Homemade spaghetti with meatballs

Ingredients

• 110 gbreadcrumbs, preferably homemade
• 125 mlmilk
• 500 gminced beef
• 500 gminced pork
• 2eggs
• 6 clovesgarlic, crushed
• 1onion, finely chopped
• 500 gspaghetti
• a handfulfresh sage, finely chopped
• a small handfulfresh thyme, finely chopped
• a generous handfulfresh basil
• 2 tbsptomato purée
• 250 mlbeef stock
• 2 cans (400 g each)chopped tomatoes
• 2 tbspolive oil
• 2 tbspbalsamic vinegar
• to tastesalt and pepper
• to garnishParmesan, finely grated

Instructions

1. 1

   Soak the breadcrumbs

   Mix the breadcrumbs and milk in a bowl and leave for 5 minutes, until the milk has been absorbed. Add the beef, pork, eggs, 3 cloves of garlic, sage, salt and pepper, then mix thoroughly. Wet your hands and shape the mixture into small meatballs.

2. 2

   Brown the meatballs

   Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan and brown the meatballs all over. Remove them from the pan. Add the remaining olive oil, onion and other 3 cloves of garlic to the same pan and cook until lightly browned.

3. 3

   Simmer the sauce

   Stir the tomato purée and balsamic vinegar into the pan and cook for 1 minute. Add the stock, chopped tomatoes, thyme, salt and pepper, and bring to the boil. Return the meatballs to the sauce and simmer for 15–20 minutes, until the sauce has thickened and the meatballs are cooked through.

4. 4

   Cook the spaghetti

   Meanwhile, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Cook the spaghetti until al dente.

5. 5

   Serve with basil

   Serve the spaghetti topped with the meatball sauce. Finish with basil leaves and finely grated Parmesan.

What is spaghetti with meatballs?

Spaghetti with meatballs is an Italian-American favourite inspired by Italian pasta and meat dishes. This version pairs beef-and-pork meatballs with a tomato sauce flavoured with garlic, sage, thyme and balsamic vinegar.

Soaking the breadcrumbs in milk helps make the meatballs tender, while browning them before simmering gives the sauce a savoury base. It is a generous, family-style meal served over pasta.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 1245 calories, 86g protein, 81g carbs, 59g fat.

Most of the carbohydrates come from the spaghetti and breadcrumbs, while the beef, pork and eggs provide much of the protein. The meat and olive oil contribute most of the fat, with Parmesan adding more depending on how much you use. Serve with a green salad or vegetables to balance the rich pasta and sauce.

The meatball mixture

Breadcrumbs and milk: Give the crumbs 5 minutes to absorb the milk before adding the meat. This helps bind the mixture and keeps the meatballs tender.

Beef and pork: The two meats make a hearty, savoury combination. Mix the ingredients thoroughly, but stop once they are evenly combined so the meatballs do not become dense.

Browning before simmering

Meatballs: Brown them all over in the first tablespoon of olive oil, then lift them out of the pan. They will finish cooking in the sauce, so this stage is for colour rather than cooking them through.

Onion and garlic: Use the same pan for the remaining oil, onion and garlic to pick up the browned flavours. Stir in the tomato purée and vinegar for 1 minute before adding the liquids.

Aromatic tomato sauce

Tomatoes and stock: The chopped tomatoes provide the body of the sauce, while beef stock adds savoury depth. Bring the mixture to the boil before returning the meatballs.

Herbs: Sage goes into the meat mixture, and thyme simmers in the sauce. Keep the fresh basil for serving so its aroma stays bright.

How to judge doneness

Sauce: After 15–20 minutes of simmering, it should have thickened and coat the meatballs. Keep the heat gentle enough for a steady simmer rather than a vigorous boil.

Spaghetti: Cook it until al dente, following the packet timing as a guide and tasting near the end. The pasta should be tender but still have a slight firmness at the centre.

Timing the pasta and sauce

The sauce simmers for 15–20 minutes while the spaghetti cooks separately. Start the pasta so it is ready around the same time as the meatballs, then drain it and serve promptly.

Salt the pasta water before adding the spaghetti. The sauce and Parmesan also bring savouriness, so season the dish gradually and taste before serving.

What to serve alongside

The spaghetti and meatballs make a substantial meal on their own. A simple green salad or steamed vegetables can add freshness alongside the rich tomato sauce.

Add the basil and Parmesan at the table, where everyone can adjust their own garnish. Crusty bread is another option for scooping up any sauce left on the plate.

Recipe notes & tips

• Wet your hands before shaping the meatballs to help keep the mixture from sticking.
• Brown the meatballs in batches if the pan is crowded, so they colour rather than steam.
• Use the same pan for the onion and garlic to retain the browned flavour.
• Keep the sauce at a gentle simmer for the full 15–20 minutes.
• Taste the spaghetti near the end of its cooking time to catch the al dente texture.
• Add the basil just before serving for a fresh herbal finish.

Variations

• Fresh herbs: Use extra basil at the table for a brighter finish.
• A little heat: Add chilli flakes to the tomato sauce while it simmers.
• Different pasta: Serve the sauce with another pasta shape if spaghetti is unavailable.
• Extra vegetables: Serve with a side of cooked greens or a simple salad.
• Parmesan finish: Let diners grate Parmesan over their own portions.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Skipping the breadcrumb soak: Give the crumbs 5 minutes in the milk so they can absorb it before mixing.
• Overmixing the meat: Combine until the ingredients are evenly distributed, then stop to avoid dense meatballs.
• Crowding the pan: Brown the meatballs in batches if needed so they colour all over.
• Boiling the sauce hard: Lower the heat after it boils and let it simmer gently for 15–20 minutes.
• Overcooking the pasta: Taste it towards the end and drain when it is al dente.
• Adding basil too early: Keep it for the final garnish so it retains its fresh aroma.

How to store

Refrigerate leftover meatballs and sauce, and spaghetti separately if possible, in covered containers for up to 3 days. Reheat the sauce and meatballs gently in a pan until piping hot, adding a splash of water if needed; reheat the pasta separately or toss it into the sauce.

Frequently asked questions