Spaghetti and Meatballs

Tender beef and pork meatballs simmered in a rich tomato sauce, served over perfectly cooked spaghetti. This is the classic Italian-American comfort dish done right, with meatballs that stay moist and a sauce that clings to every strand of pasta. The secret is browning the meatballs first for flavour, then letting them finish gently in the sauce so they soak up all that tomato goodness.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb ground beef, 80/20 blend preferred
  • 8 oz ground pork
  • ¾ cup breadcrumbs, plain or Italian-style
  • ½ cup whole milk
  • ½ cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
  • 2 large eggs
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
  • 1½ tsp kosher salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper, freshly ground
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
  • 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 1 tsp granulated sugar
  • ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 lb spaghetti
  • to taste kosher salt
  • a handful fresh basil, torn

Instructions

  1. Combine ¾ cup (90 g) breadcrumbs and ½ cup (120 ml) whole milk in a large mixing bowl and let sit for 5 minutes. The breadcrumbs will soak up the milk and turn into a paste, which keeps the meatballs tender.
  2. Mince 4 cloves garlic.
  3. Finely chop 3 tbsp (10 g) fresh parsley.
  4. Add 1 lb (450 g) ground beef (80/20 blend preferred), 8 oz (225 g) ground pork, ½ cup (50 g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese, 2 large eggs, 4 cloves garlic, minced, 3 tbsp (10 g) fresh parsley, finely chopped, 1½ tsp (9 g) kosher salt, and ½ tsp (1 g) freshly ground black pepper to the bowl with the soaked breadcrumbs. Use your hands to mix gently until just combined. Don't overwork it or the meatballs will turn tough.
  5. Shape the mixture into 12 meatballs, each about the size of a golf ball (roughly 2 inches across). Roll them gently between your palms.
  6. Heat 3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
  7. Once the oil shimmers, add the meatballs in a single layer (work in batches if needed). Brown them on all sides, turning carefully with tongs, about 6 to 8 minutes total. They don't need to be cooked through, just nicely browned. Transfer the browned meatballs to a plate.
  8. While the meatballs brown, finely dice 1 medium yellow onion.
  9. Lower the heat to medium and add 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced to the same pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and turning golden at the edges, about 5 minutes.
  10. Stir in 2 tbsp (30 g) tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. It should darken a shade and smell sweet.
  11. Add 1 (28 oz / 800 g) can crushed tomatoes, 1 tsp (2 g) dried oregano, 1 tsp (2 g) dried basil, 1 tsp (4 g) granulated sugar, and ¼ tsp (0.5 g) red pepper flakes (optional). Stir well, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
  12. Nestle the browned meatballs into the sauce, spooning a bit of sauce over each one. Bring to a gentle simmer, then lower the heat to maintain a bare simmer. Cover partially and let cook for 25 minutes. The meatballs will finish cooking and the sauce will thicken. Stir gently once or twice to keep things from sticking.
  13. While the meatballs simmer, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.
  14. Taste the sauce and add kosher salt as needed. The sauce should be rich, balanced, and slightly sweet.
  15. About 10 minutes before serving, add 1 lb (450 g) spaghetti to the boiling water and cook according to package directions until al dente, usually 9 to 11 minutes.
  16. Drain the spaghetti in a colander, reserving about ½ cup of the pasta water.
  17. Add the drained spaghetti directly to the pot with the sauce and meatballs. Toss gently with tongs to coat the pasta. If the sauce seems tight, splash in a little reserved pasta water to loosen it.
  18. Divide the spaghetti and meatballs among bowls. Top with a handful of fresh basil, torn, and freshly grated Parmesan cheese to taste.