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Spaghetti With Meatballs Recipe

Name: New York Pizza & Restaurants Spaghetti With Meatballs Recipe
Cook time: 1 h 15 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 lb ground beef (80/20); 0.5 lb ground pork; 0.75 cup fresh breadcrumbs; 0.25 cup milk; 1 each large egg; 0.5 cup grated Parmesan cheese; 2 tsp minced garlic; 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley; 1 tsp dried oregano; 1.5 tsp salt; 0.75 tsp black pepper; 2 tbsp olive oil (for frying); 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 1 each medium yellow onion, finely diced; 3 tsp minced garlic; 28 oz crushed tomatoes (canned); 2 tbsp tomato paste; 1 tsp dried basil; 0.5 tsp dried oregano; 0.5 tsp sugar (optional, to balance acidity); 1 tsp salt; 0.5 tsp black pepper; 0.5 cup water or low-sodium broth (if needed); 4 each fresh basil leaves (optional, torn); 12 oz spaghetti; 1 tbsp salt (for pasta water); 0.5 cup reserved pasta cooking water; 0.25 cup grated Parmesan (for serving); 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)

Inspired by New York Pizza & Restaurant

Time1h 15m

Serves4

Make Spaghetti With Meatballs Recipe in just 1h 15m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.

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Ingredients

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Meatballs

1 lb ground beef (80/20)

1/2 lb ground pork

3/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs

1/4 cup Milk

1 each large egg

1/2 cup Grated Parmesan cheese

2 tsp minced garlic

2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley

1 tsp Dried oregano

1 1/2 tsp Celtic sea salt

3/4 tsp black pepper

2 tbsp olive oil (for frying)

Tomato Sauce

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 each medium yellow onion, finely diced

3 tsp minced garlic

28 oz crushed tomatoes (canned)

2 tbsp tomato paste

1 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp Dried oregano

1/2 tsp sugar (optional, to balance acidity)

1 tsp Celtic sea salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 cup water or low-sodium broth (if needed)

4 each fresh basil leaves (optional, torn)

Pasta & Finish

12 oz spaghetti

1 tbsp salt (for pasta water)

1/2 cup reserved pasta cooking water

1/4 cup grated Parmesan (for serving)

1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)

Method

Meatballs

Soak breadcrumbs

In a small bowl, combine the breadcrumbs and milk. Let sit 5 minutes until milk is absorbed and mixture is soft (panade).

Mix meatball ingredients

In a large bowl, add ground beef, ground pork, soaked breadcrumbs, egg, grated Parmesan, minced garlic, chopped parsley, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Using your hands or a fork, gently combine until just incorporated. Do not overwork; overmixing makes tough meatballs.

Portion meatballs

Line a baking sheet with parchment. Using a 1.5 tablespoon scoop or your hands, portion the mixture into roughly 1 1/4-inch to 1 1/2-inch meatballs (yields about 18–22). Place on the prepared sheet.

Brown meatballs

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches (do not crowd), add meatballs and sear for 2–3 minutes per side until golden brown all around. Use tongs to turn gently. They will not be fully cooked—just browned. Transfer browned meatballs to a plate lined with paper towels or directly into the sauce (see next section).

Tomato Sauce

Sweat aromatics

In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan or deep skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the finely diced onion and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent and soft, about 6–8 minutes. Add 3 teaspoons minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to brown the garlic.

Build the sauce

Stir in 2 tablespoons tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes to caramelize slightly. Add the crushed tomatoes, dried basil, dried oregano, sugar (if using), 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Stir to combine.

Simmer with meatballs

If you browned meatballs in the skillet, add them to the sauce now, nestling them into the tomatoes. If you transferred meatballs earlier to a plate, add them now. Bring sauce to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low. Cover partially and simmer 25–30 minutes, turning meatballs once halfway through, until meatballs are cooked through (internal temperature 160°F / 71°C) and sauce has mellowed. If sauce becomes too thick, stir in up to 1/2 cup water or broth to reach desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning. Stir in torn fresh basil leaves (if using) in the last 2 minutes.

Finish

Keep sauce warm on the lowest heat while you cook the pasta, or finish combining with pasta in the pan as described below.

Pasta & Finish

Cook spaghetti

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add 1 tablespoon salt. Add 12 oz spaghetti and cook according to package directions until al dente (usually 8–10 minutes). Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.

Combine pasta and sauce

Add drained spaghetti to the pan with the sauce and meatballs (or transfer sauce and meatballs to the pot with pasta). Toss gently to coat, adding reserved pasta water a few tablespoons at a time as needed to loosen and help the sauce cling to the pasta. Cook together 1–2 minutes so flavors marry.

Serve

Divide pasta and meatballs among plates or a large serving bowl. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan and chopped fresh parsley. Serve immediately with extra cheese at the table.