Pasta & Meatballs Recipe

Prepare breadcrumb soak

Place fresh breadcrumbs in a medium bowl and pour in the milk. Stir and let sit for 5 minutes until breadcrumbs absorb the milk.

Mix meatball ingredients

To the soaked breadcrumbs add ground beef, ground pork, egg, grated Parmesan, minced garlic, chopped parsley, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Using clean hands or a spoon, gently combine until just evenly mixed — avoid overworking to keep meatballs tender (about 30–40 passes).

Form meatballs

Portion the mixture into 1 1/4-inch (roughly golf-ball) portions. You should get about 18–22 meatballs depending on exact size. Roll each gently between your palms to form smooth balls; do not compress.

Brown meatballs

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When oil shimmers, add meatballs in a single layer (work in batches if needed). Brown on all sides, turning carefully, about 6–8 minutes total. They do not need to be fully cooked through. Transfer browned meatballs to a plate lined with paper towels.

Sauté aromatics

Reduce heat to medium. In the same skillet (wipe out excess oil if more than 1 tablespoon remains) add 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil. Add the finely chopped onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 6–8 minutes. Add 3 minced garlic cloves and cook 30–60 seconds until fragrant, stirring so garlic does not burn.

Build the sauce

Add tomato paste to the skillet and cook 1 minute, stirring to darken slightly. Pour in crushed tomatoes, stir to combine. Add dried basil, dried oregano, red pepper flakes, sugar (if using), salt, black pepper, and 1/2 cup water or stock. Stir and bring to a gentle simmer.

Simmer with meatballs

Return the browned meatballs to the skillet, nestling them into the sauce. Reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer gently for 20–25 minutes until meatballs are cooked through (internal temperature 160°F/71°C for beef/pork) and flavors meld. Stir occasionally, spooning sauce over meatballs. If sauce thickens too much, add a splash more water/stock.

Finish sauce

Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt or pepper if needed. Stir in torn fresh basil leaves just before serving.

Cook pasta

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and add 1 tablespoon salt. Add 12 ounces dried spaghetti or linguine and cook according to package instructions until al dente (usually 8–10 minutes). Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain pasta.

Combine pasta and sauce

Add drained pasta to the skillet with sauce and meatballs (or transfer meatballs and sauce to the pasta pot). Toss gently to coat, adding 1/4–1/2 cup reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce and help it cling to the pasta.

Serve

Portion pasta and meatballs onto plates. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan (about 2 tablespoons per serving) and chopped fresh parsley. Offer extra cheese and red pepper flakes at the table.