Meatballs with Spaghetti Sauce Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Meatballs with Spaghetti Sauce

Total Time
Prep: 30 min. Bake: 25 min.
“A friend gave me the recipe for this traditional favorite. It’s her Italian mother-in-law’s recipe from the old country, and it tastes wonderful,” writes Denise Linnett of Picton, Ontario.

Updated: Sep. 26, 2022

Meatballs with Spaghetti Sauce

Prep Time 30 min
Cook Time 25 min
Yield 2 servings.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup soft bread crumbs
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 tablespoon 2% milk
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon pepper
  • 6 ounces lean ground beef
  • 2 ounces ground pork
  • SAUCE:
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) whole tomatoes, quartered
  • 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
  • 1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • Hot cooked spaghetti

Directions

  1. In a large bowl, combine the first eight ingredients. Crumble beef and pork over mixture and mix well. Shape into 1-3/4-in. balls.
  2. Place meatballs on a greased rack in a shallow baking pan. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a thermometer reads 160°; drain.
  3. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, saute onion and garlic in oil until tender. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato sauce and paste, water, parsley, sugar, basil and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  4. Add meatballs to sauce; simmer 5 minutes longer or until heated through. Serve with spaghetti.

Nutrition Facts

1-1/2 cups: 544 calories, 24g fat (8g saturated fat), 186mg cholesterol, 1445mg sodium, 46g carbohydrate (26g sugars, 9g fiber), 37g protein.

“A friend gave me the recipe for this traditional favorite. It’s her Italian mother-in-law’s recipe from the old country, and it tastes wonderful,” writes Denise Linnett of Picton, Ontario.