Spaghetti and Meatballs is a family favorite that never goes out of style.
Tender beef and pork meatballs are simmered in an easy homemade tomato sauce and served with spaghetti. Like most pasta recipes, this easy favorite is perfect topped with a sprinkle of parsley and some parmesan cheese.
Why This Recipe Makes My Top 10
Spaghetti and Meatballs are a classic Italian recipe that is sure to bring my family around the table!
While it needs time to cook, it is quick to prep and tastes so delicious! Most of the time is spent simmering and filling your house with a delicious aroma.
This homemade spaghetti and meatballs recipe is also easy to prepare in advance. Just prep the meatballs and sauce ahead of time and cook the spaghetti when ready to serve.
You can even freeze the sauce and meatballs (separately) for a quick weeknight meal, so I always make a big batch!
Ingredients & Variations
SAUCE While this recipe calls for whole and crushed tomatoes feel free to toss in whatever you have on hand. Try adding from fresh tomatoes, diced tomatoes, or even stewed tomatoes.
If not using the whole Italian tomatoes listed in this recipe you will want to add some Italian seasoning to boost the flavor!
MEATBALLS I use both ground beef and ground pork, plus a generous amount of shredded parmesan cheese and Italian herbs in my homemade meatballs (and the fresh parsley in the recipe makes a big difference, so don’t skip it). The hearty flavor is amazing.
If you’re running short on time toss in some store-bought or homemade frozen meatballs! Just give them some extra time to simmer in the sauce to heat all the way through.
SPAGHETTI While you can’t have homemade spaghetti and meatballs without spaghetti you can definitely enjoy these hearty meatballs and savory sauce over any pasta you have on hand.
Try serving over other long pasta noodles like bucatini, pappardelle, capellini, or linguine in a pinch. For short pasta noodles, I love fusilli, rotini, macaroni, or penne. But any pasta will do!
How to Make Spaghetti and Meatballs
Since the sauce needs time to simmer, start by making the sauce first, and while that’s simmering, move on to the meatballs.
How to Make Tomato Sauce
Similar to my favorite Marinara Sauce, this tomato sauce is easy to make and the flavor is only made better by the addition of meatballs! I use whole Italian tomatoes (San Marzano are best for flavor).
- Prep: Dice and prep all ingredients for the sauce!
- Saute: In a large pot, sauté onions and garlic until softened and fragrant. Your kitchen should begin to smell heavenly!!
- Simmer: Add the rest of the ingredients, cover, and simmer on low for an hour, stirring occasionally.
That’s really all there is to it! After the sauce has simmered for about an hour and you are ready to move onto the meatballs!
Tips for the Perfect Tomato Sauce
The secret to the full-bodied flavor in this sauce is that you let it slow simmer for a minimum of an hour, and cook the meatballs right in the sauce after a quick brown!
This method allows the flavors to deepen and develop, and the sauce to thicken too. An added bonus is that the smell of traditional Italian spaghetti and meatballs will fill your kitchen with its heavenly fragrance!
How to Make Meatballs
Making homemade meatballs is as easy as 1, 2, 3!
- Prep: Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and form into meatballs.
- Simmer: Brown quickly in a frying pan and simmer in the prepared sauce (per recipe below).
- Thicken: Uncover and allow the sauce to boil down and thicken to your desired consistency.
I often bake big pans of my favorite meatball recipe and freeze them for easy meals like this one.
What to Serve With Spaghetti and Meatballs
When it comes to what goes best with spaghetti and meatballs, I always fall back on the traditional sides, and everybody enjoys it!
Serve with cheesy garlic breadsticks, warm garlic bread or biscuits. Add in a fresh green tossed salad or caesar salad to round out the meal.
How to Freeze Spaghetti and Meatballs
Spaghetti sauce freezes perfectly! Let it cool, then ladle into freezer-safe containers, leaving about an inch of headroom for expansion.
Meatballs are great to make ahead and freeze as well. They’ll keep for up to four months, so go ahead double up the recipe. Defrost in the fridge overnight and reheat over medium-low heat on the stovetop.
Keep the pasta separate and freeze only the sauce and meatballs. While they are heating, boil up some fresh spaghetti for an easy meal ready to go!
Best Homemade Spaghetti Recipe
- Spaghetti Carbonara – a quick Italian classic
- Spaghetti Pie – A fun twist on a family favorite!
- Homemade Spaghetti Sauce – Freezes well, great in all pasta recipes
- Spaghetti and Meatballs – simple & classic
- Baked Spaghetti – Reader favorite!
