Spaghetti and Meatballs
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When it comes to family dinner, nothing beats a bowl of spaghetti and meatballs—easy enough for weeknights, special enough for Sunday supper.
This is my go-to recipe for spaghetti and meatballs. It’s perfect for busy weeknights and always a hit with the whole family (even the picky eaters). The meatballs are juicy, flavorful, and fork-tender—the kind that keep everyone coming back for seconds.
To save time and cut down on mess, I brown the meatballs in the oven on a sheet pan instead of pan-frying them on the stove. I also use a good-quality store-bought marinara (Rao’s is my favorite), but if you have homemade tomato sauce on hand, by all means use it.
For more family-friendly Italian meatball recipes, try my turkey meatballs or chicken piccata meatballs—both family favorites.
“I don’t think I’ve ever commented on a recipe in my 40+ years of life but OMG!! These meatballs were fantastic…My husband said they even rival my Sicilian mother-in-law’s so that’s saying something!!”
What You’ll Need To Make Spaghetti and Meatballs
- Ground meat: The most flavorful meatballs (and meatloaf) come from a blend of beef, pork, and veal (often sold as “meatloaf mix”). If your store doesn’t carry it, use half beef and half pork (veal can be hard to find).
- Egg & water: Help bind the meatballs and keep them moist.
- Breadcrumbs & cheese: Italian-style breadcrumbs (like Progresso) for texture, plus freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano for rich, nutty flavor. Be sure to use authentic Parmigiano-Reggiano imported from Italy — you can spot it by the rind, which is embossed with the name. If it’s pre-grated, check the label to make sure it says “Parmigiano-Reggiano,” not just “Parmesan.” Domestic Parmesan is milder and can’t compare in flavor.
- Garlic, herbs & seasoning: Minced garlic adds savory depth; basil and parsley keep things fresh; oregano gives that classic Italian note. Don’t forget salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper to make all the flavors pop.
- Marinara sauce: Go for a good-quality brand (I love Rao’s) for the best flavor.
- Spaghetti: The classic pasta pairing—cook until al dente so it holds up well to the sauce.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Start the meatball mixture. In a large bowl, combine the egg, basil, parsley, oregano, salt, pepper, garlic and water; whisk well.
Step 2: Mix in the meat, breadcrumbs, and cheese. Add the meatloaf mixture, seasoned breadcrumbs and Parmigiano Reggiano to the wet ingredients and mix with your hands until evenly combined.
Step 3: Form the meatballs. Roll the mixture into golf ball–sized meatballs and place them on an ungreased, unlined baking sheet. Direct contact with the pan helps them brown and makes flipping easier—on foil, they’re more likely to stick.
Step 4: Bake. Pop the meatballs in the oven for about 10 minutes, then pull out the baking sheet and use a metal spatula or tongs to turn them. They may stick a little, so you’ll need to nudge the spatula underneath to loosen them. Return the meatballs to the oven and bake for another 10 minutes, until they’re nicely browned and almost cooked through.
Step 5: Simmer the meatballs. While the meatballs finish baking, bring the marinara sauce to a simmer in a large skillet. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed (I usually add a good pinch of sugar and some freshly ground black pepper). Add the browned meatballs to the sauce, leaving the fat behind, then cover loosely with a lid or foil and let them simmer for about 10 minutes, until the flavors come together and the meatballs are cooked through. Keep warm until ready to toss with pasta.
Step 6: Cook the Spaghetti. While the meatballs simmer, bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Drop in the spaghetti and cook until al dente, then drain in a colander—but be sure to save a cup of the cooking water in case you want to loosen the sauce later.
Step 7: Toss and serve. Add the drained pasta to the skillet with the meatballs and sauce, tossing everything together until well coated. If the sauce looks a little tight, splash in some of the reserved pasta water to loosen it up. Divide among bowls and finish with fresh basil and plenty of grated cheese.
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Spaghetti & Meatballs
This spaghetti and meatball recipe is the ultimate weeknight family dinner—quick, easy, and picky eater-approved!
Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil (plus more for serving)
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup water
- 1½ pounds ground "meatloaf mix" (approximately equal parts ground beef, pork and veal)
- ¾ cup dried Italian style bread crumbs (such as Progresso)
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (plus more for serving)
- Large jar (32 oz) good quality Marinara sauce (such as Rao's)
- 1 pound spaghetti
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and set an oven rack in the middle position.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, basil, parsley, oregano, salt, pepper, garlic and water. Add the meat, breadcrumbs and cheese and mix until just combined (your hands are the best tool). Do not overwork it.
