There is just nothing on earth that says ‘home’ and ‘love’ quite like a huge bowl of slow-simmered Italian food, right? That aroma—tomatoes, garlic, a little fresh basil—it just wraps around you like a warm blanket. Today, I’m sharing what I swear is the one and only recipe you’ll ever need for The Best Italian Spaghetti and Meatballs. It feels ancient and traditional, yet it’s simple to pull off even on a busy weeknight. You can find inspiration for great techniques over at Once Upon a Chef, but trust me, this method is the one!
I still remember the first time I made this in my tiny kitchen. It was a rainy Sunday afternoon, and I desperately wanted to recreate my nonna’s recipe that usually filled her home with the aroma of simmering tomatoes and herbs. As I mixed the meat, breadcrumbs, and spices, I felt a wave of connection to my Italian heritage. Once I served the steaming plate of spaghetti topped with those lovingly crafted meatballs, I watched my friends’ faces light up with joy as they took that first bite—a moment that solidified my passion for cooking and sharing food as a way to build community. Seriously, you won’t look back after trying this method.
Why This Is The Best Italian Spaghetti and Meatballs Recipe
What makes these meatballs special? It’s not just one thing; it’s a dedication to technique that keeps moisture locked in and flavor deep! Forget soggy, grey balls floating in oily sauce. We’re building The Best Italian Spaghetti and Meatballs here, and it requires a little patience upfront. If you love recipes that really show off, check out how one of my favorite blogs handles turkey versions here.
Here’s what sets this version apart:
- We use a combination of ground meats (the meatloaf mix!) for incredible richness.
- Fresh herbs—lots of fresh basil and parsley—make a huge difference.
- The best secret: baking them first before they even see the sauce!
Flavor Depth in The Best Italian Spaghetti and Meatballs
That two-step cooking process is everything, seriously. We bake the meatballs just long enough to brown them nicely and seal in all those lovely juices and herbs. Then, we gently transfer them into the simmering marinara sauce. This second step allows them to finish cooking slowly in the tomato heaven, letting the seasonings marry beautifully with the sauce. That little bit of baking guarantees that The Best Italian Spaghetti and Meatballs stays tender inside without falling apart!
Essential Equipment for Perfect Spaghetti And Meatballs
You don’t need a giant stand mixer for this comfort food classic. Most of the magic happens right on the stovetop, but make sure you have the basics set aside before you start mixing your meat. Having these ready saves a huge headache later when you’re ready to move fast.
You’ll want:
- An Oven (for that crucial first bake!)
- A sturdy Baking sheet
- A Large skillet (for sauce simmering)
- A Large pot (for the pasta, of course)
Gathering Ingredients for The Best Italian Spaghetti and Meatballs
Okay, now for the fun part! Making The Best Italian Spaghetti and Meatballs really hinges on using good quality starting materials. When you put this kind of love into something, you want the ingredients to shine through, right? Don’t skimp on the cheese, and definitely go for the good jarred sauce—it saves time but still gives us that authentic Sunday Supper flavor. I’ve listed everything you need below, broken down into the meatballs and the rest of the works.
For the Meatballs
This is where your flavor base is built. Remember, we need fresh herbs here—the dried stuff is great where noted, but fresh really makes these pop. Don’t be shy with the Parmigiano-Reggiano; it melts beautifully into the meat!
- 1 large egg
- 3 tablespoons fresh basil, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup water
- 1.5 pounds ground meatloaf mix (beef, pork, veal) — aim for roughly equal parts!
- 3/4 cup dried Italian style bread crumbs (such as Progresso)
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (plus more for serving!)
For the Sauce and Pasta
We’re keeping the sauce simple so the homemade meatballs are the true star. Using a high-quality jarred sauce is my little weeknight trick, and I highly recommend something vibrant like a good quality Marinara sauce (such as Rao’s).
- 1 jar (32 oz) good quality Marinara sauce (such as Rao’s)
- 1 pound spaghetti
Step-by-Step Instructions for The Best Italian Spaghetti and Meatballs
Alright, put on some good music because it’s time to assemble The Best Italian Spaghetti and Meatballs! We start with that oven prep. You want to preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and make sure that middle rack is ready to go. Don’t skip the preheating step; these guys need a hot, steady environment to get that crust!
Preparing and Baking the Homemade Meatballs
Get comfy in a large bowl and whisk together your egg, the fresh basil and parsley, oregano, salt, pepper, minced garlic, and water until they look happy together. Now, add in your ground meatloaf mix, breadcrumbs, and that grated Parmesan. Here’s the crucial part: mix everything using your hands until it’s *just* combined. Seriously, if you overwork this, the meatballs get tough. We need tender centers!
Roll them into nice, even golf balls and place them on an ungreased baking sheet. Pop them into that hot oven for 10 minutes. Don’t forget to pull them out after 10 minutes! Use a metal spatula to flip every single meatball—scrape underneath gently so nothing tears. Put them back in for another 10 minutes until they look nicely browned and are almost cooked through.
