The Best Sauce for Spaghetti and Meatballs

If you’re looking for the best sauce for spaghetti and meatballs, you’ve come to the right place! This marinara sauce is thick and rich, with hints of basil and garlic. Traditional Italian meatballs in tomato sauce makes for a supremely satisfying meal!

Sometimes it’s the simplest things that are the most gratifying. Sure, I love going out to eat and experimenting with exotic ingredients every now and then.

But for pure comfort and satisfaction, nothing beats a pile of spaghetti noodles, a generous ladleful of homemade marinara sauce, and three giant, fluffy Italian meatballs.

This is the kind of meal that feeds both body and soul. It triggers memories of childhood and sparks conversation. It makes you lean over your plate, take a deep whiff in, and let out a little sigh.

It’s the kind of meal you’ll want to linger over, long after you’ve mopped up the last bit of sauce with a hunk of garlic bread.

Tips for the Best Italian Spaghetti and Meatballs

If you, like me, have gotten used to cracking open a jar and tearing into a frozen bag of meatballs, this recipe may seem daunting. And I’ll be honest, this isn’t a meal you want to plan for the busiest night of the week. It takes some time, but it’s 100% doable for anyone, especially with these helpful tips.

1. Give yourself the time. It sounds silly, but this is the most important thing. Plan this meal for a day when you have an hour or two to putter about the kitchen and take your time. If you need spaghetti in a hurry, try this Ground Beef Spaghetti Sauce instead.
2. Mise en place. This is the French concept of readying your space before cooking. Take the time to prep your ingredients (chop vegetables, open cans, mince garlic) before diving in. This recipe requires some juggling between the tomato sauce, meatballs, and pasta, but having your ingredients prepared beforehand makes it so much easier.

• Enjoy it. Maybe it’s just the cortisol levels talking, but when I rush a meal, it simply doesn’t taste as good. Preparing this should be a feast for all your senses–slow down and enjoy the smells of fresh basil and garlic, the sizzle of onions and carrots. Put on some tunes, open a bottle of wine, taste as you go, and enjoy the process.

Key Ingredients in Marinara Sauce

• Carrots, Onions, and Garlic– This “holy trinity” provides the aromatic flavor base to so many delicious recipes, including many sauces, soups, and stews like Italian Sausage Stew.
• Canned crushed tomatoes and tomato paste– Any brand of tomatoes will work, but San Marzano is an Italian tomato known for its sweet flavor.
• Fresh parsley and basil- You can substitute dried herbs, but use half the amount.
• Sugar- I’ve included a range of the amount of sugar, so you can customize the sweetness exactly to your liking.

Ingredients in Italian Meatballs

• Ground beef– I prefer to use 80/20 or 85/20 for super juicy meatballs.
• Italian sausage- This adds SO.MUCH.FLAVOR. You *can* substitute it for all ground beef, but why would you?
• Milk and bread– These two components form a panade, the key to moist meatballs. I use fresh Italian or country white bread, torn into small pieces, rather than dried breadcrumbs, and I think it makes a big difference in the tenderness of the final product!
• Ricotta– More moisture + flavor in this ingredient!
• Parmesan– I recommend using freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano. Save some to sprinkle on your spaghetti!
• Eggs– Eggs act as a binder, holding all of this goodness together.
• Garlic and herbs– I prefer to use fresh herbs, but again, you can substitute half the amount of dried herbs if needed.

How to Make Tomato Sauce for Spaghetti and Meatballs:

1. Prep your ingredients. Dice the carrots and onions. Mince the garlic. Chop the herbs, and open up all your canned goods. Start the panade for the meatballs (instructions below).
2. Cook the veggies. Heat olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the carrots and onions and toss to coat with oil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until veggies are very soft.
3. Add remaining ingredients. Remove the cover, add the garlic, and increase the heat to medium high. Cook the garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute, then add canned tomatoes, tomato paste, parsley, basil, red pepper flakes (if using) and one tablespoon of the sugar. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
4. Simmer. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil then reduce heat to low and allow to simmer uncovered for 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally, while you work on the meatballs.
5. Taste. Give the sauce a taste and add salt, pepper, or sugar as desired.

