Spaghetti and meatballs are my absolute favorite meal. In my search for the perfect recipe, I’ve made a lot of variations of this classic dish. Some have been pretty good, but I’ve finally found the best. And it’s surprisingly simple and maybe slightly unusual.
This spaghetti sauce recipe has been floating around cyberspace from some time and has lots of good reviews. I had it bookmarked forever but finally got around to making it. And boy, do I wish I had made it sooner. Some of you might be wondering where the garlic is or the oregano. And where the heck is the basil? Ummm..they are in another recipe. I’m sure you can add them if you really feel compelled to do so. But I didn’t miss them.
Now you may recall that I’m not a huge fan of ground beef. But I’m big on the classics. It took awhile, but I finally came up with a meatball recipe that is incredibly flavorful and moist.
I hope you’ll give this twist on a classic a try. If I could, I would eat this once a week with a great big smile on my face!
Ingredients
- 2 (28 oz) cans whole peeled tomatoes in juice (San Marzano, if possible)
- 1/4 cup butter
- 2 medium onions, peeled, halved through root end
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1/8 cup milk
- 1/2 lb. ground beef (85% lean)
- 1/2 lb. ground pork
- 1 cup finely ground Parmesan cheese
- 1/3 cup finely chopped Italian parsley
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 eggs
- 1 roasted garlic head
- 1 lb. spaghetti, cooked
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (for serving)
Instructions
- For Tomato Sauce: Combine all the sauce ingredients in a large pan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 45 minutes. Remove and discard onions. Blend sauce with an immersion blender or regular blender. Salt and pepper to taste.
- For Roasted Garlic Meatballs: Cut the top off a small head of garlic. Drizzle olive oil over garlic. Wrap in aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until garlic is very soft and brown. When cool, squeeze out garlic and mash. Set aside. In a small bowl, mix the panko bread crumbs and milk. Soak for 10 minutes. It should be lightly moistened. If too dry add another Tbsp of milk. Place ground beef and pork in a large mixing bowl. Add parmesan cheese, parsley, panko bread crumb mixture, beaten eggs, roasted garlic and salt and pepper to taste. Gently combine until mixed. Roll into approximately 20 golf-ball size meatballs. You can fry meatballs in olive oil on the stove or bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes or until cooked through.
- To serve, place cooked spaghetti on a large platter and top with meatballs. Generously cover with tomato sauce and top with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese and basil ribbons, if desired.
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