Description
Classic homemade spaghetti and meatballs recipe featuring tender baked meatballs combined with marinara sauce and served over perfectly cooked spaghetti. Easy to prepare and packed with Italian flavors, this dish makes a satisfying family dinner.
Ingredients
Meatballs
- Canola or avocado oil (for greasing the baking sheet)
- ¼ cup Panko bread crumbs
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 pound ground beef (80 or 85% lean)
Pasta and Sauce
- 12 ounces spaghetti
- 24 ounce jar marinara sauce
For Serving
- Chopped fresh basil or parsley
- Grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare baking sheet: Preheat your oven to 425° F. Grease a rimmed baking sheet lightly with canola or avocado oil to prevent meatballs from sticking.
- Mix meatball ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine panko bread crumbs, grated Parmesan, egg, ketchup, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Stir until well incorporated.
- Add the ground beef and combine: Add the ground beef to the bowl and use your hands to gently mix until just combined. Avoid over-mixing to keep the meatballs tender.
- Shape meatballs: Form the meat mixture into 1½-inch meatballs using your hands and arrange them evenly spaced on the greased baking sheet. You should get about 16 to 18 meatballs.
- Bake meatballs: Bake in the preheated oven for 13 to 15 minutes. Check that the meatballs have reached an internal temperature of at least 160° F to ensure they are fully cooked.
- Cook spaghetti: While the meatballs bake, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain pasta; do not rinse.
- Warm sauce and combine: Pour marinara sauce into a large saucepan, add the baked meatballs, cover, and simmer on low to medium-low heat for 5 to 10 minutes to meld flavors and heat through.
- Serve: Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meatballs to a serving dish. Stir the cooked spaghetti into the sauce. Serve the meatballs over the sauced spaghetti, garnished with fresh basil or parsley and additional grated Parmesan if desired.
Notes
- Use lean ground beef (80-85%) for juicy but not greasy meatballs.
- Do not over-mix the meat mixture to avoid dense meatballs.
- Meatballs can be made a day ahead and refrigerated before baking.
- Panko crumbs help keep the meatballs light and tender compared to regular breadcrumbs.
- Check meatballs internal temperature with a meat thermometer to ensure safety.
- The sauce can be substituted with homemade marinara for a fresher flavor.
- Leftover meatballs and sauce make a delicious sandwich filling.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
