Meatballs & Pasta Recipe

Soak breadcrumbs

Place the breadcrumbs in a small bowl and pour the 3 tablespoons of milk over them. Let sit 5 minutes until absorbed.

Mix meatball ingredients

In a large bowl combine ground beef and ground pork. Add the soaked breadcrumbs, egg, grated Parmesan, minced garlic, chopped parsley, dried oregano, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Mix gently with your hands or a fork until just combined — avoid overworking to keep meatballs tender.

Portion and roll

Divide the mixture into two equal portions and roll into 2 large meatballs (about 4–5 ounces each). Wetting your hands slightly helps produce smooth surfaces. Place the formed meatballs on a plate or tray.

Sear meatballs

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When shimmering, add the meatballs and sear 2–3 minutes per side until nicely browned all over. You may need to turn carefully to brown each side. Do not cook through; browning develops flavor.

Finish in sauce

Transfer the seared meatballs into the simmering tomato sauce (see next section). Nestle them into the sauce, cover, and simmer over low heat 18–22 minutes until cooked through (internal temp 160°F / 71°C). Occasionally spoon sauce over the top so they stay moist.

Sauté aromatics

In a medium saucepan or deep skillet, heat 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add the minced shallot or onion and sauté 3–4 minutes until softened. Add 1 teaspoon minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.

Build the sauce

Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Add the crushed tomatoes, 1 teaspoon dried basil, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon sugar (optional), 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer.

Simmer

Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered 12–15 minutes to meld flavors and slightly thicken. Taste and adjust seasoning. Keep the sauce at a low simmer while you sear the meatballs and cook the pasta.

Cook spaghetti

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

Combine pasta and sauce

If desired, return the drained spaghetti to the pot or a warm shallow pan. Add 1–2 ladlefuls of the tomato sauce and 2–3 tablespoons reserved pasta water to loosen. Toss gently to coat. Taste and add additional pasta water if needed for silkiness.

Plate and serve

Place a portion of spaghetti on each plate. Top with one house-made meatball per plate (two total if serving family style as in description). Spoon additional tomato sauce over the meatball and pasta. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan and garnish with fresh basil leaves if using. Serve immediately.