Kate's Best Spaghetti and Meatballs
Roll up your sleeves, this spaghetti and meatballs recipe takes a bit of effort but is absolute perfection. Homemade tomato sauce and tender meatballs made from a mixture of beef and pork, all tangled up in toothsome spaghetti. Simply the best!
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Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
For the meatballs:
- 2 packed cups cubed stale baguette, you can leave the crust on
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1/2 medium yellow onion, minced
- 6 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
For the sauce:
- 1 1/2 medium yellow onions, small dice (use the other half of the onion you cut for the meatballs)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 28-ounce can whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes
- 1 bay leaf
For serving:
- 1 pound spaghetti
- freshly grated Parmesan cheese, optional
- fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
- red pepper flakes, optional
Instructions
For the meatballs:
- Place the 2 packed cups diced bread in a large mixing bowl and cover with the 2 beaten eggs. (Push bread down so it all gets moistened.) Let soak until most of the egg is absorbed and bread is broken down, about 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, place the 2 cloves garlic and 1 teaspoon fennel seeds on a cutting board and sprinkle the 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 2 teaspoons salt on top. Chop mixture until it is a rough paste (it will resemble cornmeal).
- Add the 1 pound ground beef and 1 pound ground pork to the bowl with the egg-bread mixture along with the 1/2 minced onion (save the other half for the sauce), 6 tablespoons chopped parsley, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, and garlic-fennel paste. Mix with your hands until evenly combined, breaking up any bread chunks.
- Roll one small tester meatball. Heat the 2 tablespoons of oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Cook tester meatball until it is browned on all sides and cooked through. Taste the meatball. Is it perfect? Does it need more salt? Seasoning? Occasionally I will add more salt or even 1/2 teaspoon red chile flakes to the meatball mixture at this point.
- Gather mixture into round balls, about 2 inches in diameter, using a cookie scoop if you have one, and place on a baking sheet. Make smaller or larger meatballs if you prefer.
- Return the pot that you cooked the tester meatball in to medium heat and add meatballs in batches being careful not to crowd. Cook meatballs turning frequently until browned on all sides. You don't need to cook them all the way through at this point they will finish cooking in the sauce, just make sure they are nice and browned. Remove the meatballs to a clean bowl as they finish cooking and continue with the next batch until all meatballs are browned. Set aside while you make the sauce.
For the sauce:
- Add the chopped onion and 2 cloves minced garlic and the teaspoon salt to the pot you just cooked the meatballs in. Cook, over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until tender. Add the 2 tablespoons tomato paste and cook 1 minute, stirring.
- Add the can of tomatoes and bay leaf. Fill the can halfway with water, swirl to get all the tomato bits and pour into the pot. Stir to combine, pressing the tomatoes against the side of the pot to break up into smaller pieces.
- Bring to a simmer then add the meatballs and all the juices that have collected at the bottom of the bowl. Cook, uncovered, until sauce thickens slightly and meatballs are cooked through and tender, about 30 minutes. Taste and add more salt if necessary.
For serving:
- While the sauce is simmering, bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions and drain. Return to pot.
- Pour meatballs and sauce over pasta and gently toss to combine. Serve topped with Parmesan cheese, thinly sliced basil, and red chile flakes if desired
Notes
- San Marzano Tomatoes: These are the best-tasting type of tomatoes for this sauce.To be labeled San Marzano the tomatoes have to be grown and packed in Italy and they only process them whole, not crushed or diced. Look for the letters "D.O.P." on the can to ensure you have the real deal. If you'd prefer to use a different type of canned tomato, you can substitute any 28-ounce can of tomatoes you'd like.
- Milk & Cheese: Most meatball recipes have some form of dairy in them from milk to ricotta cheese to parmesan. We leave the dairy out of these meatballs to let the other flavors shine and give them toothsome texture. Plus, they're dairy free!
- Meatball Size: 2-inch meatballs are a good starting point, but adjust to your preference. Smaller meatballs cook faster, while larger ones take longer.
- Prep Ahead: The meatballs and sauce can be made ahead of time and stored separately in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat the sauce gently before adding the meatballs.