Easy Spaghetti and Meatballs

543 Ratings
  • 5 139
  • 4 162
  • 3 144
  • 2 75
  • 1 23

No pasta's more iconic than spaghetti and meatballs, and now, it's a breeze to make -- the meatballs simmer right in the sauce.

Everyday Food, March 2009

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Read the full recipe after the video.

Recipe Summary test

prep:
30 mins
total:
30 mins
Servings:
4
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Ingredients

Directions

  • Set a large pot of salted water to boil. In a bowl, combine Parmesan, parsley, garlic, egg, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Add beef and breadcrumbs; mix gently. Form into 16 balls.

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  • In a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat oil over medium. Add meatballs, and cook, turning occasionally, until browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer; cover partially, and cook, stirring occasionally, until meatballs are cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes.

  • Meanwhile, cook pasta until al dente. Drain, and return to pot; add meatballs and sauce, and toss gently. Serve with Parmesan.

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Reviews (27)

543 Ratings
  • 5 139
  • 4 162
  • 3 144
  • 2 75
  • 1 23
Martha Stewart Member
05/26/2020
I made it different because I would cook it in the oven and I have none of the ingredients but you have a great recipe you should make more recipes thank you for sharing with us!
Martha Stewart Member
05/26/2020
I made it different because I would cook it in the oven and I have none of the ingredients but you have a great recipe you should make more recipes thank you for sharing with us!
Martha Stewart Member
05/26/2020
I made it different because I would cook it in the oven and I have none of the ingredients but you have a great recipe you should make more recipes thank you for sharing with us!
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Martha Stewart Member
05/26/2020
I made it different because I would cook it in the oven and I have none of the ingredients but you have a great recipe you should make more recipes thank you for sharing with us!
Martha Stewart Member
05/26/2020
I made it different because I would cook it in the oven and I have none of the ingredients but you have a great recipe you should make more recipes thank you for sharing with us!
Martha Stewart Member
05/26/2020
I made it different because I would cook it in the oven and I have none of the ingredients but you have a great recipe you should make more recipes thank you for sharing with us!
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Martha Stewart Member
07/01/2019
We loved it! I didn't have parsley, so I used 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, 4 garlic cloves in the meat. I had frozen home grown tomatoes with some butternut squash mixed in the bag, added that instead of a can of tomatoes. Used Panko breadcrumbs and grassfed beef. Awesome!!!
Martha Stewart Member
03/13/2019
I make these all the time with my family and the trick is patience and they’re so good my parents beg me to make them they say it’s the best they’ve ever had and me too!!
Martha Stewart Member
09/03/2018
This basic meatball was absolutely delicious. So fast and easy. I make Martha's spaghetti sauce recipe from her "Comfort Food" cookbook with San Marzanos from our summer garden. I keep it in the freezer and it was outstanding with the meatballs. Please don't wipe out the pan ... the oil, in which the meatballs were cooked, is what flavors the tomatoes and makes the sauce!
Martha Stewart Member
11/26/2017
I would never make this dish when you show meatballs that are burnt...yuk
Martha Stewart Member
03/26/2014
The meatballs were great! I liked them because they weren't too dense (even though I made them with 93% lean organic ground beef). I substituted dried parsley for the fresh b/c I didn't have any - and my girls would be adverse to "green things" in their food. ;-)
Martha Stewart Member
03/21/2014
I came across this recipe in an issue of Everyday Food a few years ago and it has become my "go-to" for a quick spaghetti and meatballs. Great for a weeknight when you don't have a lot of time to make homemade sauce. I love how the meatballs "poach" in the sauce and flavor it as well. I make this recipe gluten free by using gluten free bread crumbs in the meatballs, gluten free spaghetti, and making sure the crushed tomatoes are gluten free.
Martha Stewart Member
02/16/2014
I am Italian and we do NOT eat spaghetti with meatballs . This is your "Italian" food!!
Martha Stewart Member
10/25/2013
