Spaghetti and Meatballs Sauce

Three large Italian meatballs in homemade tomato sauce on top of spaghetti noodles.

Spaghetti and Meatballs Sauce

Traditional Italian meatballs are served in a homemade marinara sauce for a super satisfying meal that'll make your house smell like an Italian restaurant! The very best recipe for spaghetti and meatballs.

4.5 from 14 votes

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Prep Time: 45

Cook Time: 45

Total Time: 1 30

Servings: 8

Calories: 1004kcal

Ingredients

For the Sauce:

3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion (diced)
3 medium carrots (peeled and diced)
3 cloves garlic (minced)
56 oz. crushed or whole tomatoes (including the juice, 2 large cans)
4 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil
4 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons tomato paste
1 - 3 Tablespoons sugar (to your taste)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the meatballs:

1 cup milk
4 - 5 slices fresh bread (such as Italian or country white, crusts removed)
2 lbs. ground beef
1 lb. bulk Italian sausage
1/3 cup ricotta cheese
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 eggs
3 teaspoons Kosher salt
1 1/2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
3 teaspoons black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
4 cloves garlic (minced)
1 cup flour (approximately)
1/4 cup olive, grapeseed, or vegetable oil, for frying

For the pasta:

1 pound spaghetti noodles

Instructions

For the tomato sauce:

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).
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.
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.
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.
Give the sauce a taste and add salt, pepper, or sugar as desired.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.
If the mixture becomes too thick, stir in water, ¼ cup at a time, until desired consistency is reached.

For the pasta and meatballs:

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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Serve the meatballs over fresh cooked spaghetti with plenty of sauce, and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese and basil.