Spaghetti With Meatballs Or Italian Sausage Recipe

Prepare the pan and mixture

If using Italian sausage links instead of making meatballs, skip to browning step: slice or brown whole links. In a large bowl, combine ground beef and ground pork. Add breadcrumbs and pour milk over them; let soak 2 minutes. Add egg, grated Parmesan, chopped parsley, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and pepper. Mix gently with your hands until just combined—do not overwork or meatballs will be dense.

Form meatballs

Portion the mixture into 1 1/4-inch to 1 1/2-inch meatballs (about 1.5 tablespoons of mixture) to yield roughly 18–20 meatballs. Place formed meatballs on a tray or plate and refrigerate 10–15 minutes to firm up for easier browning (optional).

Brown meatballs

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add meatballs in a single layer without crowding (work in batches if necessary). Brown on all sides, turning with tongs, about 6–8 minutes total until a deep golden crust forms. They do not need to be cooked through. Transfer browned meatballs to a plate and set aside. If using sausage links, brown and partially cook them the same way, then set aside.

Sweat aromatics

In a large wide pot or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add finely chopped onion and a pinch of salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and translucent, about 6–8 minutes. Add 3 cloves minced garlic and cook for 30–60 seconds until fragrant, taking care not to brown the garlic.

Build the sauce

Stir in 2 tablespoons tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes to deepen the flavor. Add the crushed tomatoes, dried basil, dried oregano, sugar (if using), 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and red pepper flakes (if using). Stir to combine and bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.

Simmer with meat

Gently nestle the browned meatballs (or browned sausage links) into the simmering sauce. Reduce heat to low so the sauce maintains a gentle simmer. Cover partially and simmer for 20–25 minutes, turning meatballs once halfway through so they cook evenly and absorb sauce flavor. For larger meatballs or sausages, simmer 30 minutes until cooked through (internal temp for pork/beef meatballs ~160°F/71°C; sausage per package guidelines).

Finish the sauce

Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, or a pinch more sugar if needed. Stir in torn fresh basil leaves in the last 2 minutes of cooking, if using. If sauce seems too thick, loosen with up to 1/2 cup reserved pasta water or plain water.

Cook the spaghetti

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

Combine pasta and sauce

Add drained spaghetti to the pot with sauce or to the Dutch oven with the simmered meatballs. Toss gently to coat, adding reserved pasta water a few tablespoons at a time as needed to create a silky sauce that clings to the pasta (use up to the 1/2 cup reserved). If you prefer, plate pasta and spoon sauce and meatballs on top instead.

Serve

Divide among 4 plates. Sprinkle each serving with freshly grated Parmesan and chopped parsley or basil. Serve immediately with extra cheese and crushed red pepper at the table.