I used my go-to McCormicks Thick and Zesty sauce mix, but I made the meatballs following this recipe, and they were absolutely delicious. I made them ahead of time, drained the fat and stored them in the fridge. Then all I had to do, was add them to the hot sauce to warm them up. Next time I plan to make three batches and freeze them. I wouldn't change a thing about the meatball recipe. They were moist, and very flavorful, whereas my former meatballs, had always been very dense and dry.
Martha Stewart Member
05/20/2013
This is one of my favorite recipes. The meatballs turn out moist and flavorful. I think I will drain some of the fat after browning the meatballs the next time I make this because it was a bit greasy.
Martha Stewart Member
01/14/2013
This recipe was so good and tasty and easy....my mom and boyfriend could not get enough of it. Only thing I did different was added onion to the meat mixture and I drained a bit of the fat before putting in tomatoes...I think the olive oil really gives it a great taste...
Martha Stewart Member
11/21/2010
It was my first time to make meatballs with this recipe, and I was so amazed at how easy it was to make meatballs. (I used to buy them!) Whenever I repeat this recipe, I use spaghetti sauce in a jar: "Spiinach and Cheese," to sneak in some extra veggies. Sometimes I add finely choped carrots and fresh spinach to the meatball mixture too. This is a family favorite!
Martha Stewart Member
09/14/2010
As promised, this recipe was extremely easy and was one of those rare dishes that required a shopping list of only two or three items. Try adding a teaspoon or so of red pepper flakes for a bit of spice---definitely kicks up the dish.
Martha Stewart Member
05/04/2010
Very yummy and easy to make. Added mushrooms, herbs and garlic to the sauce. Oh, and broccoli too.
Martha Stewart Member
05/04/2010
anyone tried this with ground turkey? I can't have beef....... curious.
Martha Stewart Member
05/04/2010
I made these for lunch today and we really liked it. It's very easy and fast and has an amazing taste for those few ingredients. We used everything fresh (Parmesan, Parsley..) and I only added some basil and oregano to the sauce, but it tasted pretty good without it too. We'll definitely make those again. Thank you for this easy-breezy recipe. :)
Martha Stewart Member
02/10/2010
Delicious and easy. Will definitely make again.
Martha Stewart Member
07/05/2009
This is really good and my kids love it. I sometimes double it so we have plenty for leftovers.
Martha Stewart Member
05/24/2009
I made this for my family and we loved it. Be sure to add more salt to the sauce as it simmers. I think it brings out the flavor more.
Martha Stewart Member
05/14/2009
Easy, but maybe a little too basic. Probably a good recipe for kiids.
Martha Stewart Member
05/13/2009
Actually the EASIEST spaghetti and meatballs is Franco American!! haha! (Sorry, I couldn't resist!) I'll have to try this! :-)
Martha Stewart Member
03/29/2009
To be honest I didn't really care for this recipe. The meat balls to me were lacking in something.
Martha Stewart Member
03/23/2009
This is a new family favorite! The only tough part about it is that the meatballs stick to the bottom of the pan when cooking. But they do loosen up once you add the tomato sauce. I added a little bit of Italian seasoning, but really, I think it's unnecessary. So tasty (and just as good the next day)!
Martha Stewart Member
03/20/2009
These meatballs are very freezer-friendly. Just freeze on a pan individually then toss in a plastic bag. You don't even need to defrost them before cooking!
Martha Stewart Member
03/05/2009
The hubby loves spaghetti and meatballs so I made this for him tonight. Honestly, I was skeptical because the sauce is just tomatoes and there aren't any spices, and isn't Italiian food supposed to have tons of basil and oregano??? But this was sooo GOOD! I still can't figure out how or why, but, hey, it works and it's easy so I'm not going to question it.
Martha Stewart Member
03/04/2009
This is how I've always made this dish and my family loves it. I saw a Rachel Ray show the other day that used baseball size meat balls that were baked in the oven and finished in under 30 minutes. For four people she made eight balls serving two per person. They looked yummy. I didn't know there was a longer version. Does anyone have that recipe? I'd be interested just for history sake to see it.
Martha Stewart Member
03/03/2009
Made this last night and fam loved it! I even cheated and used jar sauce b/c I didn't have the tomatoes on hand. SOOO EASY!! I never thought I'd make homemade meatballs in 30 mins!
Martha Stewart Member
02/26/2009
Delish! I made this after getting home from Mardi Gras celebrating on Tuesday (I decided it was time to actually fix the children a meal!) and it was so quick and easy and tasty. Very nice when you are craving this dish but don't have time for the long version..
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