Make the best Spaghetti and Meatballs in homemade marinara sauce from scratch with this incredible recipe. These are amazing “WOW” factor MEATBALLS – so tasty and juicy and BIG. I’m sharing all of my secrets for incredibly tender and flavorful meatballs with an easy-to-follow video below.
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Helpful Reader Review
“If there is 10 stars, I would’ve given it. The meatballs is soooo unbelievably good. Moist, juicy, succulent. I cannot thank you enough for this recipe. xoxo” – Julina ★★★★★
Spaghetti and Meatballs Video
Watch me make Spaghetti and Meatballs from scratch with my easy recipe and timeless technique. Even beginners can master my easy recipe.
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Best Spaghetti and Meatballs Recipe
This is seriously the best spaghetti meatball recipe I’ve ever tried. Store-bought meatballs can’t touch these (cue M.C. Hammer), and they are incredibly easy to make. Pair with a Caesar Salad and Garlic Bread, and dinner is made.
First, I mix together a super-flavorful meatball using the best kitchen tool–your hands (or your KitchenAid if your muscles need a break). Then, after I brown the meat, I finish these up by simmering them in the super yummy and easy homemade marinara sauce made in the very same pot as I cooked the meatballs–that means fewer dishes.
This recipe tastes authentic and complex, but it’s completely beginner-friendly! It is also great for meal prep and to-go lunches since it freezes and reheats really well.
Spaghetti and Meatballs in red pot with serving spoon
Ingredients for Meatballs
The secret to getting uber tender meatballs is bread; yes, bread. And the secret to getting uber flavorful meatballs is using a combination of meats: lean ground beef with sweet Italian sausage. This combo gives such depth of flavor and the perfect texture. It makes 22-23 meatballs, depending on the size.
Bread absorbs moisture, so the meatballs are super juicy and hold together nicely. White bread is best, but you can use whole wheat or other soft sliced bread. You can also use gluten-free bread.
Lean ground beef – 7% to 15% fat content, which makes for the best texture, perfectly moist without being greasy.
Italian sausage adds extra flavor to the meatballs. If you can’t find ground sausage, you can buy sausages and remove the casings.
Parmesan cheese – Use freshly grated parmesan or finely shredded
Egg – egg binds all the ingredients together so the meatballs don’t fall apart when cooking. You can omit the egg, but the meatballs will be more delicate.
Flour – all-purpose flour works great to create a nice browned crust on the meatballs. You can substitute 1:1 gluten-free flour.
Ingredents for making classic Italian pasta dish including Italian sausage, ground beef, white bread, salt, pepper, garlic, egg, water, flour and parmesan cheese
Ingredients for Easy Marinara Sauce
After browning the meatballs, you’ll make this easy marinara sauce right in the same pot. It only takes 5 ingredients, so opt for better-quality canned tomatoes for the best flavor.
Onion and garlic – staple Italian ingredients! It seems like a lot of chopped onion, but they shrink considerably when cooked
Crushed tomatoes – If you use “Crushed tomatoes with basil,” you can omit the fresh basil if desired
Bay leaves – these are optional if you don’t have them on hand, but they lend a depth of flavor
Basil – Fresh basil adds vibrant flavor. You can substitute with 1 1/2 tsp dry basil, but add it to the sauce at the beginning of simmering.
Pasta – We use spaghetti for that classic bite, but you can substitute your favorite pasta, like homemade pasta, linguine, or angel hair pasta. You can also use Spaghetti Squash.
Ingredients for Homemade marinara sauce with crushed tomatoes, onion, bay leaf, garlic and basil
How to Make Italian Spaghetti and Meatballs
My spaghetti and meatballs recipe is so simple to make in about an hour! First, we’ll make the meatballs, then the sauce, and then we’ll simmer the two together while boiling pasta. Follow along below.
