Spaghetti and Meatballs
- Preparation time: 20 minutes
- Cooking time: 1 hour
Ingredients
For Single recipe
(Makes 20 to 25 One-inch meatballs)
Ingredients For Meatballs:
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- ½ cup cracker crumbs (approximately 9 individual saltines crumbled)
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 egg
- ¼ small onion, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ½ tablespoon dried basil leaves
- ½ tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil for the frying pan
Marinara:
- 2 recipes of Italian marinara sauce or you can substitute 2 jars of your favorite name brand marinara (each jar should be approximately 25-ounces)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (optional, for a more pronounced garlic taste)
Spaghetti Noodles:
- 4 to 6 cups hot, cooked spaghetti noodles
Topping:
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese (optional)
Ingredients
For Single + Half Recipe
(Makes 30 to 35 One-inch meatballs)
Ingredients For Meatballs:
- 1½ pounds lean ground beef
- ¾ cup cracker crumbs (approximately 13 individual saltines crumbled)
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 2 eggs
- ½ small onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon dried basil leaves
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil for the frying pan
Marinara:
- 3 recipes of Italian marinara sauce or you can substitute 3 jars of your favorite name brand marinara (each jar should be approximately 25-ounces)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (optional, for a more pronounced garlic taste)
Spaghetti Noodles:
- 8 to 10 cups hot, cooked spaghetti noodles
Topping:
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
Instructions
-
Mix together meatball ingredients in a bowl.
- Heat oil in a large frying pan on medium heat.
- Shape meat mixture into 1-inch diameter balls.
- Fry meatballs 2 to 5 minutes per side, or until lightly brown.
- Add marinara sauce to pan.
- Bring to simmer, turn heat to low.
- Cover and simmer on low for 45 minutes to an hour.
- Cook spaghetti noodles according to directions on package.
- Serve meatballs over cooked spaghetti noodles.
- Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese if desired.
Comments
The day before you make spaghetti with meatballs why not put together a sponge so that you can serve a fresh, warm loaf of French bread with your meal?Another compliment to your meal could be Caesar salad with croutons or a bowl of crisp salad greens topped with Italian salad dressing and croutons.
Note on marinara sauce: If you do not want to make your own marinara, consider buying a reputable name brand sauce that uses organic ingredients. Look for a brand that has a very basic, healthy list of ingredients. I buy organic marinara sauce for those times of the year when I'm not able to grow my own tomatoes and make my own sauce.
Do Ahead Tip: After simmering, meatballs and sauce can be covered and refrigerated no longer than 2 days or frozen for no longer than 4 months.
To serve frozen meatballs and sauce, cover and heat over medium heat, turning occasionally, until thawed, about 20 to 30 minutes.