through.
- Serve: Serve the cooked meatballs and rich tomato sauce over cooked spaghetti. Top with additional fresh parsley and grated Parmesan cheese for garnish.
Notes
- For a smoother sauce texture, blend the sauce using an immersion blender after discarding the onions.
- Wet your hands when shaping the meatballs to prevent sticking and ensure uniform size.
- You can prepare the sauce and meatballs ahead of time and reheat gently before serving.
- Adjust seasoning with extra salt and pepper to taste before serving if desired.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 1/8 of recipe)
- Calories: 650 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 750 mg
- Fat: 32 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 130 mg
