Print Recipe

Spaghetti And Meatballs Recipe

Spaghetti And Meatballs Recipe

Make Spaghetti And Meatballs Recipe tonight: tender roasted meatballs in a rich tomato sauce over spaghetti.

Ingredients

Instructions

Step 1: Prep the pan and heat the oven

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large rimmed rectangular baking sheet with a single sheet of parchment paper and brush the parchment lightly with a tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil so the surface reads slightly glossy but not wet. This small action prevents sticking later and sets the geometric stage for the whole process: a clean, rectangular working bed on the bright Calacatta-like surface.

Step 2: Soak the breadcrumbs until a thick paste forms

In a single matte slate ceramic mixing bowl, pour the room-temperature whole milk over the fresh crustless breadcrumbs and stir until every crumb is evenly moistened. Let the mixture sit for about five minutes until it collapses into a dense, slightly tacky paste — smooth on top with tiny crumb peaks visible around the edges. The bowl should show a little milk sheen and softened breadcrumb texture, a tactile, paste-like state ready to marry with the meat.


Step 3: Build the seasoned meat mixture

In that same matte slate ceramic bowl, add the chilled ground beef and ground pork, finely grated Parmesan, chopped flat-leaf parsley, the lightly beaten egg, very finely minced yellow onion, minced garlic, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper and dried oregano. Use a fork or a short wooden spoon to fold the ingredients so the proteins, cheese and aromatics sit together in a coarse, pebbly mass — visibly marbled with fat flecks and herb specks, the mixture still cool and pliable.


Step 4: Incorporate the soaked crumbs and shape the meatballs

Add the soaked breadcrumb paste into the meat bowl and, with gentle, patient folding, combine until the mixture reads uniform and slightly tacky but not dense. With lightly oiled hands (not shown) form 1½-inch meatballs and arrange them in even rows on the prepared rectangular baking sheet, each one round and taut, the surface showing tiny pockets of cheese and parsley. Leave breathing space between each ball so they can brown evenly on the parchment.


Step 5: Oil and roast the meatballs until lightly browned

Lightly brush the tops of the raw meatballs with a tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil so they roast to a golden-browned crust. Slide the baking sheet into the hot oven and roast until the tops are lightly browned and the meatballs are just cooked through — the exterior firm with a subtle crust, the interiors still moist and slightly yielding when pressed. Remove the sheet and let the juices collect on the parchment; transfer the browned meatballs to hold while the sauce begins.

Step 6: Start the tomato sauce base

In a deep matte black enameled pot set on the same surface (stove not shown), warm two tablespoons of olive oil until shimmering, then add the finely chopped yellow onion. Sauté the onion here on the surface as a visual result — translucent, glossy, softened and sitting like a golden bed. Stir in the minced garlic briefly until fragrant, then fold in two tablespoons of tomato paste and cook it down until it darkens and clings slightly to the pot’s interior, building a concentrated, savory backbone.

Step 7: Build and gently thicken the tomato sauce

Pour in the canned crushed tomatoes with half a cup of water, add a teaspoon of sugar, kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, dried oregano and basil, a pinch of red pepper flakes and the dried bay leaf. Bring the mixture just to a gentle boil and then let it settle into a soft simmer until it smells bright and rounded and the liquid begins to thicken into a spoon-coating sauce — visible reduction, glossy tomato waves and flecks of herb suspended throughout.

Step 8: Nest the roasted meatballs into the sauce and finish

Carefully transfer the roasted meatballs and any collected pan juices into the simmering sauce so they sit mostly submerged. Let the meatballs simmer gently in the tomato bath for 15–20 minutes until they become very tender and the sauce reduces to a rich, clingy consistency. The meatballs should read glossy where sauce kisses them, with browned tops peeking through and the sauce thick enough to coat a spoon. Taste and adjust seasoning, discard the bay leaf before tossing.


Step 9: Cook the spaghetti, toss, and plate on a rectangular platter

Bring salted water to a rolling boil and cook the spaghetti until al dente. Reserve half a cup of starchy cooking water, drain, then add the drained spaghetti to the pot of sauce and meatballs (or combine in a large bowl) and toss with a splash of the reserved pasta water until the strands are glossy and evenly coated. Transfer portions onto a shallow rectangular matte white serving platter that echoes the baking sheet’s geometry, giving each portion 3–4 meatballs. Finish with a generous shower of finely grated Parmesan, a sprinkle of chopped parsley and a light drizzle of olive oil for a glossy, herb-flecked crown.


Notes