With Meatball & Sausage Recipe

Mix

In a large bowl combine ground beef and ground pork. Add breadcrumbs and pour milk over them; let sit 2 minutes to soften. Add egg, grated Parmesan, minced garlic, chopped parsley, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Gently mix with your hands or a spoon until just combined—do not overwork.

Shape

Shape the mixture into 20–24 meatballs about 1 to 1¼ inches in diameter. Place on a tray or plate while you heat the pan.

Pan-fry

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add meatballs in a single layer (work in batches if needed) and brown on all sides, about 6–8 minutes total, turning gently so they keep their shape. They do not need to be fully cooked through at this stage. Transfer browned meatballs to a plate.

If using links, optionally remove casings for bite-sized pieces or leave whole. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in the same skillet over medium heat. Add sausage and brown on all sides, 6–8 minutes. If left whole, pierce once with a fork to prevent bursting. Remove browned sausage to the plate with the meatballs. Reserve any rendered fat in the pan.

Sauté aromatics

In a large heavy-bottomed pot or deep skillet, heat 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped onion and a pinch of salt and cook until soft and translucent, 6–8 minutes. Add 3 tsp minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Build sauce

Stir in tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Add crushed tomatoes, dried basil, dried oregano, sugar, salt, black pepper, and water or red wine if using. Stir to combine and bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.

Simmer with meat

Carefully nestle the browned meatballs and sausage into the simmering sauce. Reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer gently for 25–30 minutes, turning meatballs once halfway through so they cook evenly and absorb sauce flavor. If the sauce thickens too much, add a splash of water.

Finish

Taste and adjust seasoning. Stir in fresh basil leaves in the last 2 minutes of simmering for brightness.

Cook pasta

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add 1 lb dried pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain pasta.

Return drained pasta to the pot or a warmed serving bowl. Spoon sauce with meatballs and sausage over the pasta, adding a little reserved pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan, chopped parsley and red pepper flakes if using. Serve hot.