TL/DR – Spaghetti and Meatballs. This recipe features ground beef, ground pork, lots of garlic, onion and fresh herbs. It is delicious and feeds a crowd. –
This recipe has a special place in my heart because both of my picky eaters will eat Spaghetti and Meatballs! I have agonized over the perfect meatball for a long time. This recipe reflects my fluctuating desire for healthy vs. greasy and over-the-top. Sometimes I make it with lean beef and pork and sometimes I make it with lean beef and ground turkey. I can’t do any kind of meatball without fresh herbs, onion and garlic. I also prefer to use Panko instead of regular breadcrumbs.
Start by combining finely minced garlic, onion, fresh oregano, Panko crumbs, parmesan, an egg, salt and pepper in a large bowl and mixing them well with a fork. Then crumble in the beef and pork and mix well by hand. Form meatballs that are about 2 – 2 1/2 inches big.
Brown the meatballs on three sides in a large skillet, then remove them and drain the majority of the fat from the skillet. Add diced onion and sauté for a few minutes, then add minced garlic and sauté briefly. Deglaze the skillet with a generous amount of red wine, preferably a cab, and allow it to reduce by about half.
Add in canned diced tomatoes and tomato sauce, loads of fresh basil, salt and pepper. Nestle the meatballs, (yes, nestle them,) back into the sauce and then cover them and simmer on low for at least 30 minutes, or until they are cooked through. While they cook, make pasta and then serve everything immediately.
The whole recipe from start to end is a bit more labor intensive than a typical easy weeknight meal, but it makes a lot of food and it’s freezer friendly. I like to make it on a weekend and freeze some for a future weeknight. Of course, it also depends on your desired meatball size. If you like a bigger meatball, then maybe you’re feeding meatheads and there won’t be any leftovers. You do you. These meatballs are about 2 or 2.5 inches, which is just about the size of meatball I can handle. Winky wink face.
Incidentally, meatballs are one of my favorite things to make. Try Turkey Meatballs on Zoodles with Parsley Pesto, Tomato Wild Rice Soup with Turkey Meatballs, or my version of Italian Wedding Soup.
Spaghetti and Meatballs
Ingredients
- For the Meatballs:
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 lb ground pork OR ground turkey
- 1 c Panko
- 1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 egg
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1/2 yellow onion, finely minced
- 4 T fresh oregano, finely minced
- 1 t kosher salt
- 1/2 t ground black pepper
- 1 T extra virgin olive oil
- For the sauce:
- 1/2 yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3/4 c wine - cabernet sauvignon works well.
- 28 oz canned tomato sauce
- 28 oz canned diced tomatoes
- 1 t kosher salt
- 1/2 t ground black pepper
- 4 T (or more) fresh basil, minced
- 1 lb. spaghetti noodles and an additional 1 T kosher salt
Directions
- Step 1 Mix all meatball ingredients except for the two ground meats and the olive oil in a large bowl with a fork.
- Step 2 Crumble in the ground meats and mix well with your hands.
- Step 3 Form balls between 2 and 2.5 in. diameter and set aside on a plate.
- Step 4 Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet on medium-high heat and brown the meatballs on three sides.
- Step 5 Remove the meatballs from the pan and set aside.
- Step 6 Drain the majority of the fat from the pan, save for one teaspoon.
- Step 7 Add the diced onion to the pan and allow it to cook for about 4 minutes.
- Step 8 As the onion cooks, fill a large pot with water and 1 T salt and put it on the stove to boil.
- Step 9 Add the garlic to the skillet and allow it to cook for one more minute.
- Step 10 Add the wine and scrape the brown bits from the pan as it cooks down for 4 minutes.
- Step 11 Add the canned tomato sauce, tomatoes, minced basil, 1 t salt and 1/2 t pepper to the skillet and stir well.
- Step 12 Place the meatballs back into the skillet and stir to cover them with sauce.
- Step 13 Cover the skillet and turn to a low simmer. Cook for 30 – 35 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through. After the meatballs are cooked through, taste the sauce and season with additional salt and pepper if necessary.
- Step 14 While the meatballs simmer, cook the spaghetti according to package directions.