Have you tried this Homemade Spaghetti & Meatballs Recipe? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
Spaghetti and Meatballs
Ingredients
- 16 oz spaghetti
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 28 ounces whole Italian tomatoes 1 can
- 28 ounce crushed tomatoes 1 can
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Meatballs
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- ½ pound ground pork
- ⅓ cup seasoned bread crumbs
- ¼ cup finely diced onion
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon olive oil for frying
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
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Cook onion in olive oil over medium heat until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
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Reduce heat to low, add remaining sauce ingredients with 1 cup of water. Simmer covered 60 minutes.
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Meanwhile, combine all meatball ingredients (except olive oil) and form 18 meatballs.
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In a large pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat and add meatballs. Brown on all sides until golden (they do not need to be cooked through), about 10 minutes.
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Add meatballs to sauce, cover and simmer 30 minutes. Uncover and simmer until sauce reaches desired consistency.
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Serve over spaghetti.
Notes
- For a full-bodied sauce allow it to simmer for a minimum of an hour and cook the meatballs right in the sauce.
- To freeze:
- Ladle the cooled sauce into freezer bags and lay flat in the freezer.
- Freeze cooked meatballs on a baking sheet and transfer to a zippered bag or airtight container once froze.
- The sauce and meatballs should keep for up to 4 months.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Dinner, Main Course, Pasta
Cuisine Italian
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More Spaghetti Favorites
- Cincinnati Chili – full of flavor!
- Instant Pot Spaghetti – 30 min meal
- Homemade Chicken Spaghetti – made from scratch!
- Million Dollar Spaghetti Casserole – Tastes like lasagna (makes a huge batch)
I only made the sauce because I already had meatballs. My daughter , who only eats in the best restaurants and is very particular, really liked this sauce. It was also very easy to make . Will definately make again and again. Next time will make the meatballs.
So happy to hear that she enjoyed it, Paula!
It is definitely the best spaghetti sauce I ever made. The only thing I did different in the meatballs I added oregano instead of basil which is my personal choice. My family and all my friends want no other sauce whenever I invite them for dinner. I won’t even bother trying another one!
Looks delicious and I’m looking forward to trying it for dinner tonight! Just a quick question – do I add the meatballs to the sauce after it’s already simmered for an hour? Or can the meatballs cook in the sauce during the 1-hour simmer time? Thanks for another great recipe :)
The sauce cooks for 90 minutes, and I add the meatballs at the 60 minute mark. I hope this helps!
Last night I had 9 kids at my house ranging between the ages of 5 and 15 years old. I made this recipe for the first time and they all loved it. the sauce tastes delicious and so comforting. My 7 year old daughter came back for seconds. I was thrilled!!!
I am so happy to hear this recipe was a hit Judith!
This was very easy to make! I used a cookie scoop ro make the meatballs and got more than 18. They all did fit in my sauce! This is a delicious meal and the whole family loved it.
I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe Shelly!
If I want to save some hassle and just cook the raw meatballs in the sauce instead of frying, for how long should they simmer in the sauce?
Hi Spencer, we always brown our meatballs first but if skipping that step you will want to simmer them in the sauce for 40-45 minutes to ensure they are fully cooked.
I love that recipe
Going to try some of the recipes out
Very good
Do you add a grated carrot to the sauce as you do in the marinara sauce? Thank you!
In this recipe I find that the fats and flavors from the meatballs soften the tang of the tomatoes but you can certainly add grated carrots if you’d like.
Can you use fresh cherry tomatoes in this recipe?
You could definitely add cherry tomatoes Rhonda. Enjoy the recipe!
Directions were clear and food was good.
While this recipe was not bad, just based on personal preferences, I don’t think that I will be making it again. Spaghetti is meant to be an easy quick meal (for me at least). I decided to change it up a bit to see if my tried and true method was worth improving upon. I have to say the time and effort was not worth the difference in taste. I think I may actually prefer the pre-made jarred sauces. They pack more flavor. The meatballs were delicious but I think I prefer the more distributive delivery of meat that a classic meat sauce offers.
Thank you for providing me something different in my kitchen escapades :-). They did not disappoint, just didn’t WOW me. I look forward to trying other recipes from the site. I’m sure I will find something that will knock my socks off ;-)
THank you for trying the recipe Brittany!
Do you freeze the meatballs raw or after you browned them in the frying pan?
The meatballs can be frozen raw.
Love it
Thanks Mark!
What is the approximate size of the meatballs
They’re about 1″ across.