Easy Spaghetti and Meatballs Recipe
This Easy Spaghetti and Meatballs recipe combines juicy homemade meatballs with a rich marinara sauce served over perfectly cooked spaghetti. With simple ingredients and straightforward steps, it’s a classic Italian-American dish perfect for weeknight dinners or casual family meals.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 1/2 lb. ground beef
- 1/2 lb. Italian sausage meat
- 2 and 1/2 tsp. salt, divided
Sauce & Pasta
- 1 large jar (24 oz) marinara sauce
- 12 oz. spaghetti
Instructions
- Boil Water: Fill a large pot with water and add 2 teaspoons of the salt. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat.
- Prepare Meat Mixture: Meanwhile, in a large bowl add the ground beef and sausage meat. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Mix with your hands until just combined, avoiding overmixing to keep meatballs tender.
- Shape Meatballs: Form the meat mixture into 16 golf-ball sized meatballs, ensuring they are uniform for even cooking.
- Brown Meatballs: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and cook until browned on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Flip to brown the other side thoroughly.
- Simmer in Sauce: Pour the marinara sauce into the skillet with the browned meatballs and bring to a simmer, stirring often. Reduce heat to low and cook gently for 4-5 minutes, until meatballs are no longer pink inside. Then, turn off the heat and cover the skillet to keep warm.
- Cook Spaghetti: When the meatballs begin simmering in the sauce, add the spaghetti to the boiling salted water. Cook according to package instructions or until desired doneness. Drain the pasta well.
- Serve: Divide the spaghetti among four dinner plates. Remove the lid from the skillet, stir the meatballs and sauce, then evenly distribute the meatballs and sauce over the spaghetti. Serve warm.
Notes
- Be careful not to overmix the meatball mixture to prevent tough meatballs.
- Using Italian sausage adds extra seasoning; you can substitute with ground pork if desired.
- Simmering meatballs in sauce finishes cooking them gently and infuses flavor.
- Ensure pasta water is well salted for best flavor.
- For an extra touch, sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese and fresh basil or parsley before serving.
Keywords: spaghetti, meatballs, easy dinner, Italian recipe, marinara sauce, ground beef, Italian sausage
Find it online: https://platedandproud.com/easy-spaghetti-and-meatballs-recipe/
