Spaghetti & Meatballs
- SERVES: 4
- PREP: 15 minutes
- TOTAL TIME: 1 hour 25 minutes
This dish never gets old.
There is something so nostalgic about spaghetti and meatballs that no matter your age, you still love. Sure, it's just ground meat with a simple marinara sauce, but when seasoned and prepared properly, it's one of the most delicious pasta dishes ever. For the meatballs, I combine ground beef and pork with Parmesan for extra flavor, and it makes them mouthwateringly tender on the inside. The homemade marinara is pretty classic, with dried herbs for seasoning and garlic for bite, but my secret is adding a pinch of sugar (this helps balance out the acidity from the tomatoes!). A few tips: try chilling the meatballs before browning them, as it helps them hold their shape! Use a cast iron skillet to brown the meatballs - this will help get the outside all nice and crispy.
For the Meatballs:
- 1
cup fresh breadcrumbs (processed from 3-4 slices white bread)
- ¼
cup milk
- 1
pound ground beef
- 1
pound ground pork
- 1
cup finely shredded Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, plus more for garnish
- 1
tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 ½
teaspoons kosher salt
- ½
teaspoon chili flakes
- 2
eggs plus 1 egg yolk
- ¼
cup fine dry breadcrumbs
- ¼
cup olive oil
For the Sauce:
- 1
large onion, diced (3 cups)
- 2
tablespoons minced garlic
- ¼
cup tomato paste
- 5
(14-ounce) or 2 (28-ounce) plus 1 (14-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
- 1
tablespoon dried oregano
- 1
teaspoon chili flakes
- 1
teaspoon dried thyme
- 1
teaspoon dried parsley
- 1
teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1
tablespoon kosher salt
- 2
teaspoons sugar
- 2
teaspoons red wine vinegar
- ¾
pound dried spaghetti
Finely grated Parmesan, for garnish
Fresh basil for garnish
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Grab the slotted spoon to stir and al dente-test pasta, the spatula for slicing and serving quiche and crumbles, and the spoon for everything else. Carved from olive wood that ages beautifully, these utensils also level up a tablescape—use them for serving salad, spicy slaw, and spaghetti. Olive wood has a natural oil finish, for stain resistance, a little shine and a lot of use. Use the flat, spatula-style utensil to divvy and serve quiche, brownies, berry crumbles and other treats best served warm.
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