How to Make Traditional Italian Meatballs

1. Make the panade (if you haven’t already!). Tear the bread into small pieces and pour the milk over top. Allow it to soak for several minutes. The texture should be like a very thick, wet paste. If the mixture is too loose, add a few more bread pieces.
2. Combine the remaining ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the ricotta, Parmesan, eggs, salt, parsley, pepper, oregano, and garlic. Add the bread mixture and the meat then use your hands to gently stir it together until a cohesive mixture forms.
3. Form the mixture into the size balls of your choice. I prefer to use a large cookie scoop that holds about 2 Tablespoons of meat mixture, but you can make yours bigger or smaller.
4. Coat and fry. To cook the meatballs, fill a bowl with flour. Dredge each meatball in a little bit of flour then place back on the baking sheet. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Carefully add the flour dredged meatballs to the pot and allow to cook until browned, flipping so all sides brown, usually 2-3 minutes per side.
5. Simmer in sauce. Add the meatballs to the tomato sauce (which should still be gently simmering) and allow them to finish cooking in the sauce, usually another 10-20 minutes depending on the size of your meatball. Meatballs are done when a meat thermometer reads at least 165 degrees fahrenheit.
6. Serve. Serve the meatballs over fresh cooked spaghetti with plenty of sauce, and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese and basil.

More Tips and FAQs

• Start your pasta water to boil when you begin simmering the tomato sauce. As always, I recommend adding a few tablespoons of salt to the water and cooking just to al dente.
• You can use a jumbo cookie scoop to easily make meatballs that are the same size.
• The marinara sauce will get thicker as it simmers. If it becomes too thick, you can add water (about 1/4 cup at a time) to thin it to your preference. Reserved pasta water is especially great for this!
• The sauce will be slightly loose and chunky. You can leave it this way, or, if you prefer, use an immersion blender to puree it for a smooth, silky texture.
• This recipe makes about 35 slightly over-sized meatballs, or 20 very large meatballs.

Why do you fry meatballs before putting in sauce?

Frying the meatballs gives them a flavorful crust and helps them hold together in the sauce. You don’t have to coat them in flour before frying, but I prefer the extra crust the flour gives.

Can I bake the meatballs instead of frying?

Yes! Place meatballs on foil or parchment paper, and bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes, or until the meatballs register 165 degrees.

What’s the difference between marinara sauce and tomato sauce?

We often use these terms interchangeably to describe a tomato based sauce that’s used to coat pasta, make Cottage Cheese Lasagna, or toss in casseroles like Company Casserole.

Marinara sauce is typically a quicker sauce, made in under an hour, and using only tomatoes, garlic, and herbs. When you see jarred sauces at the grocery store labeled “spaghetti sauce” or “pasta sauce,” you’re most likely looking at marinara sauce.

Tomato sauce, on the other hand, often has vegetables like carrots and celery, usually uses some kind of pork to season the sauce, and simmers for several hours to deepen the flavor.

This sauce is closer to a traditional marinara, and can be used for everything from pizza to dipping Wonton Mozzarella Sticks to making Cheesy Baked Spaghetti Casserole.

Can I make spaghetti and meatballs gluten free?

This tomato sauce recipe is naturally gluten free, but the meatballs are not. To make this meal gluten free friendly, substitute my Gluten Free Meatballs without Breadcrumbs, and use gluten free pasta.

How to Freeze Italian Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

This dish is great for freezing! You can freeze the sauce and meatballs separately or together.

To freeze together, simply place everything in a freezer bag or freezer safe container, and freeze for up to 4 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.

To freeze separately, bag or jar the sauce and freeze. Cook the meatballs completely (I recommend doing this in the oven or air fryer rather than the stove top), then place on a baking sheet and flash freeze for 1 hour. Transfer to a freezer bag and freeze.

Learn all about Storing and Freezing Meatballs here.

What to Serve with Spaghetti and Meatballs

For an authentic Italian feast, pair spaghetti and meatballs with a Creamy Caesar Salad and Homemade Garlic Bread. Don’t forget the best Air Fryer Croutons!

These Homemade Breadsticks and Garlic Cheddar Swirled Brioche Rolls are also great pairings.

You might also like this Easy Garden Salad with Homemade Italian Dressing or a side of Italian Broccoli.

While not traditional, these Tiramisu Brownies are the perfect way to finish off the meal.

Don’t forget to save the leftovers to make these incredible Meatball Subs or a Meatball Sub Grilled Cheese.