Description
A classic Spaghetti and Meatballs recipe featuring tender, flavorful meatballs simmered in a rich homemade tomato sauce made from stewed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and butter. Served over a bed of perfectly cooked spaghetti and garnished with fresh parsley and Parmesan cheese, this hearty Italian-American dish is perfect for family dinners and gatherings.
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 Sauce: In a large pot, combine the whole stewed tomatoes with their juices, crushing the tomatoes by hand as you add them, along with the tomato sauce, halved onions, and butter. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook while stirring often until the onions are softened, about 40 minutes. Using tongs, carefully remove and discard the onions.
- Make the Meatballs: While the sauce simmers, in a large bowl, combine ground beef, ground pork, eggs, Italian-style breadcrumbs, chopped parsley, grated Parmesan, minced garlic, kosher salt, and freshly cracked black pepper. Mix thoroughly. With wet hands, form the mixture into golf ball-sized balls, about 2 tablespoons each. You should get approximately 40 to 45 meatballs.
- Cook the Meatballs: Gently add the formed meatballs to the simmering tomato sauce. Return the sauce to simmer over medium heat, then lower the heat to low. Cover and cook for 30 minutes until meatballs are fully cooked through.
- Serve: Serve the meatballs and tomato sauce over cooked spaghetti. Garnish with additional fresh parsley and grated Parmesan cheese for extra flavor.
Notes
- For a smoother sauce texture, use an immersion blender to blend the sauce after removing the onions.
- Using wet hands when forming meatballs prevents sticking.
- Simmering the sauce long helps deepen the flavor and tenderize the onions before removal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of recipe
- Calories: 690
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 820mg
- Fat: 35g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 58g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 38g
- Cholesterol: 160mg
