How to Make the Best Spaghetti and Meatballs
I didnt have an Italian grandma who cooked big pasta dinners, but I had the next best thing. I worked in an old-school Italian restaurant in Baltimores Little Italy. There, the Firenze-born owner would generously whip together meals for the staff between shifts. My favorite was spaghetti and meatballs. Though it wasnt the most authentically Italian dish on our menu, it was the ultimate comfort food. He'd dish out piles of homemade noodles smothered in a thickened sauce with a few hearty polpette meatballs on top. Now that Im long past the days of slinging plates, I daydream about that comforting Italian dish. Thanks to the Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Im able to make something very similar from scratch. And guess what? It tastes even better. Read on to learn what it takes to make spaghetti and meatballs as good as if not better than whats available at your favorite Italian restaurant Buy a Good PastaNo, you dont have to make the noodles from scratch. But its important to choose a high-quality pasta if youre buying premade. Read the ingredients on the package to ensure the list is short. The best pastas contain just a few ingredients semolina, eggs, water and salt. You can also use zoodles to reduce carbs or make the dish gluten-free and paleo-friendly Learn how to make em, with or without a machineCook It Al DenteAl dente is Italian for to the tooth. Softened yet still firm, many consider this the perfect texture for pasta. Test for doneness by using a fork to remove a single strand from the boiling water. Rinse in cold water, then taste. The texture should have some bite, similar to a stick of gum. Test often to avoid overcooking
I didnt have an Italian grandma who cooked big pasta dinners, but I had the next best thing. I worked in an old-school Italian restaurant in Baltimores Little Italy. There, the Firenze-born owner would generously whip together meals for the staff between shifts. My favorite was spaghetti and meatballs. Though it wasnt the most authentically Italian dish on our menu, it was the ultimate comfort food. He'd dish out piles of homemade noodles smothered in a thickened sauce with a few hearty polpette meatballs on top. Now that Im long past the days of slinging plates, I daydream about that comforting Italian dish. Thanks to the Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Im able to make something very similar from scratch. And guess what? It tastes even better. Read on to learn what it takes to make spaghetti and meatballs as good as if not better than whats available at your favorite Italian restaurant Buy a Good PastaNo, you dont have to make the noodles from scratch. But its important to choose a high-quality pasta if youre buying premade. Read the ingredients on the package to ensure the list is short. The best pastas contain just a few ingredients semolina, eggs, water and salt. You can also use zoodles to reduce carbs or make the dish gluten-free and paleo-friendly Learn how to make em, with or without a machineCook It Al DenteAl dente is Italian for to the tooth. Softened yet still firm, many consider this the perfect texture for pasta. Test for doneness by using a fork to remove a single strand from the boiling water. Rinse in cold water, then taste. The texture should have some bite, similar to a stick of gum. Test often to avoid overcooking
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 3 cups water
- for the sauce:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 3 pounds ground beef
- 1-1/2 cups milk
- 4 large eggs lightly beaten
- 1/3 cup minced fresh parsley
- 1 can (29 ounces) tomato sauce
- 2 cans (12 ounces each) tomato paste
- 1-1/2 cups chopped onions
- 2 cups soft bread cubes (cut into 1/4-inch pieces)
- 2 pounds spaghetti cooked
- 1/2 teaspoon pepperfor the meatballs:
- Carbohydrate 692.405891230179 g
- Cholesterol 3101.24843485606 mg
- Fat 317.330839492889 g
- Fiber 31.1669861267169 g
- Protein 456.04612131302 g
- Saturated Fat 109.656466129248 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Recipe (3609g)
- Sodium 2466.74042672757 mg
- Sugar 661.238905103462 g
- Trans Fat 43.6397776222926 g
- Calories 7576 calories
Step-by-step
- Create the base for your sauce: Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions and saute until softened. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in tomato paste and cook 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add remaining sauce ingredients and simmer: Add water, tomato sauce, parsley, basil, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 50 minutes.
- Combine ingredients for the meatballs: In a large bowl, combine the first seven meatball ingredients. Gently tear in ground beef.
- Mix ingredients together by hand: With clean hands, gently combine ingredients. Avoid compacting the meat.
- Shape the meatballs: Shape meat mixture into 1-1/2-inch rounds.
- Brown the meatballs: Heat canola oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add meatballs, browning on each side until no longer pink. Drain.
- Add meatballs into the sauce and cook: Add browned meatballs to the simmering sauce. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about an hour, stirring occasionally.
- Mangiamo (let's eat!): Serve spaghetti and meatballs.
A Taste of Little Italy: My Homemade Spaghetti and Meatballs
The aroma of simmering tomato sauce, the satisfying sizzle of browning meatballs – these are the sensory memories that transport me back to my days working in a bustling Baltimore Italian restaurant. While I never had the privilege of learning from a nonna, the fiery, generous owner, a native of Firenze, taught me a thing or two about crafting comfort food. His spaghetti and meatballs weren't strictly traditional, but they were undeniably delicious; a hearty, soul-satisfying dish that filled the restaurant with warmth and the staff with energy. Those memories fuel my own kitchen adventures, and I've perfected a recipe that captures that same delicious essence.
This isn’t just another spaghetti and meatball recipe; this is a journey back to those busy nights, to the clatter of plates and the laughter that echoed through the kitchen. It's about creating a dish that's more than just food; it's about crafting a feeling, a moment of warmth and satisfaction. I remember the care he took, the precision in his movements, and the sheer joy he poured into every dish. I try to replicate that passion in my own cooking, knowing that every ingredient contributes to the final masterpiece. From selecting the best quality pasta – nothing beats the simple elegance of semolina, eggs, water, and salt – to the slow simmering of the sauce, allowing the flavors to meld and deepen, each step is a testament to the love that goes into creating authentic Italian-inspired comfort food.
The meatballs themselves are a labor of love, carefully crafted to ensure a tender, juicy interior. I've perfected a technique for handling the ground beef, ensuring it remains light and airy, avoiding that dense, compacted texture that can ruin a perfectly good meatball. And the sauce? Oh, the sauce! It's a symphony of fresh herbs, ripe tomatoes, and fragrant garlic, simmered to perfection, resulting in a rich, velvety sauce that clings to the pasta and coats every meatball with flavorful goodness. The entire process is a delightful dance between precise measurements and intuitive adjustments, reflecting my evolution from eager restaurant worker to confident home cook.
This recipe is more than just instructions; it's a reflection of my culinary journey. It's a reminder that even without a grandmother's secret recipes, we can create our own traditions, our own culinary stories that are passed down – not through generations, but through the simple act of sharing a delicious meal with loved ones. Whether it’s a weeknight dinner for my family or a special occasion gathering, this spaghetti and meatball recipe always brings a touch of Italian sunshine to my table.
So gather your ingredients, put on some Dean Martin, and let’s embark on this culinary adventure together. You’ll discover that creating this classic dish is just as rewarding as savoring the final result. And remember, the most important ingredient is love; a dash of passion infused into every step of the process will transform your spaghetti and meatballs from a simple meal into an unforgettable experience. The memories you create while cooking, just like the ones I cherish from my time in that bustling Italian kitchen, are just as important as the final dish itself.
