Spaghetti and Meatballs — A family favorite recipe that never goes out of style! Made with homemade beef and pork baked meatballs, homemade marinara sauce, and perfectly cooked al dente spaghetti, this Italian classic is sure to get rave reviews! Not only do they taste FABULOUS but both homemade meatballs and homemade marinara are FASTER and EASIER than you may think!
Table of Contents
- Best Ever Spaghetti and Meatballs Recipe
- Ingredients in Homemade Spaghetti and Meatballs
- How to Make Meatballs for Spaghetti
- How to Make Spaghetti Sauce
- Recipe FAQs
- Make-Ahead Freezer Instructions
- Tips for the Best Spaghetti and Meatballs
- Storage Instructions
- What to Serve with Spaghetti and Meatballs
- Spaghetti and Meatballs Recipe
- More Homemade Meatball Recipes:
Best Ever Spaghetti and Meatballs Recipe
I can’t think of a more classic dinner recipe that everyone loves and never goes out of style. That is, classic spaghetti and meatballs with marinara sauce.
If you’ve never made homemade meatballs or homemade marinara sauce, I promise you not only are you in for a real treat, but they are both so easy!
Making homemade meatballs for spaghetti is a cinch because you dump all the ingredients into one bowl, mix, and form your little meatballs before baking them.
For this spaghetti and meatballs recipe, I baked the meatballs but I also provide two other cooking methods below.
Homemade marinara sauce is also a snap to make and really you’re just simmering canned tomatoes with onions, garlic, herbs, and spices for a bit.
Quite literally then throw it all together with al dente cooked spaghetti, garnish with fresh herbs and Parmesan cheese, and it’s a guarantee that this Italian-inspired meal will be a hit.
For this scratch spaghetti and meatball recipe, I heavily borrowed from my Cheesy Meatballs with Gnocci recipe so make sure to check that one out, too!
Ingredients in Homemade Spaghetti and Meatballs
To make this scratch Italian spaghetti and meatballs recipe, you’ll need the following common ingredients:
Meatballs:
- Ground beef
- Ground pork sausage
- Onion
- Garlic
- Breadcrumbs
- Eggs
- Parmesan cheese
- Dried basil
- Dried oregano
- Dried parsley
- Italian seasoning
- Milk
- Pepper
- Salt
- Olive oil
Marinara sauce:
- Olive oil
- Onion
- Garlic
- Tomato paste
- Canned whole tomatoes
- Canned crushed tomatoes
- Fresh basil
- Italian seasoning
- Red chili flakes
- Salt
- Pepper
- Granulated sugar
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Make Meatballs for Spaghetti
These are incredibly easy meatballs for spaghetti and are worth the bit of effort it takes in my opinion. However, all the ingredients get mixed by hand in just one bowl to keep things super basic!
To make them, follow these easy steps:
Step 1: Add ALL the ingredients to one bowl and mix gently to combine.
Step 2: Using a small cookie scoop form evenly sized meatballs, then place them on a baking sheet.
Step 3: Bake for about 10 minutes. That’s it!
Note: Some of that glorious Parmesan cheese will seep out during the baking process. This is totally normal!
Additional Ways to Cook Meatballs
I baked these meatballs, but you absolutely can cook your homemade meatballs in a couple other ways including:
- Using an air fryer: Air fry the meatballs at 425F for 10 to 12 minutes. The temp and time are same as if you were baking them, but air fry them instead. When air fried, the texture on the outside is a bit crispy and the interior is nice and juicy.
- On the stovetop: Cook them in a skillet on the stove with a bit of olive oil over medium-high heat like I did in my Cheesy Gnocchi and Meatballs recipe. Take care not to overcrowd them and brown them in batches.
How to Make Spaghetti Sauce
While your meatballs are baking, get started on your homemade marinara sauce by doing the following:
Step 1: Add olive oil to a skillet and sauté onions and garlic before adding tomato paste.
Step 2: Add all the remaining ingredients and simmer before adding the meatballs and cooked spaghetti and serving!
Recipe FAQs
Obviously, no you don’t and sometimes doing partially homemade is good enough.You can use frozen and previously cooked meatballs that you simply thaw and heat. Additionally, if you’re not wanting to bother with marinara sauce from scratch for your spaghetti and meatballs, a jarred store bought sauce will work. Rao’s is my favorite if you’re going that route but use what you know your family enjoys.
