Spaghetti and Meatballs
I feel like everyone can appreciate a good bowl of spaghetti and meatballs. This comfort food is so nostalgic to me and the less fussy, the better. This is a super simple version of this classic that will have you coming back for more. This makes quite a bit of sauce, so leftovers are almost certain. I always buy some soft buns to make meatball subs the next day. Mozzarella and a couple minutes under the broiler will give you a brand new meal with zero effort. Win/win for a quick weeknight meal!
You will see I pureed the garlic and onion because well, kids, but you can just mince both and add them to oil before adding in all your other sauce ingredients. Tomato paste is optional but helps to thicken up your sauce if you don’t have time to let it simmer for super long.
Here’s how I made it!
First, gather your ingredients. You’ll need ground meat (beef, pork, veal or a 1:1:1 mix), along with eggs, milk, breadcrumbs, seasoning, onion, and grated cheese.
For the tomato sauce, you’ll need garlic, onion, crushed tomatoes or passata, canned whole tomatoes, some fresh cherry tomatoes, some red wine (or broth) and tomato paste.
Gently mix together all of your meatball ingredients. I always soak the breadcrumbs in the milk for a minute or two, to soften.
Roll your meatballs using a small scoop or a couple tablespoons for each so they are around the same size.
Place them on a parchment lined baking sheet.
Over medium heat, brown your meatballs in batches and set aside.
Turn heat down to low, then deglaze your pan.
Add in your tomatoes and tomato paste, season to taste and allow to simmer. Crush them gently with a potato masher.
Add in your meatballs and simmer until cooked through. In the meantime, boil your pasta.
Add in cheese before turning off the heat. Serve over spaghetti!
(Then save the rest for meatball subs the next day!)
Recipe
Ingredients:
2 lbs ground beef (or ½ ground beef, ½ ground pork)
¾ cups panko crumbs
1/3 cup milk
½ tsp dried basil
½ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp dried parsley
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tbsp grated onion
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup Parmesan-Reggiano
½ can good quality tomatoes (or passata), blended with 3 garlic cloves and one small onion *see note
1 can good quality tomatoes
2 cups cherry tomatoes
¼ cup red wine, or broth
Rind from a block of Parmesan-Reggiano (optional)
2 tbsps tomato paste, optional
Small handful of Parmesan-Reggiano
Directions:
Add milk to panko and allow to sit while you gather your ingredients.
To a bowl, add your panko/milk mixture, and all other meatball ingredients. Mix just until combined.
Using a couple tbsp for each, roll your meatballs and place on a parchment or foil lined baking sheet.
In a pan big enough to hold everything, heat a couple tablespoons of oil over medium heat.
Once the pan is hot, add enough meatballs without overcrowding the pan.
Sear on all sides (they do not have to be cooked all the way through).
Add more oil if needed and working in batches, sear the rest of the meatballs.
Set meatballs aside, and turn down your heat to medium-low.
If you did not blend your garlic and onion to your sauce, heat a little more oil and add your minced garlic and onion to the pan, cooking for just about 30 seconds until fragrant.
Deglaze your pan by adding your wine (or broth), and using a wooden spoon to scrape up all the bits in the pan from browning your meatballs (this is all flavour!).
Add in all your tomatoes, cheese rind, a couple tablespoons of tomato paste and bring up to a boil over medium heat.
Once boiling, crush the tomatoes in the sauce using a potato masher, then add in all your meatballs, making sure to cover them with sauce.
Season with salt, pepper and chilli flakes if you like and for 20 until your meatballs are done.
Before serving, toss in a handful of Parmesan-Reggiano.
Serve over spaghetti and save the leftovers for meatball subs the next day!