- Roll the mixture into golf ball-sized meatballs and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes, then remove the baking sheet from oven and use a metal spatula to turn the meatballs (they will stick a bit but should release easily when you scrape under them with the spatula). Put the meatballs back in the oven and cook for another 10 minutes, until they are nicely browned and almost cooked through.
- In the meantime, bring the marinara sauce to a simmer in a large skillet. Taste it and adjust the seasoning if necessary (I usually add a healthy pinch of sugar and some freshly ground black pepper). Transfer the browned meatballs to the marinara sauce, leaving the fat behind. Cover loosely with a lid or foil and simmer for about 10 minutes, until the flavors marry and the meatballs are cooked through. Keep warm until ready to toss with pasta.
- While the meatballs are cooking, bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until al dente. Reserve about a cup of the cooking water, then drain. Toss the pasta with the sauce and meatballs (you may find it easier to do this in the pasta pot rather than the skillet, depending on the size of your pans). If the sauce seems dry, add a splash of the reserved pasta water to loosen it. Serve topped with fresh basil and more grated cheese.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cooked meatballs can be frozen, in their sauce, for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, defrost overnight in the refrigerator and reheat on the stovetop until the meatballs are hot in the center.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 731
- Fat: 29 g
- Saturated fat: 10 g
- Carbohydrates: 78 g
- Sugar: 11 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 37 g
- Sodium: 897 mg
- Cholesterol: 116 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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These meatballs are so good. I test-drove my new air fryer with this recipe and they were superb. I paired them with Rao’s Arrabbiata sauce and an Italian salad for a low-carb dinner.
Hi Jenn,
We loved these meatballs! Thank you so much for your continuing delicious and easy to follow recipes.
I’d like to try them as giant meatballs with marinara sauce, after having those for an appetizer at an Italian Restaurant.
Would you recommend any changes to the cooking method or oven temperature?
Hi Rebecca, So glad you enjoyed! If making the meatballs larger, I would keep the oven temp the same but allow more time to cook them. I’d love to know how they turn out!
Hi Jenn,
I love your recipes. I made your lasagna for Christmas Eve and it was excellent! I have a question about the Bolognese sauce. Can the recipe be doubled? Would I need to change any of the ingredient amounts?
Thank you so much,
DW
Doris, So glad you like the recipes! Yes, you can double the bolognese sauce without any modifications to the ingredients. Hope you enjoy!
Hi Jenn. These meatballs are the best. Leftovers are great in a crusty bun with melted mozzarella on top! Do you think it would be okay to reheat in the oven once frozen & thawed rather than in a pan. I’m going to have too many things going on the stovetop. Thanks in advance.
Glad you like them! Yes, reheating them in the oven should be fine, but I’d keep them covered so they don’t dry out.
My wife & I have been eating a Keto regimen for over 4 years and it has been very healthy for us. We have very much missed good pasta though and until recently we hadn’t found a low carb pasta substitute that was at all satisfying. We then found our savior in Ciao Carb spaghetti made by an Italian company (www.ciaocarb.com). It cooks up beautifully al dente and has the mouth feel and flavor that we have missed and it has only 13g net carbs for a 50g serving (vs over 40g for regular pasta). So, my wife begged me to make her spaghetti & meatballs and I found your recipe. I followed it pretty much, except I used a half & half mixture of 80/20 ground beef and hot Italian sausage. Making the meatballs fresh like this made all the difference. We are already big fans of Rao’s marinara, so that was an easy no-brainer. It was excellent and my wife raved. I will make it again and again…and next time, I think I will double the batch of seasoned meatball mixture and vacuum pack & freeze half of it for an even quicker meal.
These meatballs and the full spaghetti recipe are amazing in flavor! Veal is not generally available so I use equal parts ground beef, ground Italian sweet sausage and ground pork…so good! It’s hard to stop eating the meatballs before putting them in the spaghetti mixture! Thank you for sharing your talent with us.
I was sous chef to my 6-year-old granddaughter, Rylee. She made these lovely meatballs by herself. She ate 6 in one sitting. She skipped most of the noodles. She really enjoys mixing the “disgusting” meat up and rolling out the meatballs. Such a good meal. Thanks again for another recipe for meatball summer.
I made these tonight and they were delicious. I subbed the egg for Bob’s Red Mill egg replacer to accommodate an egg allergy and used crushed crackers in place of bread crumbs. My whole family loved them. I will definitely add these to my rotation.
Can’t wait to make this tonight! We are angel hair pasta lovers…do you think it would stand up to the meatballs, or would regular spaghetti noodles work better?
Hi Kristie, I think you can get away with angel hair. Enjoy!
I made this recipe it’s was the best spaghetti and meatballs ever. My boyfriend couldn’t get enough of it.