Bucatini & Meatballs Recipe

Soak breadcrumbs

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

Mix meatball ingredients

In a large bowl combine ground beef, ground pork, soaked breadcrumbs, egg, grated cheese, chopped parsley, minced garlic, salt, pepper and dried oregano. Mix gently with your hands or a spoon until just combined — avoid overworking to keep meatballs tender.

Portion and shape

Portion mixture into 1 1/4-inch (about 1.5 oz) meatballs using a scoop or spoon. Roll gently between your palms to form smooth balls. You should get about 20–24 meatballs.

Brown meatballs

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add meatballs in a single layer without crowding; brown on all sides, turning carefully, about 6–8 minutes total. They do not need to be fully cooked through — just nicely browned. Transfer browned meatballs to a plate lined with paper towels.

Sweat aromatics

In a large, deep skillet or saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and a pinch of salt and cook until softened and translucent, about 5–7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 30–60 seconds until fragrant; do not let it brown.

Build sauce

Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Add the crushed San Marzano tomatoes, dried basil, sugar (if using), bay leaf, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.

Simmer with meatballs

Carefully nestle the browned meatballs into the simmering sauce. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently, partially covered, for 18–22 minutes, turning meatballs once halfway through, until cooked through (internal temperature 160°F / 71°C) and the sauce has slightly reduced. Stir gently so meatballs don’t break apart. Remove bay leaf and discard. If the sauce becomes too thick, add up to 1/4 cup water or reserved pasta water to loosen.

Cook bucatini

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add 1 tablespoon salt. Add the bucatini and cook according to package directions until al dente (usually 9–11 minutes). Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.

Combine pasta with sauce

Add the drained bucatini to the skillet with the sauce and meatballs. Toss gently to coat, adding up to 1/2 cup reserved pasta water a few tablespoons at a time to create a silky sauce that clings to the bucatini.

Finish and serve

Turn off the heat and stir in 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and 1 teaspoon olive oil. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed. Divide among 4 plates, top with additional grated cheese and chopped parsley. Serve immediately.