Spaghetti with Italian Spice Meatballs (Family Style)
Add to CollectionSpaghetti with Italian Spice Meatballs - A delicious blend of herbs, spices, ground beef, and Italian sausage creates the most amazing melt-in-your-mouth meatballs. Baked in the oven initially, then simmered in our savory homemade marinara sauce, these flavorful, juicy, and tender meatballs will have you begging for more.
Equipment
- Large Bowl
- Large baking sheet, rimmed
- Small scoop
- Small skillet
- Large Dutch Oven
- Hand immersion blender
- Food processor
Ingredients
Italian Spice Meatballs
- 1 lb ground Italian sausage , mild
- 1 lb ground beef
- ½ tsp garlic powder , heaping
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup fresh parmesan cheese , grated
- 1 tbsp dried parsley
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
- 1 tbsp sugar
- ½ medium white onion , cut in wedges & pureed into liquid
Spaghetti Sauce and Pasta
- olive oil
- 2 lbs spaghetti pasta , cook according to pkg directions
- 14 small cloves fresh garlic , whole
- olive oil , enough to cover the garlic
- 2 35-oz cans peeled tomatoes
- 1 cup beef broth
- ½ cup fresh parmesan cheese , grated
- 2 tbsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 3 bay leaves
Topping
- 6 fresh basil leaves , gently tear into large pieces
- ½ cup fresh parmesan cheese , grated
- fresh parsley
Instructions
Italian Spice Meatballs
- Preheat the oven to 350° F.
- In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients EXCEPT for the pureed onions. Mix together with clean hands until well combined.
- Add onion puree to the meat mixture and combine well.
- Prepare a medium or large rimmed baking sheet with a layer of olive oil.Use a small scoop (about 1 inch in size) to create approximately 42 meatballs. Place each meatball on the prepared baking sheet, packing them close to each other.
- Bake the meatballs for approximately 6 minutes. Remove from the oven and drizzle or brush the tops of the meatballs with olive oil. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 20 minutes. Remove and set aside.RECIPE NOTE: It is OK if the meatballs are not fully cooked after 20 minutes as they will finish the cooking process within the sauce.
Spaghetti Sauce and Pasta
- Cook spaghetti according to the package instructions. Then drain the water and set the noodles to the side.
- While the pasta is cooking, use a small skillet and add the whole garlic cloves to the pan. Cover with olive oil and heat over low heat for about 10 minutes. Remove the cooked garlic from the olive oil and set to the side.
- Using a large Dutch oven, add the beef broth, garlic, and canned peeled tomatoes. Cook over medium-high heat until it reaches a gentle boil. Then reduce the heat to a simmer. Use a hand immersion blender* to chop up and blend together the tomatoes and garlic. Stir in the remaining ingredients and bring back to a gentle boil then reduce to a simmer again. Simmer for about 15 minutes. Taste test the sauce and add additional seasonings, if needed.
- Drop the meatballs in the sauce and simmer for another 10-15 minutes.
- RECIPE NOTE: Reserve some of the sauce and meatballs to make meatball sub sandwiches the following day. YUM!!!To serve family style ... Add the sauce, meatballs, and cooked pasta to a large bowl and toss together. Transfer to a large platter, sprinkle with additional parmesan cheese, and chopped basil leaves. Set the platter in the middle of the table and allow your guests to help themselves.
Notes
* NOTE: If you do not have a hand immersion blender, mix together the canned peeled tomatoes and cooked garlic cloves in a blender or food processor first, then add to the beef broth.
Nutrition Disclaimer
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