Jul 14 2026
Restaurants›The Hideaway›Spaghetti & Meatballs Recipe

Spaghetti & Meatballs Recipe

Inspired by The Hideaway
Time1h 15m
Serves4

Make Spaghetti & 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

Tomato Sauce

Pasta & Finishing

Method

Meatballs

  1. 1

    Prep and mix

    In a large bowl, pour the milk over the breadcrumbs and let sit 5 minutes until absorbed. Add ground beef, ground pork, egg, grated Parmesan, minced garlic (3 cloves), chopped parsley, dried oregano, 1.5 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper. Use your hands to gently combine until just incorporated — do not overwork or mixture will become dense.

  2. 2

    Shape

    Portion the mixture into golf-ball-sized meatballs (about 1.5 inches). You should get approximately 18–20 meatballs. Place formed meatballs on a tray or plate.

  3. 3

    Brown

    Heat 2 tbs olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches to avoid crowding, add meatballs and brown on all sides, turning carefully with tongs, about 6–8 minutes per batch. They do not need to be fully cooked through; just nicely browned. Transfer browned meatballs to a plate and set aside.

Tomato Sauce

  1. 4

    Sauté aromatics

    In a large deep skillet or Dutch oven, heat 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add the finely diced onion and cook until translucent, about 6–8 minutes. Add 4 cloves minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant, stirring so garlic doesn't brown.

  2. 5

    Build the sauce

    Stir in 2 tbs tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes to caramelize and remove raw taste. Add crushed tomatoes and 1/2 cup stock, stir to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer.

  3. 6

    Season and simmer

    Add torn fresh basil, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp sugar (if using), 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Return the browned meatballs to the sauce, submerging them slightly. Reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer gently for 20–25 minutes until meatballs are cooked through and sauce has developed flavor. Stir occasionally and spoon sauce over meatballs to keep them moist.

Pasta & Finishing

  1. 7

    Cook spaghetti

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

  2. 8

    Combine and finish

    Add the drained spaghetti to the skillet with the sauce and meatballs (if your pot is too small, transfer a portion of sauce and meatballs to the pasta pot). Toss gently to combine; add reserved pasta water a splash at a time if the sauce seems too thick, until it clings to the pasta. Cook together 1–2 minutes so flavors marry. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper or red pepper flakes (about 1/2 tsp) as desired.

  3. 9

    Serve

    Divide spaghetti and meatballs among 4 plates. Sprinkle each serving with grated Parmesan and garnish with fresh basil leaves. Serve immediately.

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