Description
Classic Italian-style spaghetti and meatballs featuring tender beef meatballs simmered in a rich tomato sauce, served over perfectly cooked al dente spaghetti noodles. This comforting and hearty meal is simple to prepare in under 30 minutes, making it perfect for a family dinner or casual gathering.
Ingredients
For the Spaghetti
- 8 oz. dry spaghetti noodles
For the Meatballs
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1/3 cup Panko bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 egg
- 1/2 tablespoon salt
- 1/2 tablespoon ground black pepper
For the Sauce and Cooking
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 1 medium tomato, sliced
- 3-4 bay leaves
- 1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the spaghetti: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the spaghetti noodles and cook for 8-12 minutes until al dente, or according to package instructions. Drain well and set aside.
- Prepare the meatball mixture: In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef, Panko bread crumbs, chopped parsley, grated Parmesan cheese, egg, salt, and ground black pepper. Mix thoroughly until a uniform consistency is achieved.
- Form meatballs: Using two spoonfuls of the beef mixture at a time, roll and shape into uniform meatballs. Place them on a plate and set aside.
- Brown the meatballs: Heat olive oil in a large pot or 4-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes until hot and shimmering. Carefully add the meatballs to the pot and gently stir to brown them evenly on all sides without breaking them apart. Once browned, transfer the meatballs to a plate and set aside. Note that the meatballs are not fully cooked yet.
- Sauté aromatics: In the same pot, add the finely chopped onion, minced garlic, sliced tomato, and bay leaves. Stir and cook for about 4 minutes until the onions and tomatoes soften.
- Simmer meatballs in sauce: Return the browned meatballs to the pot. Pour in the canned tomato sauce and tomato paste, then add salt and pepper. Stir to combine and bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Cover with a lid, reduce the heat to low, and let it simmer gently for 8-10 minutes until the meatballs are fully cooked through.
- Toss and serve: Turn off the heat and add the cooked spaghetti to the sauce and meatballs. Toss everything well to combine so the noodles are coated in the sauce. Serve hot, garnished with extra fresh parsley and grated Parmesan cheese on top.
Notes
- To ensure meatballs stay tender, avoid overmixing the beef mixture.
- If you prefer a spicier sauce, add crushed red pepper flakes when sautéing the onions and garlic.
- Leftover meatballs and sauce can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months.
- For gluten-free option, substitute Panko bread crumbs with gluten-free bread crumbs.
- Cook spaghetti just until al dente to prevent overcooking when combining with sauce.
