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Spaghetti And Meatballs Recipe

The perfect spaghetti and meatballs recipe is waiting for you to enjoy! Picky eaters, kids...everyone, will absolutely love this comfort food!
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Keyword meatball recipes, Spaghetti And Meatballs Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 5 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Calories 1247kcal
Author Kathleen

Ingredients

Meatballs:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 1/2 cups onion, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 4 slices hearty white sandwich bread, torn into small pieces
  • 3/4 cup whole milk
  • 1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 pound Italian sausage,
  • 2 1/2 pounds ground beef, 80/20
  • 1 large egg, beaten

Sauce:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 cup onion, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup carrot, finely grated
  • 2 (28-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 cup water

Pasta:

  • 16 ounces spaghetti, cooked per package instructions
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 475°F (246°C).
  • In a large skillet, heat olive oil (2 tablespoons) over medium heat. Add onions (1 1/2 cups) and garlic (4 cloves) then saute until onions are translucent 7-10 minutes. Stir in Italian seasoning (3 teaspoons) and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Set aside and cool.
  • In a large bowl, add milk (3/4 cup) and bread (4 slices) and let sit for 10 minutes. Mash with a fork then stir the cooled onion mixture and combine. Add remaining ingredients and knead to combine. 
    How to make spaghetti and meatballs recipe, making panade for meatballs
  • Form mixture into 2 1/2 inch meatballs (you should have approximately 16 meatballs), place on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for about 20 minutes. 
    How to make spaghetti and meatballs recipe, meatballs on a baking sheet
  • While meatballs are baking make the sauce. In a large pot, heat olive oil (2 tablespoons) over medium heat. Add onions (1 cup), garlic (1 tablespoon), and carrot (1/4 cup) and saute until onions are translucent for 7-10 minutes.
    How to make spaghetti and meatballs recipe, stiring sauce with a wooden spoon
  • Stir in the remaining sauce ingredients and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally for 40-60 minutes, or until they reach an internal temp of 155–160°F.
    Add the oven-browned meatballs to the sauce and nestle them in. Spoon a little sauce over the tops instead of stirring — stirring too soon can cause tender meatballs to break apart before they set. Continue to simmer for 30 minutes.
    How to make spaghetti and meatballs recipe, putting meatballs in sauce mixture
  • Serve meatballs and sauce over cooked pasta (16 ounces), passing the extra sauce.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/8 of the recipe | Calories: 1247kcal | Carbohydrates: 144g | Protein: 63g | Fat: 54g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Cholesterol: 159mg | Sodium: 1466mg | Potassium: 756mg | Fiber: 26g | Sugar: 58g | Vitamin A: 1590IU | Vitamin C: 105.7mg | Calcium: 600mg | Iron: 20.5mg