Simmering Meatballs in Sauce and Cooking the Pasta
While the second bake is happening, get your favorite marinara sauce (or the Rao’s if you snagged some!) warming up in a large skillet. Taste it; you might want an extra pinch of salt. Once simmering gently, carefully move those gorgeous, browned meatballs right into the sauce. Cover them loosely and let them simmer together for about 10 minutes so all those great flavors start sticking to the meat.
Now, boil that spaghetti in well-salted water until it’s perfectly al dente. Before you drain it, scoop out about a cup of that starchy pasta water—it’s liquid gold! Drain the spaghetti, toss it with the meatballs and sauce. If it looks too thick to coat everything nicely, splash in a little of that reserved pasta water. Finish with fresh basil and cheese, and you are done! Pop over to my recipe index here if you want other dinner ideas!
Tips for Success Making The Best Italian Spaghetti and Meatballs
Listen, making The Best Italian Spaghetti and Meatballs isn’t just about following steps; it’s about knowing a few secrets that chefs won’t always tell you. My biggest piece of advice for texture is about moisture. When you mix those ground meats, remember that the water you add goes a long way in keeping them tender, not dense. Please, whatever you do, don’t skip reserving that starchy pasta water!
That water is magic for finishing the dish. If your simmered sauce looks a little too tight or heavy after everything is mixed, a quick splash of that cloudy, salty pasta water will loosen it up perfectly, helping it coat every strand of spaghetti without tasting thin. If you’re looking for other excellent dinner ideas, check out my recipe for Garlic Mushroom Chicken, but trust me, this meatball recipe is worth making again and again for true comfort food satisfaction.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions for This Italian Classic
Part of mastering any good Italian Classic is knowing what to do when your pantry doesn’t look exactly like mine. Sometimes you run out of something, or maybe you just don’t have access to every single item on the list. That’s fine! This shouldn’t stop you from making amazing Homemade Meatballs. Food is about flexibility, too, not just tradition.
Here are my go-to thoughts if you need to swap things out when aiming for a fantastic Sunday Supper:
If you can’t find the specific meatloaf mix (the combo of beef, pork, and veal), just use straight ground beef. To make up for the lost flavor and moisture, I actually recommend adding just a tablespoon of good quality beef broth when you mix in your wet ingredients. It helps keep those beef-only meatballs from drying out during the bake!
What about the fresh herbs? Those are my nonna’s touch, but dried works in a pinch. If you’re out of fresh parsley or basil, use about one-third the amount called for in dried form. So, if I call for 3 tablespoons of fresh parsley, use about 1 tablespoon of dried parsley instead. Don’t go overboard with dried seasonings; they are much more potent.
If you’re looking to stretch the dollar on your next Comfort Food night, I found some really smart ways to eat well without breaking the bank by checking out this guide on making cheap keto meals. While this isn’t a keto recipe, the principles of smart shopping totally apply!
And finally, for the breadcrumbs: If you’re in a total bind, you can pulse up day-old plain bread in a food processor, but make sure you toast those crumbs lightly first. Nobody wants gummy meatballs!
Serving Suggestions for Your Sunday Supper
You’ve successfully made those incredible Homemade Meatballs, and now you have this massive, beautiful pot of sauce ready. What goes with it? We can’t just eat meatballs and noodles alone—that’s just asking for an incomplete meal! This dish deserves the full spread that makes a Sunday Supper feel really special, even if you’re eating it on a Tuesday night because—let’s be honest—that happens around my house too!
To really round out this incredible Italian Classic, you need texture and freshness on the side. For texture? You absolutely need garlic bread. I mean, you just have to! We’re talking crusty Italian bread, slathered with softened butter mixed with crushed garlic and maybe a tiny bit of dried oregano, baked until those edges are crisp and golden. It’s the perfect tool for soaking up every last bit of that tomato sauce from your plate.
For balance, you need something green because those meatballs are rich! I keep it super simple: a very lightly dressed side salad. Think crisp romaine, maybe some thin slices of red onion, and just a drizzle of good Italian vinaigrette—the kind made with quality olive oil and red wine vinegar. It cuts right through the richness of the meat and cheese. If you’re looking for ideas for other simple, balanced meals, pop over to my Pinterest category on simple balanced suppers for inspiration.
And if you’re including wine? Keep it local to the cuisine. A medium-bodied Chianti or a nice Barbera opens up beautifully when served with those herbs and that tangy tomato base. It just transports you straight to a crowded, happy Italian kitchen!
Storage and Reheating Instructions for The Best Italian Spaghetti and Meatballs
So, you actually managed to have leftovers? Amazing! That means you made enough of The Best Italian Spaghetti and Meatballs to last more than one night—a true accomplishment. My biggest tip here is separation. Storing the cooked pasta separately from the meatballs nestled in the sauce keeps everything from turning into mush overnight. The sauce and meatballs hold up beautifully in the fridge for about three days.
If you need to keep them longer, you can absolutely freeze them! As the note in the full recipe mentions, the cooked meatballs in sauce freeze fantastically for up to three months. When you’re ready to eat, just thaw them slowly in the fridge overnight and reheat them gently on the stove. Trust me, they taste even better the next day!
