Grandma's tender and juicy meatball recipe simmered in a delicious tomato sauce and served with spaghetti noodles, classic Italian food.
Prep time: PT30M
Cook time: PT120M
Total time: PT150M
Rating
4.87 stars (3117 reviews)
Keywords
italian meatballs, meatball recipe, spaghetti with meatballs
Ingredients
¼ cup olive oil
½ cup minced yellow onions
2 teaspoons minced garlic
6 ounces tomato paste
7 cups crushed canned tomatoes
2 teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 pounds ground beef (80% to 85% lean )
2 large eggs
1 cup plain breadcrumbs (or Italian-style)
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
½ cup finely minced yellow onion
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon Italian seasonings
1 teaspoon minced garlic
¼ cup sliced basil
Categories
Entree
Cuisine
Italian
Steps
Make the Tomato Sauce - In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-low heat. Once hot, add the onion and garlic, and sauté until the onions are translucent, about 3 minutes.Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Simmer covered, with lid slightly ajar to prevent splattering for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Heat the Oven - Set the oven rack to the lower-middle position. Heat the oven to broil. Line a large baking sheet with foil and lightly grease it with olive oil. Set aside.
Make the Meatball Mixture - In a large bowl, add the ground beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, minced onion, salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, and minced garlic. Use your hands to mix thoroughly until combined.
Shape the Meatballs - Measure out 1/3 cup of the ground beef mixture (3 ounces), about the size of an egg, then roll it into a ball. Evenly space them on the prepared baking sheet. This should yield 14 to 15 meatballs.
Broil the Meatballs - Transfer the meatballs to the lower-middle position in the oven. Cook until the surface is browned, about 10 to 12 minutes. Flip the meatballs and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes to lightly brown the other side.
Simmer - Transfer the meatballs to the tomato sauce. Cover the pot with the lid slightly ajar, and simmer on low heat for at least 1 ½ hours, checking and stirring every 20 minutes, or as needed. The meatballs should be fork-tender when sliced.
To Serve - If needed, adjust the consistency of the sauce with water, about 1 tablespoon at a time. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve meatballs topped with sauce, sliced basil, and Parmesan cheese if desired.
Nutitrion
Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 216 kcal
Carbohydrates: 9 g
Protein: 19 g
Fat: 11 g
Saturated Fat: 4 g
Cholesterol: 44 mg
Sodium: 810 mg
Sugar: 2 g
Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
Reviews
Geoff on 2026-06-09 (5 stars): This was very good. I followed the recipe almost to a tee. My one observation is that the sauce came out just a little tangy. I used Cento all-purpose crushed tomatoes. I'm wondering if this recipe merits just a half teaspoon of sugar or if I should have simmered for slightly longer.
Eein on 2026-05-23 (5 stars): This is my go to meatball and gravy recipe. So good and easy! Could you use this same gravy recipe and add cream to have more of a vodka type sauce?
Michael Espersen on 2026-05-14 (5 stars): Thanks for the reply. I will be serving two or three upon request. I made about 520 meat balls with the sauce. I made 11 of the recipe you have. I had made a test batch on Monday that turned out terrific. Looking forward to see how the golfers like them. I loved your reply.
Michael
Bridget on 2026-05-12 (4 stars): Great recipe but next time I'd use only half the amount of salt it calls for in the sauce. It was VERY salty.
Michael Espersen on 2026-05-11 (5 stars): Great recipe ,
I have been asked to make enough meatballs to feed with other food 160 golfers. I am thinking that a serving of three meatballs will be plenty. There may be neede two servings per person. Could you please give me some guidance on quantity of ingredient for this recipe
Claudia on 2026-04-26 (5 stars): I just made these for the first time and they were very good! I like how they simmer in sauce as well. I only simmered for 15 minutes as I was short on time and they were still great!
L.E.H. on 2026-04-26 (5 stars): Absolutely fabulous. One hundred percent. My only meatball recipe. I left out the cheese because it is the end of the month and we are waiting for a paycheck. Still 10/10. Can only imagine the glory of this recipe w the cheese. Cannot state enough how good this is.
jJ on 2026-04-23 (5 stars): I'm 75 and my husband said this is THE BEST spaghetti I've ever made. I agree..
