Description
A hearty Italian-inspired comfort food featuring tender beef meatballs simmered in a rich tomato sauce and served over perfectly cooked spaghetti.
Ingredients
1 ½ lbs ground beef
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 egg
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp Italian seasoning
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp sugar (optional)
1 lb spaghetti
Fresh basil & Parmesan for garnish
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet.
2. Mix beef, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, parsley, egg, garlic, salt, pepper, and seasoning.
3. Shape into 1-inch meatballs and place on baking sheet.
4. Bake 18–20 minutes until golden and cooked.
5. Heat olive oil in a pan; sauté onion and garlic.
6. Add crushed tomatoes, paste, oregano, basil, sugar, salt, and pepper. Simmer 15 minutes.
7. Stir in baked meatballs, simmer 10 minutes more.
8. Cook spaghetti until al dente, drain.
9. Serve spaghetti with meatballs, sauce, basil, and Parmesan.
Notes
Swap ground beef with ground turkey or chicken for a lighter version.
Use whole-wheat or gluten-free pasta if preferred.
Add red pepper flakes for a little heat.
Make extra sauce and freeze for busy nights.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking, Simmering
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 plate
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 720mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 52g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 95mg