Stovetop Spaghetti and Meatballs
Beef and pork meatballs packed with lots of seasoning sitting on top of a bed of spaghetti dressed in a garlicy marinara sauce. And yes, these are made on the stovetop; there's no baking involved here. Watch the family all run to the dinner table for this one.
Equipment
- 1 large pot with lid
- 1 large pan with lid
Ingredients
- 3/4 lb. spaghetti pasta
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 lb. ground pork
- 3/4 cup breadcrumbs or homemade breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg beaten
- 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese grated fine
- 1 tbsp parsley dried
- 1 tbsp oregano dried
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- red pepper flakes to taste
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- black pepper ground, to taste
- 1 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- 1 14 oz can of tomato sauce or 2 cups of marinara sauce
Instructions
- Get a large pot of very well-salted water over high heat to get it to a boil, lid on. While this is coming to a boil, let's work on making the meatballs.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, ground pork, breadcrumbs, egg, Parmesan cheese, dried parsley, oregano, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Use your hands to mix the ingredients together until well combined. Season generously with salt and ground pepper and mix again.
- Shape the meat mixture into desired-sized meatballs (roughly the size of a golf ball).
- Over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil to a deep sauté pan or wide saucepan with a lid. Then add the tomato sauce (if using a can, season it with salt, minced garlic, dried parsley, and oregano).
- Place the meatballs in the pan and cover with the lid. Every 3 to 4 minutes, remove the lid and use tongs to flip the meatballs to ensure even cooking. If the sauce is getting too thick, turn the heat down to medium-low.
- While cooking the meatballs, the water should be boiling. Add the spaghetti and stir occasionally to prevent clumping. Cook according to package instructions.
- Once all sides of the meatballs are browned, remove them to a separate plate and turn the heat to low. Drain the pasta and using tongs, transfer it directly into the pan of sauce. Use the tongs to scrape any bits off the bottom of the pan and turn the pasta until well coated.
- Plate up the pasta and then distribute the meatballs on top. Season with a bit of salt, ground pepper, and grated Parmesan cheese to taste.
Notes
If you're using leaner meats, consider using a small dab of lard (bacon drippings) and form the meatball around it for added flavor and to counter dryness.