Spaghetti and meatballs the way it should be, juicy, tender, and simmered in a rich tomato sauce. A proper crowd-pleaser that feeds 4–6.
Category
Dinner
Servings
4-6
Prep time
15 minutes
Cook time
35 minutes
Spaghetti and meatballs - simple, hearty, and made to feed a table. The trick is in the mix of beef and pork so the meatballs stay juicy, then cooking them gently in a rich tomato sauce so they soak up all that flavour. Pile it high over spaghetti, finish with plenty of parmesan and olive oil, and you’ve got a dish that’ll disappear fast.
Ingredients
- 75g (¾ cup) dried breadcrumbs
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 80ml (⅓ cup) milk
- 2 tbsp flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
-
sea salt and pepper, to season
- 40g (½ cup) Parmesan cheese, finely grated
- 500g beef mince
- 500g pork mince
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 brown onion, grated
- 1 celery stick, grated
- 1 carrot, grated
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 700g jar passata sauce
- pinch of chilli flakes
- 3 sprigs basil
- 500g spaghetti
- extra virgin olive oil and parmesan, for serving
Directions
Prep the meatballs
Combine the breadcrumbs, onion powder, garlic powder and milk in a large bowl and mix. Set aside for 5 minutes.
- Add the parsley, parmesan, minces, and season with salt and pepper. Mix very well until it completely comes together.
- Divide mixture into 16 portions and roll into balls.
Cook the meatballs
Heat the oil in a large heavy based frying pan on medium-high heat.
- Add the meat balls and reduce the heat to medium-low.
- Cook the meatballs for 6-8 minutes, turning to brown well on 3 sides. Set aside on a tray.
Cook the sauce
Increase the heat to medium and add the onion, celery, carrot and garlic. Season with salt and cook, and cook until softened, about 6-8 minutes.
- Pour in passata, then fill the jar with a little water and add to the pan. Bring to a simmer, stirring.
- Add basil and chilli flakes. Return the meatballs to the pan and gently stir to coat in the sauce. Cover and simmer gently for 20 minutes.
Finish and serve
Cook pasta according to packet directions in a large saucepan of salted boiling water.
Drain the pasta and divide between serving bowls. Top with meatballs and sauce.
Garnish with a generous amount of grated parmesan and some basil leaves. Drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil and serve!
Recipe notes
Cook support
You can roll the meatballs and add them straight to the pan as you go, but if you aren’t confident on your speed of this then prep them all ahead and then add to the heated pan.
Storage
Meatballs can be refrigerated for several days in their sauce in an airtight container. Toss some olive oil through the pasta before storing and refrigerating in an airtight container, to prevent it sticking together.
Serving ideas
You could mix it up with some other pasta shapes for this dish, but longer is better for this sauce, such as pappardelle, fettuccine, linguine.
FAQs
Can I make this dish ahead of time? The meatballs can be prepped and refrigerated ahead of time before cooking to serve.
Is it spicy? No, but you could add extra chilli if you like a bit more kick.
Can I make it gluten free? Substitute the breadcrumbs for gluten free versions and serve with a gluten free pasta option.
