Chicken Meatballs with Spaghetti and Marcella Hazan’s Tomato Sauce

These chicken meatballs with spaghetti and Marcella Hazan’s legendary tomato sauce make a delicious weeknight supper. The meatballs are tender and flavourful with bacon, herbs and a hint of garlic, whilst the tomato sauce is stripped down to just butter, tomatoes, onion and salt. The simplicity is what makes it extraordinary.

When I think of cooking chicken mince, I immediately lean towards Asian flavours with loads of spring onions, ginger and chilli. I want hoisin sauce and fresh leaves on vermicelli noodles, but that recipe will have to happen another day.

I settled on Italian flavours here because I was desperate to make Marcella Hazan’s legendary tomato sauce. Spaghetti was the only option pasta-wise because chicken meatballs with spaghetti are the perfect partner. Ground beef will work perfectly with this sauce and these are my favourite meatballs in case you were wondering.

I have been seeing this tomato sauce recipe pop up everywhere for years. It even appears in the Food52 Genius Recipe cookbook, which I bought and fell in love with, so I just had to give it a try. I kept imagining how such a simple sauce could be that spectacular, especially since tomato sauce can be pretty generic and I have nailed it over the years. The key is simplicity and butter. I mean there is a fair amount in this sauce and you all know what they say about butter.

Marcella has stripped this sauce down to its bare basics where the flavour of the tomato shines through and it is quite phenomenal. The obvious downside is taking the normally low-fat pasta sauce and turning it into something decadent, but if calorie-watching is not your concern, you should jump straight into your kitchen and make this. It is life-changing. If calorie-watching is your concern, you should make it anyway and just notch it up as a cheat.

About Marcella Hazan’s Tomato Sauce

This sauce uses just four ingredients: tomatoes, butter, onion and salt. Marcella’s original recipe calls for 900 grams fresh ripe tomatoes, which you peel first. This is ideal, but tinned tomatoes work beautifully too. Use 2 x 400 gram tins of quality Italian tomatoes, chopped, with their juice. Passata also works wonderfully and creates a silky smooth sauce.

The half onion is added whole to subtly infuse flavour. Marcella recommends removing it before serving, but it’s quite delicious to quarter it and stir the soft pieces back into the sauce. I now blend the cooked onion back into the sauce with a stick blender. It adds incredible flavour and gives the sauce a slightly creamy texture.

Tips for Success for Chicken Meatballs

For the meatballs:

• Don’t overmix or they’ll be tough. Mix just until combined.
• Dust with flour before frying to help them hold their shape.
• Shake the pan whilst frying to keep them round.
• Finish cooking them in the sauce so they absorb the tomato flavour.

For the sauce:

• Use quality tinned tomatoes if fresh aren’t available. San Marzano are ideal.
• Don’t skip the butter. You can reduce it to 40-50 grams and it’s still wonderful.
• Season generously with salt. The sauce needs more than you think.
• Simmer gently for the full 45 minutes. Rushing it won’t give you the same depth.
• Blend the cooked onion back in for extra flavour and creaminess.

Serving:

• Cook spaghetti al dente and toss it through the sauce with the meatballs.
• Serve with loads of freshly grated Parmesan.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use fresh tomatoes?
Yes. Use 900 grams ripe plum tomatoes. Score the bottom of each tomato, blanch in boiling water for 30 seconds, then plunge into ice water. The skins will slip off easily. Chop roughly and proceed with the recipe.

Why is there so much butter?
The butter is what makes this sauce legendary. It mellows the acidity and adds richness. You can reduce it to 40-50 grams if preferred, though the full amount is traditional.

What do I do with the onion?
Marcella suggests discarding it, but the soft, sweet onion is delicious. Quarter it and stir it back in, or blend it into the sauce with a stick blender for extra flavour and body.

Can I make the meatballs ahead?
Yes. Form the meatballs and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before cooking, or freeze uncooked for up to 3 months.

Can I bake the meatballs instead of frying?
Yes, bake at 200°C for 15-20 minutes, then add to the sauce.

What pasta works best?
Spaghetti is classic, but linguine, pappardelle, or rigatoni all work beautifully.

Chicken Meatballs with Spaghetti and Tomato Sauce Recipe

Tender chicken meatballs with bacon and herbs, served over spaghetti in Marcella Hazan's legendary butter tomato sauce. Simple ingredients, extraordinary flavour.

Print Recipe

Prep Time:10 minutes mins

Cook Time:55 minutes mins

Ingredients

For the chicken meatballs:

• 500 grams chicken mince
• 2 shallots or 1/4 onion very finely chopped
• 2 thick rashers streaky bacon or 3 thinner ones, very finely diced
• 1 small garlic clove minced
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 free-range egg
• 50 grams 1 cup breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• Pinch of dried chilli flakes optional
• 1 teaspoon miso paste optional
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Plain flour for dusting
• Olive oil for frying

For Marcella Hazan’s tomato sauce:

• 900 grams fresh ripe tomatoes skinned, or 2 x 400 gram tins Italian tomatoes, chopped, with their juice
• 70 grams 5 tablespoons butter (can reduce to 40-50 grams)
• 1 medium onion peeled and cut in half
• Sea salt flakes

To serve:

• 500 grams spaghetti
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Make the tomato sauce:

• Put the tomatoes, 70 grams butter, halved onion and a generous pinch of salt in a medium heavy-based pot. Cook uncovered at a gentle simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally and breaking up any larger pieces of tomato with your spoon.
• Taste and add more salt if needed (it needs a fair amount). Remove and discard the onion halves, or blend them back into the sauce with a stick blender for extra flavour and creaminess.

Make the meatballs:

• Whilst the tomato sauce is simmering, prepare the meatballs. Fry the diced bacon over low heat until the fat renders out. Add the chopped shallots and garlic. Allow to soften for 2-3 minutes without browning. If the bacon is quite lean, add a splash of olive oil.
• In a large bowl, combine the chicken mince, bacon and onion mixture, parsley, oregano, egg, breadcrumbs, tomato paste, chilli flakes (if using), miso paste (if using), salt and pepper. Mix gently with your hands until just combined. Don’t overmix.
• Dust a tray or work surface with flour. Dust your hands with flour and roll the mixture into small meatballs (about 3cm diameter). Lightly dust each meatball and set aside on the floured surface.
• Heat a large non-stick frying pan with about 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Fry the meatballs in two batches until golden on all sides, about 6-8 minutes per batch. Shake the pan occasionally to help them keep their round shape. Set aside.

Finish the dish:

• Once the tomato sauce is cooked, add the browned meatballs to the sauce. Continue cooking for 5-8 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through.
• Cook the spaghetti in salted boiling water according to packet instructions until al dente. Drain, reserving a cup of pasta cooking water.
• Toss the cooked spaghetti through the sauce and meatballs, adding a splash of pasta water if needed to help the sauce coat the pasta.
• Serve immediately with loads of freshly grated Parmesan.

Notes

Storage Instructions

Meatballs: Refrigerate cooked meatballs in sauce for up to 3 days. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Tomato sauce: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 6 months. This sauce freezes beautifully.

Reheating: Warm gently on the stovetop with a splash of pasta cooking water to loosen if needed.

Servings: 4

Author: Sam Linsell

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