Best Spaghetti and Meatballs Recipe
Combining ground beef with Italian sausage makes the best meatballs!
Ingredients
For the meatballs:
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 lb bulk sweet or spicy Italian sausage
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp dried minced onion
- ⅓ cup water
- 1 cup all-purpose flour for dredging
- 4 tbsp light olive oil for frying
For the sauce:
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2- 28 oz cans crushed tomatoes
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 lb spaghetti
Instructions
- Make the meatballs: Using a large bowl, combine the ground beef, Italian sausage, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, egg, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, dried minced onion, and water. I like to use my hand to make sure everything is well combined. Do not overmix
- Divide the meat mixture into balls approximately the size of an ice cream scoop. Dredge the balls into the flour, shaking off any excess
- Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven and brown the meatballs. Transfer the brown meatballs to a plate lined with a paper towel. Be careful, they are very tender. Don’t worry if they are not fully cooked by now. They will continue to cook in the sauce
- Make the sauce: Remove any loose burnt bits and pieces of meatball from the bottom of the Dutch oven (don’t worry about removing anything stuck to the bottom), and add the chopped onion and garlic. Cook for about 30 seconds
- Pour in the crushed tomatoes and add the spices, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes
- Return the meatballs to the pot and continue cooking for 20 more minutes.
- Cook the spaghetti according to package instructions, drain, and add it to the pot with the sauce and meatballs. Stir gently and serve with grated parmesan cheese and chopped fresh basil on top.
Nutrition
Calories: 566kcalCarbohydrates: 64gProtein: 35gFat: 21g