Classic Spaghetti and Meatballs

There's nothing quite like classic spaghetti and meatballs, a dish I frequently prepare at home. The meatball recipe itself is one I've relied on for years, passed down from my mom. She never needed a cookbook for it; she knew it by heart. I'm curious to ask her someday where she originally found it, hoping she remembers.

Growing up, I rarely saw my mom or grandmother use cookbooks. They cooked almost entirely from memory, which always amazed me. While I have a few recipes I can prepare without reference, it's only one or two. Watching them successfully create an entire Thanksgiving meal without a single glance at a recipe was truly astounding!

This meatball recipe consistently delivers delicious results. The best part is its versatility; you can pair it with any spaghetti or marinara sauce you prefer. For this instance, I opted for a marinara recipe from my favorite Italian chef, Giada De'Laurentiis. While her marinara takes time, it's absolutely worth the effort. You truly must try this recipe—you won't regret it!

Ingredients

For the Meatballs:
1 lb. ground beef, preferably ground sirloin
1 lb. ground pork
1 small yellow onion, finely diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, grated
1 cup plain bread crumbs
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/3 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp. garlic power
1/2 tsp. onion powder

For the Marinara Sauce
1/4 cup olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
2 dried bay leaves

Directions

To prepare the marinara:
In large pot.  Heat the oil over medium-high heat.  Add the onions and garlic and sauté until the onions are translucent.  About 10 minutes.  Add the celery, carrots, salt and pepper.  Sauté until the vegetables are soft.  About 10  minutes.  Add the tomatoes and bay leaves.  Simmer uncovered over low heat until the sauce thickens, about 1 hour.  Remove and discard the bay leaves.  

To prepare the meatballs

While the marinara is simmering prepare the meatballs.  

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line a baking pan with parchment paper.  Set aside.  In a large bowl, combine ground beef, ground pork, onions, garlic, eggs, parsley, parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, garlic powder, onion powder, crushed red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.  Gently mix all ingredients together (I use my hands for this job) until well combined.  Grab a golf ball size amount of the meat mixture and gently roll the meat into a ball shape.  Place the rolled ball on the baking sheet.  Continue rolling out the meatballs until all the meat mixture is used.  I normally get about 24 meatballs from this mixture.  You may get more or less depending on the size you make your meatballs.  Bake the meatballs for 25 to 30 minutes turning the pan half way through the cooking process.  Mean while, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil.  Add a small handful of salt to the water (you always want to salt your pasta water to flavor the paste).  Add 1 lb. spaghetti noodles and stir to make sure all the pasta gets into the water.  Boil for 8 minutes or until the pasta is  al dente.  Drain the pasta in a strainer and return the pasta to the pot.  Add the marinara sauce and meatballs.  Mix until combined.  

Meatballs:  Me

Marinara Sauce: Giada De'Lautrntis