I like to use Italian or San Marzano tomatoes for both the whole peeled tomatoes and the crushed tomatoes. They add such a perfect Italian-inspired flavor to this your homemade Italian spaghetti and meatball dinner!
The recipe makes about 40 smaller meatballs if you use a small scoop. However, you can make the meatballs larger. They will take longer to bake depending on how big you make them.
I prefer to use a 1-tablespoon small cookie scoop to form evenly sized meatballs. If you’re not using a scoop, grease your palms so they don’t stick to your hands.
Make-Ahead Freezer Instructions
If you like to batch cook or plan ahead so that you have some easy dinner options waiting for you in your freezer that you simply need to thaw and reheat, meatballs as well as marinara sauce both freeze very well.
I recommend making a double batch of the meatballs and using half for spaghetti and meatballs, and then the other half will keep airtight in the freezer for up to 4 months.
Pull them out as needed for recipes like Cheesy Gnocchi and Meatballs, thaw, and gently reheat either in the microwave if you’re like me or brown them up with a bit of oil in a skillet.
The same can be said for marinara sauce from scratch in that it freezes and keeps well. Make sure you freeze it in freezer-safe containers and for up to 4 months.
Freezing Tip
Don’t freeze it in too large of a container. Split it up into a couple containers so you’re not obligated to use it all once you thaw it. And you’ll save yourself a lot of thawing time! Reheat it gently in the microwave or on the stove.
Tips for the Best Spaghetti and Meatballs
Ground beef: When selecting the fat percentage of your ground beef, I recommend not going too low-fat because fat will helps the meatballs hold together. 80/20 ground beef is what I use.
Pork sausage: You can use spicy sausage if you like heat and want to amp up the flavor of the meatballs. Normally I just use a regular basic pork sausage though.
Meatballs: When you’re mixing the meatball mixture together, don’t ovemix. Use a wooden spoon or a (gloved) hand to just barely combine the ingredients, but don’t overdo it. This ensures the meatballs stay moist and juicy.
What to Serve with Spaghetti and Meatballs
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Spaghetti and Meatballs
Ingredients
Homemade Meatballs
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound ground pork sausage
- ½ cup white or yellow onion, diced small
- 3 to 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 2 large eggs, lightly whisked
- ½ cup parmesan cheese, shredded
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
Marinara Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small white or yellow onion, diced small
- 3 to 5 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 28 ounces canned whole peeled tomatoes, San Marzano recommended
- 28 ounces canned crushed tomatoes, San Marzano recommended
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
Spaghetti and Assembly
- 1 ½ to 2 pounds spaghetti, cooked according to package directions
- Fresh basil or parsley, finely minced; optional for garnishing
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, optional for garnishing
Instructions
Meatballs
- Preheat oven to 425F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
- To a large bowl, add all the ingredients, and using a wooden spoon or a gloved hand, mix together all ingredients. Don't overmix.
- Using a small 1-tablespoon cookie scoop, form the meatballs. If desired, add a bit of oil to your hands and then roll the meatballs into nice round balls, although straight off the cookie scoop is fine too.* (See Notes)
- As you form the meatballs place them on the prepared baking sheet.
- After you've formed all the meatballs, bake for about 10 to 12 minutes, or until done.
- Set cooked meatballs aside. Tip – While the meatballs are cooking, start on the marinara sauce.
Marinara Sauce
- To a large skillet or saucepan, add the oil, onion, garlic, and saute over medium heat for 3 minutes, stir nearly constantly.
- Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
- Add all remaining ingredients** (See Notes) and simmer for about 20 minutes. Stir intermittently with a wooden spoon and break up the larger tomato chunks. Tip – While the sauce simmers, make sure to start boiling your spaghetti.
Spaghetti and Assembly
- While the sauce simmers, in a separate large pot, cook the spaghetti according to package directions; drain and set aside.
- Toss the cooked spaghetti with the marinara sauce, add the meatballs, and serve either family-style or plated.
- Optionally garnish with fresh basil or parsley, and optional freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Meatball recipe is exactly the same as these Cheesy Meatballs with Gnocci. The marinara sauce is very similar to the red sauce in my Cheesy Meatballs with Gnocci recipe and is adapted from it.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Meatballs came out better than expected. They were delicious and moist. I would highly recommend this recipe. Next time I make these I will add ground sausage.
Meatballs came out better than expected. They were delicious and moist. I would highly recommend this recipe. Next time I make these I will add ground sausage.
great
I can’t have pork products. Could I use all ground beef? I did not see this question in the FAQs.
Yes all beef is fine.
great