Search Inspiration

No idea what to search for? Start browsing till you find something.

Home Recipes

Classic Spaghetti And Meatballs Recipe

Ingredients

How to make it

  • Make meatballs: In a medium bowl, beat eggs lightly; add milk and bread and let stand for about 5 minutes. Add ground beef, onion, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper; mix gently until well blended. Shape into about 24 meatballs, about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Place meatballs in a generously greased large shallow baking pan. Bake meatballs at 450° for 25 minutes.
  • In a Dutch oven, in hot oil over medium heat, sauté the onion until tender and just begins to turn golden. Add remaining sauce ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more salt, if necessary. Add meatballs, along with juices from pan; cover and simmer 50 to 60 minutes longer, stirring from time to time.
  • Cook spaghetti according to package directions; drain and toss in a little butter and parmesan cheese for flavor.
  • Serve spaghetti topped with meatballs in sauce; sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and minced parsley.

Reviews & Comments 14

Add a Link?

Post a link to another recipe or group by pasting the url into the box where you want it to show up. We'll do the rest.

Post Message or cancel
    " It was excellent "
    pointsevenout ate it and said...
    I bet these meatballs would be good in a meatball sub-sandwich because the sauce sticks tight to the meatballs. And melt a couple slices of provalone on it.
    Was this review helpful? Yes Flag
    " It was excellent "
    pointsevenout ate it and said...
    Never been to Olive Garden so I can't compare or contrast the fare. This certainly is a minimalist approach to the pasta sauce. If this is classic spaghetti and meatballs then I have never had the classic style.

    Mother says "simply good". I like the dish a lot too. I would think the pasta would be mundane because of the lack of sauce but it has good flavor with the butter and parmesan added. And the pasta does color up a little while eating the dish. It rings my dinner bell.
    See also: Classic Spaghetti And Meatballs
    Was this review helpful? Yes Flag
    " It was excellent "
    lilliancooks ate it and said...
    I used this recipe for the meatballs only and they tasted great!!! The only thing I did differently was to double the garlic (LOVE GARLIC!) and salt. This worked perfectly! I'll be using these meatballs in a soup recipe tomorrow! Thank you Luisa!
    Was this review helpful? Yes Flag
    " It was excellent "
    lilliancooks ate it and said...
    I'll have to try this! I always bake my meatballs before adding them to the sauce also...it makes a big difference in the taste of the meatball! If you put them in the sauce raw, they taste like boiled chopmeat. I also do not like Olive Garden's tomato sauce! Thank you to whoever posted this in the "I Made It" group!
    Was this review helpful? Yes Flag
    " It was excellent "
    jukesgrrl ate it and said...
    Luisa, Best spaghetti & meatball recipe ever!! Five stars, A+, 10 on the Olympic-meter. Really not hard, either. I took your recommendation and tried the "Glen Muir" organic fire-roasted tomatoes -- they were pricier than the usual supermarket brands, but worth it. I made it completely by your directions, but I couldn't quite bring myself to use three TBS of sugar, so I used two.

    I served this for dinner tonight to rave reviews, even from my elderly mother who claims to hate garlic and basil. I think the leftovers would be even better, but there weren't any. Thank you for sharing this recipe. I've made tomato sauce and meatballs many different ways before, but your directions are spot on.
    Was this review helpful? Yes Flag
  • luisascatering 14 years ago
    Bethe, some also are made with beef, veal and pork. It just depends on how your grandma liked to make them and on personal taste :-)
    Was this review helpful? Yes Flag
  • bethe 14 years ago
    Haven't tried this yet
    Looks good but I was told that authentic Italian meatballs have pork in them also
    Confused about this
    Ethnic Italian Cooks Out There?
    Was this review helpful? Yes Flag
    " It was excellent "
    cookingforfun ate it and said...
    Just perfect. 5 from me
    Was this review helpful? Yes Flag
    " It was excellent "
    cookinggood ate it and said...
    This looks fantastic! Bookmarked to try.
    Thanks, Ferri
    Was this review helpful? Yes Flag
    " It was excellent "
    greekgirrrl ate it and said...
    I detest Olive Garden- their food is such schlock for a lack of a much more descriptive word!!!! Great post!
    Was this review helpful? Yes Flag
    " It was excellent "
    rosemaryblue ate it and said...
    I made this today, and it is wonderful! Thank you for sharing such a great recipe. The crushed Italian tomatoes and the double concentrated tomato paste in a tube make the sauce absolutely delicious! Of course, the seasonings are just perfect. Thanks, Luisa! :)
    Was this review helpful? Yes Flag
    " It was excellent "
    rosemaryblue ate it and said...
    Wonderful, fantastic, what more can be said! :)
    Was this review helpful? Yes Flag
    " It was excellent "
    elgab89 ate it and said...
    How nice and yummy! I love the specific instructions on the bread crumbs!
    Was this review helpful? Yes Flag
    " It was excellent "
    mango ate it and said...
    This looks and sounds fantastic. I agree with you I can't eat pasta at Olive garden. The sauce is not very good and they over cook the pasta. I think this sounds like a great dish to have my friends over and try. I'll let you know when I make it.... Thanks!!!
    Was this review helpful? Yes Flag

The Cook

luisascatering Burlingame, CA

Maybe List
Hang onto this recipe

while I look at others.
Holding 0 recipes