Classic Spaghetti and Meatballs

Name: Classic Spaghetti and Meatballs
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: ½ cup (60 g) plain dry breadcrumbs; ½ cup (120 ml) whole milk; 1 lb (450 g) ground beef (80/20), cold; ½ lb (225 g) ground pork, cold; 1 large (50 g) large egg, lightly beaten; ½ cup (50 g) Parmesan cheese, finely grated (plus extra for serving); ¼ cup (12 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped; 3 cloves (9 g) garlic cloves, minced; 1½ tsp (5 g) kosher salt (Diamond Crystal); ½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; ¼ tsp (½ g) red pepper flakes (optional); 3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil; 5 cups (1200 ml) marinara sauce, good-quality jarred or homemade; ½ cup (120 ml) water, to rinse the sauce jar; 1 lb (450 g) spaghetti; 2 tbsp (20 g) kosher salt (Diamond Crystal), for pasta water; ¼ cup (6 g) fresh basil leaves, torn (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Tender beef-and-pork meatballs, seared until deeply browned, then simmered in marinara until juicy and infused with sauce. Tossed with spaghetti and finished with Parmesan for the Italian-American Sunday dinner classic.

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 50 min
Wait: 10 min
Total: 1 hr 25 min
Makes: 24 meatballs with 1 lb spaghetti (6 servings)

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Ingredients

6 servings

For the meatballs
½ cup (60 g) plain dry breadcrumbs
½ cup (120 ml) whole milk
1 lb (450 g) ground beef (80/20), cold
½ lb (225 g) ground pork, cold
1 large (50 g) large egg, lightly beaten
½ cup (50 g) Parmesan cheese, finely grated (plus extra for serving)
¼ cup (12 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
3 cloves (9 g) garlic cloves, minced
1½ tsp (5 g) kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)
½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
¼ tsp (0.5 g) red pepper flakes (optional)
For the sauce
3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil
5 cups (1200 ml) marinara sauce, good-quality jarred or homemade
½ cup (120 ml) water, to rinse the sauce jar
For serving
1 lb (450 g) spaghetti
2 tbsp (20 g) kosher salt (Diamond Crystal), for pasta water
¼ cup (6 g) fresh basil leaves, torn (optional)

Equipment (8)

12-inch (30 cm) deep skillet or braiser with lid
Large mixing bowl
Large pot (at least 5-quart / 4.7 L) for the pasta
Rimmed baking sheet or large plate for the shaped meatballs
Box grater or microplane
Instant-read thermometer
Slotted spoon and tongs
Colander

Steps

Before you start

Keep the meat in the fridge until you are ready to mix; cold meat is easier to shape and stays juicy.
Use 80/20 ground beef and regular (not lean) ground pork. Lean meat makes dry, dense meatballs.
You need a 12-inch (30 cm) deep skillet or braiser with a lid, so the meatballs and sauce fit in one pan.
Start the pasta water while the meatballs simmer, so the spaghetti is ready when the sauce is.
Ground beef and ground pork must both reach 160°F (71°C) in the center, so have an instant-read thermometer ready.

