Hearty Spaghetti and Meatballs (Classic Recipe to master!)

parmesan cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: grated pecorino

Nutritional yeast provides a cheesy flavor with fewer calories.

ground beef

🥗Healthier: ground turkey

💰Cheaper: ground pork

Ground turkey is leaner while ground pork offers cost savings.

Place half of 1 and 1/2 lb of ground beef into a bowl, reserving the second half for the sauce.

Add 1/3 cup of bread crumbs, 3 tablespoons of cream, 2 cloves of crushed garlic, and salt and pepper to the ground beef.

Mix the ingredients together using hands, handling the meat as little as possible for tender meatballs.

Form the mixture into about 25 uniform, bite-sized meatballs, rolling them gently between hands.

If the meat is hard to shape, wet your hands with a little water to prevent sticking.

Preheat a large pan and add a few tablespoons of oil.

Add the meatballs to the pan, ensuring they are not overcrowded, and fry for a few minutes on each side until they have a crispy golden crust.

Remove the browned meatballs to a plate and set aside.

In a medium pan, brown the reserved ground beef, mashing it to a fine crumble.

Add 2 cloves of crushed garlic to the beef and fry together.

Add 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes and 1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano to the beef and fry.

Stir in 1 can of tomato paste and 1 can of diced or crushed tomatoes, pureeing the tomatoes first if a smoother sauce is desired.

Press the reserved meatballs into the sauce without mixing them in to avoid breaking them apart.

Cover the pot and reduce heat to a simmer, cooking for about 30 minutes until the meat is fully cooked.

Stir in 1/2 teaspoon of brown sugar to balance the acidity of the tomatoes and continue cooking for another 10 to 15 minutes.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt for seasoning the spaghetti.

Cook the spaghetti according to the package directions.

Plate the warm noodles and top with a generous serving of sauce and at least three meatballs.

Serve with a sprinkle of fresh basil and grated Parmesan cheese.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens