Spaghetti & Meatballs Recipe

Soak breadcrumbs

Place fresh breadcrumbs in a small bowl and pour milk over them. Let sit 5 minutes until absorbed.

Mix meatball ingredients

In a large bowl combine ground beef, chopped soppressata, soaked breadcrumbs (with any remaining milk), grated Parmesan, minced garlic (2 cloves), chopped basil, egg, salt, and pepper. Mix gently with your hands or a spoon until just combined — do not overwork.

Form meatballs

Portion mixture into 1 1/4-inch meatballs (about 1.5 tablespoons each) to yield roughly 18–20 meatballs. Roll gently between your palms to form compact balls, avoiding packing them too tightly.

Brown meatballs

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add meatballs in a single layer, working in batches if necessary. Brown on all sides, about 2-3 minutes per side, using tongs to turn. They should develop a golden crust but need not be cooked through. Transfer browned meatballs to a plate and set aside.

Sweat aromatics

In a deep skillet or medium saucepan heat 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add diced onion and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 5-6 minutes. Add 3 cloves minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Build sauce

Stir in tomato paste (if using) and cook 1 minute. Add crushed tomatoes/puree, dried oregano, torn basil leaves, sugar (if using), 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Stir to combine and bring sauce to a gentle simmer.

Simmer with meatballs

Carefully nestle the browned meatballs into the simmering tomato sauce. Partially cover and let simmer gently for 18-22 minutes, turning meatballs once halfway through, until meatballs are cooked through (internal temperature 160°F/71°C) and sauce has thickened slightly. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Cook spaghetti

While meatballs simmer, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon salt and the spaghetti. Cook according to package instructions until just al dente (usually 8-10 minutes). Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the spaghetti.

Combine pasta and sauce

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

Serve

Divide pasta and meatballs among 4 plates. Scatter grated Parmesan over each portion, garnish with torn basil leaves and a pinch of red pepper flakes if using. Serve immediately.