Frequently Asked Questions About Spaghetti And Meatballs
If you’re still hovering over your skillet wondering about a few details, don’t worry! Cooking truly great Comfort Food like this often brings up little questions about texture and timing. I’ve gathered a few of the common things I hear when people try making these Homemade Meatballs for the first time. Hopefully, this clears everything up so you can serve up a perfect plate every time! If you have even more questions after trying the recipe, feel free to reach out through my contact page!
Can I skip baking the meatballs and just simmer them?
Oh, you *could*, but I strongly advise against it if you want a truly great result! If you drop raw meatballs straight into the sauce, the outside gets mushy trying to cook, and all that lovely fat renders out into the sauce immediately, making it greasy way too fast. Baking them first, even just for those 20 minutes, sets the shape, gives you that lightly browned crust, and keeps the fat contained until you scrape it off before adding the sauce. That sealed-in moisture is why these are so tender later on!
What is the best way to make these meatballs extra tender?
The secret to tender meatballs really boils down to two things we’ve covered, but let me emphasize the meat itself and the initial soak. First, using that meatloaf mix—the blend of beef, pork, and veal—is crucial. The pork and veal provide fat and tenderness that straight ground beef just can’t match. Second, when you mix your breadcrumbs, you’ll notice we add water right in with the initial seasonings. This step does a lot of heavy lifting! It essentially pre-soaks the breadcrumbs inside the mix, ensuring they absorb moisture during cooking instead of sucking it out of your meat. That’s the key to keeping your Homemade Meatballs juicy for days.
Share Your Experience Making The Best Italian Spaghetti and Meatballs
Now it’s your turn! I laid out all my family’s secrets to ensure you create the most comforting, flavorful plate of The Best Italian Spaghetti and Meatballs possible. I truly hope this recipe brings that same warmth and joy to your Sunday Supper table that it brings to mine year after year.
I always love hearing how recipes evolve in different kitchens! Did you stick to the baking-then-simmering method? Did you add a little extra garlic? Don’t be shy—head down to the comments section and let me know how it went. Rate the recipe, share your favorite memory surrounding a big plate of pasta, and show off your beautiful meatballs! I love building this community of home cooks, and your feedback helps everyone else feel confident trying this classic Italian meal next time. You can read a little more about my passion for cooking and foraging over on my About page!
The Best Italian Spaghetti and Meatballs
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and set an oven rack in the middle position.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, basil, parsley, oregano, salt, pepper, garlic, and water. Add the ground meat, breadcrumbs, and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Mix with your hands until just combined. Do not overwork the mixture.
- Roll the meat mixture into golf ball-sized meatballs and place them on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and use a metal spatula to turn the meatballs. Scrape under them to release any sticking. Return the meatballs to the oven and cook for another 10 minutes, until nicely browned and almost cooked through.
- While the meatballs are baking, bring the marinara sauce to a simmer in a large skillet. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Transfer the browned meatballs to the simmering marinara sauce, leaving behind any excess fat. Cover loosely with a lid or foil and simmer for about 10 minutes, until the flavors meld and the meatballs are cooked through. Keep warm.
- Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the spaghetti. Toss the pasta with the sauce and meatballs. If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water to loosen it. Serve topped with fresh basil and extra grated cheese.
Notes
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Urban Forager & Hyperlocal Ingredient Specialist
My Brooklyn apartment balcony tells my story: vertical gardens packed with wild edibles, fermentation crocks bubbling with city-foraged greens, and the constant hum of dehydrators preserving herbs I’ve collected from unexpected urban corners. What started as weekend escapes to my aunt’s upstate farm during my Columbia botany studies turned into something bigger after I earned my Urban Ecology Master’s from The New School.
Instead of following traditional academic paths, I discovered that cities are actually amazing edible ecosystems—rooftop weeds, park-edge wild greens, vacant lot treasures that perfectly complement keto eating. Who knew that some of the best low-carb foods were growing right under our noses in Manhattan?
My recipe collections celebrate city seasons: spring dandelions and plantains, summer purslane from rooftops, autumn rose hips from community gardens, winter wild onions and cress. I’m certified through the New York Mycological Society and trained by Brooklyn Botanic Garden to forage safely and ethically. Over 180 of my recipes feature at least one urban-foraged ingredient—from sidewalk plantains to sumac berries and wild mint thriving in vacant lots.
My “Metropolitan Wild” column went viral after my dandelion coffee substitute hit social media. Now my weekend “Urban Wild Walks” through Central Park and Prospect Park sell out faster than I can schedule them. I teach city dwellers to spot safe, keto-friendly wild foods hiding in plain sight.
Currently, I’m partnering with local chefs to bring urban foraged elements to restaurant menus and developing an app that maps safe foraging spots across all five boroughs. Evenings find me tending my sourdough starters, pressing flowers for natural dyes, or weaving baskets from willow branches I collect during park maintenance.
Cities are wild food sanctuaries hiding in plain sight—keto eating becomes urban rebellion when you realize how much free, perfect nutrition grows right under our feet.