Spaghetti and Meatballs

This spaghetti and meatballs recipe has that classic rich taste you love! It's got juicy meatballs in a flavorful tomato sauce, and everything is made from scratch in this Italian-American favorite.

📝 Ingredients

• 2 (28 ounce) cans whole tomatoes (with juices) (see note)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 medium onion (chopped)
• 4 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional (or add more, to taste))
• Salt & pepper (to taste)
• 1/3 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
• 1/3 cup milk (whole milk recommended)
• 1 pound ground beef (see note)
• 1/2 pound ground pork or ground Italian sausage
• 1 large egg
• 3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (+ more for serving)
• 1/4 cup (packed) fresh parsley (chopped finely)
• 4 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• Pepper (to taste)
• 1 pound uncooked spaghetti (see note)
• Torn/chopped fresh basil (optional, to taste)

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1I recommend prepping all ingredients before getting started to make it easier. The meatballs and sauce both use minced garlic, so be sure to mince it all at once (I use a garlic press to make this go fast). Add the canned tomatoes (with juices) to a large bowl and use your hands to break the whole tomatoes up.
2. 2To start the sauce, add the olive oil, butter, and onion to a soup pot or Dutch oven and sauté over medium heat for 5 minutes.
3. 3Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
4. 4Add in the tomatoes, Italian seasoning, oregano, sugar, and red pepper flakes. Give it a good stir. Once the sauce starts to bubble, cover the pot with the lid slightly open and reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes (adjust between medium-low and low heat as needed to maintain a constant simmer).
5. 5While the sauce is cooking, make the meatballs. Add the breadcrumbs and milk to a fairly large prep bowl. Mix/mash together until you've got a paste.
6. 6Add the remaining meatball ingredients to the bowl. Using your hands, mix it together and then form about 18 (1 ½-inch) meatballs. Don't over-mix or pack them too tightly, and use a delicate touch. Place the meatballs on a couple of plates or a parchment paper lined baking sheet as you go along for easy clean-up.
7. 7Give the sauce a stir, then place the meatballs in the pot and gently arrange them so they're submerged in the sauce. Continue simmering (lid slightly open) for another 35-45 minutes or until they're cooked through (165F). You may need to increase the heat to get it going again, then reduce the heat and adjust as needed to maintain a simmer.
8. 8Give the sauce a taste and season with salt & pepper as needed (I'm generous with both). Serve with cooked spaghetti, more freshly grated parmesan cheese, and some fresh basil if desired.