Classic Spaghetti and Meatballs

Classic Spaghetti and Meatballs Recipe - SavvyMom

Sure, we can be all fancy with our pasta and our sauces. But when someone is looking for pure comfort food you can never, ever go wrong with a classic spaghetti and meatballs dish. Twirl your pasta around your fork then stab one of these perfect juicy meatballs with that same fork, and you’ve got a meal that will fill you up with the kind of yumminess only a nonna can share, even if you’re not Italian.

We use jarred or canned sauces so the work put into the meatballs is not a big deal.

Serves 6-8 (approx 30 1 1/2″ meatballs)

Classic Spaghetti & Meatballs Recipe:

You’ll Need

  • 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 medium onions, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 lb ground turkey (or pork)
  • 1 carrot, shredded
  • 1 cup fresh spinach, very finely chopped
  • ¾ cup whole-wheat breadcrumbs
  • ¼ cup parmesan cheese
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1 tsp Kosher salt
  • ½ tsp freshly ground pepper
  • 1 jar (700 ml) or 2 cans (398 ml) low sodium tomato or pasta sauce
  • ½ tsp Kosher salt
  • ½ tsp freshly ground pepper
  • 450g (½ pkg) dried spaghetti
  • Freshly grated parmesan cheese

Prep and Cook

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees
  • Heat olive oil in a small skillet, add onions and garlic and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes
  • Remove from heat and let cool
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine beef, turkey, carrot, spinach, bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, egg, salt, and pepper (use a fork or your hands to mix until combined)
  • Stir in half of the cooked onions and garlic mixture (keeping the rest aside for the sauce).
  • Using your (well washed) hands, form meat mixture into 1 1/2" balls and space equally on nonstick baking sheets
  • Bake in the centre of the oven for approximately 15 minutes or until cooked through (break open a meatball to check)
  • Use remaining cooked onion and garlic mixture and add to tomato sauce and season with salt and pepper
  • Bring sauce to a boil, reduce heat and simmer while you cook the noodles in another pot
  • In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook spaghetti until al dente
  • Drain, rinse, and top with sauce and meatballs
  • Serve immediately with freshly grated parmesan cheese

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