Perfect Spaghetti & meatballs

I was trying to figure out what makes spaghetti & meatballs so special and why, when flavoured mince is turned into a ball and dropped into a sauce, it is somehow appealing in a different way than spaghetti Bolognese. I didn’t come up with any conclusion other than the nostalgia the dish conjures up and how a meatball eats.

When cooked this way, meatballs have more texture. You can flavour them in different directions, and each represents a pocket of completeness. The sauce and spaghetti are simply carriers for these heavenly orbs.

I developed this dish for my client ‘Raisins of South Africa’ and adapted one of my favourite spaghetti and meatball recipes. I worship Marcella Hazan’s genius and simple tomato sauce recipe. There is no better version for me so used it here.

I add a little less butter than the original recipe, and for any meatball sauce, I like a kick of chilli. I blended half the cooked onion into the sauce at the end as another twist because I hate to waste these flavour bombs.

Adding raisins to meatballs is a very traditional Southern Italian thing and in Sicily, this is the order of the day. It’s the Middle Eastern influence on the cuisine in the area and pine nuts are often added too. I loved the slight sweetness they brought, and I processed them along with the herbs and garlic to form a paste before combining it with the mince.

I baked the meatballs versus frying them and finishing them off in the sauce and it made the process less hands-on but choose either method you prefer. I like my meatballs quite small. They are easier to eat when they are smaller and the meat gets more surface area to caramelize.

What Readers Say:

“Sam, this was a winner! So easy to make yet as delicious as if I were slaving behind the stove for a few hours! It was thoroughly enjoyed by my entire family, that includes my picky 4-year-old and 1 year old food newbie! that SAUCE!!!”

Robyn

FAQs for Spaghetti & Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

Can I make the meatballs ahead of time?
Yes. You can shape and refrigerate the raw meatballs for up to 24 hours before baking. Alternatively, bake them in advance and reheat them in the tomato sauce before serving.

Can I freeze the meatballs?
Yes. Freeze the baked meatballs in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge, then warm them in the tomato sauce until heated through.

What kind of meat works best?
A mix of beef and pork gives the best texture and flavour. You can also use only beef or substitute chicken or turkey for a lighter version.

Should I cook the spaghetti separately or in the sauce?
Cook the spaghetti separately in salted water, then toss it through the sauce before serving so it absorbs the flavour.

How do I keep the meatballs from falling apart?
Use breadcrumbs and an egg as a binder, and don’t overmix the meat. Gentle handling keeps the texture light and tender.

Can I make this dish gluten-free?
Yes. Use gluten-free breadcrumbs in the meatballs and gluten-free pasta for serving.

What can I serve with spaghetti and meatballs?
It’s perfect with a simple green salad, garlic bread, or roasted vegetables on the side.

This recipe is enough for 4 people

Spaghetti & meatballs recipe

A perfect delicious spaghetti & meatballs recipe made with Marcella Hazan;s legendary tomato sauce.

Print Recipe

Prep Time:20 minutes mins

Cook Time:45 minutes mins

Ingredients

Tomato sauce:

• 2 400 gram tins of chopped tomatoes preferably of Italian origin
• 1 onion peeled and cut in half
• 50 grams salted butter
• ½ tsp dried chilli flakes optional
• Salt & pepper

Spaghetti and meatballs:

• 500 grams beef mince preferably free-range
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1 free-range egg
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan or Pecorino
• ½ cup breadcrumbs I used panko
• ¼ cup seedless raisins
• 10 grams parsley
• 1 clove garlic crushed
• 300 grams spaghetti cooked al dente
• Additional Parmesan to serve

Instructions

• Make the sauce first by putting all the ingredients into a medium-sized pot and bringing it to a simmer. Let it bubble away for 45 minutes to an hour.
• When you are ready to make your meatballs, preheat the oven to 175C / 347F and spray a baking sheet with cooking spray or line it with a silicone sheet/baking paper. Make your meatballs by adding the mince, dried oregano, tomato paste, egg, cheese, and breadcrumbs to a large bowl.
• In a small food processor, blend the raisins, parsley, and garlic until it’s a paste. Add this to the bowl with the mince and using your hands, mix until everything is well combined. Season well with salt and pepper. It needs at least 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper.
• Roll out your meatballs and place them on the baking sheet allowing space in between each. Roast for 20 minutes and until firm and golden, or fry in olive oil until golden brown (but not cooked through). If you have made the meatballs slightly in advance, you can just heat them up in the sauce. If you have fried them, allow them to finish cooking in the sauce.
• When the tomato sauce is ready, remove the onion from the pot scraping off any sauce. Peel off all the softer inner petals of the onion (about half the onion) and using a stick blender, blend this into the sauce. You can of course simply remove it and it is delicious as is.
• Remove the meatballs from the oven and add them along with all the pan liquid to the sauce.
• Once things are well on the way to finishing, heat a large pot of salty water to boiling and cook your pasta to al dente. Drain and combine with the sauce and meatballs. Serve with grated parmesan.

Notes

Storage Instructions for Spaghetti and Meatballs

Refrigeration:

• Allow spaghetti and meatballs to cool to room temperature before storing.
• Transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.
• If possible, store the sauce and meatballs separately from the pasta to prevent the spaghetti from absorbing too much liquid and becoming mushy.

Freezing:

• Meatballs & Sauce: Store in a freezer-safe airtight container or ziplock bag for up to 3 months.
• Spaghetti: Toss with a little olive oil to prevent sticking and freeze separately for up to 2 months.
• If freezing together, portion into meal-sized servings before freezing for easier thawing.

Reheating:

• Refrigerated: Reheat in a saucepan over medium-low heat, adding a splash of water if needed.
• Microwave: Heat in a microwave-safe dish in 1-minute intervals, stirring in between, until heated through.
• Frozen:
  • Meatballs & Sauce: Defrost overnight in the fridge or reheat directly from frozen in a saucepan over low heat.
  • Spaghetti: Reheat frozen pasta by dropping it into boiling water for 30–60 seconds or microwaving it with a splash of water.

Servings: 4

Author: Sam Linsell

A few of my other favourite meatball recipes:

Chicken meatballs with Marcella Hazan’s famous tomato sauce

Meatballs with spaghetti & Napolitana sauce

Tortellini with Italian sausage meatball bake with spinach

Meatball & spinach ravioli bake

Pasta in a creamy roasted fennel & onion sauce with pork meatballs & Gorgonzola

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