1
Soak the breadcrumbs
- In a large mixing bowl, stir the breadcrumbs and milk together.
- Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes so the crumbs absorb the milk and form a thick, wet paste (a panade).
- This keeps the meatballs tender.
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Ready when: Crumbs look like a thick, moist paste with no dry spots
2
Prep the flavorings
- Finely grate the Parmesan, chop the parsley, and mince the garlic.
- Beat the egg lightly with a fork in a small bowl.
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Ready when: Parmesan is fluffy and fine, garlic is in tiny pieces
Tip: Use the small holes of the grater so the cheese melts into the meat rather than leaving chunks.
3
Mix the meatballs
- Add the egg, Parmesan, parsley, garlic, 1½ tsp kosher salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes (if using) to the soaked breadcrumbs and stir.
- Add the cold beef and pork.
- With your hands, gently fold and squeeze for about 1 minute, just until everything is evenly combined.
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Ready when: No streaks of egg or dry crumbs; mixture is sticky but not paste-like
Tip: Overmixing makes tough, rubbery meatballs. Stop as soon as it comes together.
4
Shape the meatballs
- Wet your hands with cold water.
- Scoop about 2 tablespoons (roughly 38 g) of mixture at a time and roll lightly between your palms into a ball about 1½ inches (4 cm) wide.
- You should get 24 meatballs.
- Place them on a baking sheet or large plate without touching.
- Wash your hands well with soap and hot water after handling the raw meat.
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Ready when: 24 smooth, evenly sized balls
Tip: Roll gently; packing them tightly makes them dense.
5
Brown in batches
- Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in the 12-inch (30 cm) deep skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, about 2 minutes.
- Add 12 meatballs, leaving space between them.
- Brown for 6 to 8 minutes, turning every couple of minutes with tongs, until all sides are deeply browned.
- They will not be cooked through.
- Move them to a clean plate and repeat with the remaining 12 meatballs.
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Ready when: Meatballs are deep golden-brown on all sides and release easily from the pan
Tip: If they stick, wait another 30 seconds; they release once a crust forms. Don't overcrowd or they will steam instead of brown.
6
Start the sauce
- Pour off all but about 1 tablespoon of fat from the skillet, leaving the browned bits.
- Reduce heat to medium.
- Pour in the marinara, then add the water to the empty jar or measuring cup, swirl it, and pour it into the skillet.
- Scrape the bottom with a wooden spoon to loosen the browned bits.
- Bring to a gentle bubble, about 3 minutes.
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Ready when: Sauce is bubbling at the edges and the bottom of the pan is scraped clean
7
Simmer the meatballs
- Return the meatballs and any juices on the plate to the sauce, nestling them in.
- Reduce heat to medium-low, cover with the lid slightly ajar, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes.
- Gently turn the meatballs once halfway through.
- Insert an instant-read thermometer into the center of a few meatballs: both the beef and the pork must reach 160°F (71°C).
- If any are under, simmer 3 to 5 minutes more and re-check.
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Ready when: Thermometer reads 160°F (71°C) in the center of the meatballs; no pink inside; sauce is slightly thickened
Tip: Keep the simmer gentle (small lazy bubbles). A hard boil can break the meatballs apart.
8
Boil the spaghetti
- While the meatballs simmer, bring 5 quarts (4.7 L) of water to a boil in the large pot over high heat, about 15 minutes.
- Add 2 tablespoons kosher salt, then the spaghetti.
- Cook, stirring in the first minute, for 1 minute less than the package time (usually 8 to 10 minutes) so it finishes in the sauce.
- Scoop out 1 cup (240 ml) of pasta water, then drain.
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Ready when: Spaghetti is flexible with a firm, slightly chalky center when bitten (al dente)
Tip: Don't rinse the pasta; the surface starch helps the sauce cling.
9
Toss and finish
- Add the drained spaghetti to the skillet with the sauce (move the meatballs to one side if needed).
- Toss over medium-low heat for 1 minute, adding pasta water 2 tablespoons at a time if the sauce seems tight.
- Remove from the heat.
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Ready when: Strands are evenly coated in glossy sauce with no puddle at the bottom of the pan
10
Serve
- Divide the spaghetti among 6 warm bowls and top each with 4 meatballs and extra sauce.
- Sprinkle with extra grated Parmesan and torn basil, if using.
- Serve right away.
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Tip: Warm the bowls under hot tap water and dry them so the pasta stays hot.

Good to know

Tips

Browning builds deep flavor and holds the meatballs together; don't skip it.
For perfectly even meatballs, use a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop, or weigh them at about 38 g each.
To check seasoning before shaping, fry a teaspoon of the mixture in a small pan until cooked through (no pink), taste it, and adjust salt.
Keep the sauce at a gentle simmer so the meatballs stay tender.

Make ahead

Shape the raw meatballs up to 24 hours ahead; cover and refrigerate on the baking sheet. The fully cooked meatballs in sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead; cook the spaghetti fresh before serving.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: no more than 2 hours. Fridge: store meatballs and sauce separately from the pasta in airtight containers for up to 4 days. Freezer: freeze meatballs in sauce for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat meatballs and sauce in a covered pan over low heat with a splash of water for 10 to 15 minutes until steaming hot (165°F / 74°C), or microwave in 1-minute bursts.

Substitutions

ground pork → ground veal or additional ground beef. Veal gives a softer texture; all beef is slightly firmer and less rich. Still cook to 160°F (71°C).
plain dry breadcrumbs → torn day-old white bread (about 2 slices, crusts removed). Soak in the milk and mash with a fork until smooth before using.
Parmesan cheese → Pecorino Romano. Sharper and saltier; reduce added salt to 1¼ tsp.
spaghetti → linguine or gluten-free spaghetti. Follow the package time and still stop 1 minute early.