Spaghetti & Meatballs Recipe

Prepare breadcrumb soak

In a small bowl, combine the fresh breadcrumbs and whole milk. Let sit 5 minutes until milk is absorbed and mixture is moist.

Mix meatball ingredients

In a large bowl, add ground beef, ground pork, soaked breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan, chopped parsley, minced garlic (2 cloves), egg, dried oregano, salt, and pepper. Using your hands or a fork, gently combine until just evenly mixed—avoid overworking to keep meatballs tender.

Form meatballs

Portion the mixture into 1 1/4-inch to 1 1/2-inch meatballs (about 1.5 tablespoons each). You should get roughly 18–22 meatballs. Place formed meatballs on a rimmed baking sheet or plate.

Brown meatballs

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When shimmering, add meatballs in a single layer without overcrowding (work in batches). Cook 2–3 minutes per side until a golden-brown crust forms. Transfer browned meatballs to a plate; they will finish cooking in the sauce.

Sauté aromatics

In a large, deep skillet or saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and a pinch of salt. Cook 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened and translucent. Add minced garlic (3 cloves) and cook 30–60 seconds until fragrant.

Build the sauce

Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute to develop flavor. Add the crushed tomatoes, dried basil, dried oregano, sugar (if using), salt, black pepper, and bay leaf. Stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer.

Simmer with meatballs

Carefully nestle the browned meatballs into the simmering sauce. Reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer gently for 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally and spooning sauce over meatballs so they cook through evenly. If sauce becomes too thick, add up to 1/4 cup water. Toward the end of cooking, taste and adjust seasoning. Remove bay leaf and stir in torn fresh basil leaves (if using).

Cook spaghetti

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add 1 tablespoon salt. Add spaghetti and cook according to package directions until al dente (usually 8–10 minutes). Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.

Finish and combine

Add drained spaghetti to the skillet with the sauce and meatballs (if your pan is large enough) or return pasta to the pot and add meatballs and sauce. Toss gently to combine, adding up to 1/2 cup reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce and help it cling to the pasta. Cook together 1–2 minutes to marry flavors.

Serve

Divide spaghetti and meatballs among plates. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan and chopped fresh parsley or basil. Serve immediately.