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. With a quick 45-minute cook time, 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 recipes (everybody loves Italian!), try my fettuccine Alfredo, baked ziti, stuffed shells, and chicken parmesan. And if you’re looking for an alternative to beef meatballs, my turkey meatballs are another favorite.
“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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Comments
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Very delicious and flavorful. Family loved will add to keep list. 🥰
No onions in meatballs?
No, not in these, but they still have plenty of flavor due to the other seasonings. Hope you enjoy if you try them!
Could you use fresh oregano instead of dried?
Hi Andrea, you can, but I’d use it sparingly as fresh oregano can taste bitter.
Hi Jen: NONE of our local grocery stores sell a “meatloaf mix” or ground veal–I’ve called EVERY one. (Note: we live in Eureka, CA, which is beautiful, but is often described as living “behind the redwood curtain, in terms of getting access to a variety of goods) What would you suggest to add to the ground beef/pork mix to keep the meatballs tender and flavorful?
Hi Carol, I’d use half ground beef and half ground pork. Enjoy!
Thank you very much Jen! I wanted to make this yesterday before you had a chance to reply, so I did what another reviewer (Kathy Vukasovich) did and use 1/3 ea ground beef, ground pork and ground mild Italian sausage. Going to serve the dish tonight. BTW: I also doubled the recipe so I’m wondering since I want to freeze the extra meatballs, should I freeze them before cooking them or after their “partial” cooking? Thanks in advance for your reply! Carol
Hi Carol, I would freeze the extra meatballs after they are partially cooked. Hope the dinner came out nicely. 😊
Don’t have fresh herbs on hand
Do you have an idea of how much dried herbs I could substitute?
Thank you !
Hi Joyce, You can substitute the fresh parsley with 1 tablespoon of dried. I really don’t like dried basil, so if possible I’d get fresh. If not, you’d need 1 tablespoon dried.
Jenn I cannot tell you how much I appreciate this recipe (well, all your recipes, really.) Now my son requests “Mom’s meatballs”, not my husband’s family recipe! The homemade sauce is to die for!
Hi Jenn, I couldn’t find veal so I used 3/4 lb. each of beef and mild Italian sausage for the meatballs. I cooked them for 15 min. , each side. They were delicious! Thank you !
I’ve made these meatballs many times with just pork and beef and no veal. I was excited to find the meatloaf mix at my grocery store today so decided to try it with that. Oh my! It really ups the quality – not that I thought it needed it – but wow! It was a great surprise. I also spray the foil with Pam to make sure they don’t stick.
This turned out great (I omitted the oregano since the breadcrumbs already had seasoning).I could only find one pound packs of ground beef and ground pork at my grocery store, so that’s what I used, plus increasing everything else a little bit. Thank you!
This recipe is a good one. I made a few changes. I extended the meatball cook time per side to 15 min. The specific cheese wasn’t available so had to sub. Really liked the marinara brand you recommended. I used two 12.6 oz jars. Might use a little more sauce with a pound of spaghetti.