How to Make the Best-Ever Spaghetti and Meatballs
by donnahox
I didn't have an Italian grandma who cooked big pasta dinners, but I had the next best thing. I worked in an old-school Italian restaurant in Baltimore's Little Italy. There, the Firenze-born owner would generously whip together meals for the staff between shifts. My favorite was spaghetti and meatballs. Though it wasn't the most authentically Italian dish on our menu, it was the ultimate comfort food. He'd dish out piles of homemade noodles smothered in a thickened sauce with a few hearty polpette (meatballs) on top. (Looking for lighter pasta dishes? Check out our recipes.)Now that I'm long past the days of slinging plates, I daydream about that comforting Italian dish. Thanks to the Taste of Home Test Kitchen, I'm able to make something very similar from scratch. And guess what? It tastes even better. Read on to learn what it takes to make spaghetti and meatballs as good as (if not better than) what's available at your favorite Italian restaurant:Buy a Good PastaNo, you don't have to make the noodles from scratch. But it's important to choose a high-quality pasta if you're buying premade. Read the ingredients on the package to ensure the list is short. The best pastas contain just a few ingredients: semolina, eggs, water and salt. (You can also use zoodles to reduce carbs or make the dish gluten-free and paleo-friendly! Learn how to make 'em, with or without a machine.)Cook It Al DenteAl dente is Italian for "to the tooth." Softened yet still firm, many consider this the perfect texture for pasta. Test for doneness by using a fork to remove a single strand from the boiling water. Rinse in cold water, then taste. The texture should have some bite, similar to a stick of gum. Test often to avoid overcooking.
Source: http://www.msn.com/en-us/foodanddrink/tipsandtrick
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INGREDIENTS
- For the sauce:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1-1/2 cups chopped onions
- 3 garlic cloves ; minced
- 3 cups water
- 1 can (29 ounces) tomato sauce
- 2 cans (12 ounces each) tomato paste
- 1/3 cup minced fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepperFor the meatballs:
- 4 large eggs lightly beaten
- 2 cups soft bread cubes (cut into 1/4-inch pieces)
- 1-1/2 cups milk
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 garlic cloves ; minced
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 3 pounds ground beef
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 2 pounds spaghetti cooked
INSTRUCTIONS
Tomato paste being stirred with a wooden spoon into a mixture of onions and garlic inside a dutch oven
Step 1: Create the base for your sauceFirst thing's first: Hit "play" on the Dean Martin playlist. (I say "Mambo Italiano" should happen at least once while you're cooking.) Now that the mood is set, let's get down to business.Begin by heating the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until softened. Then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more, until fragrant. Stir in tomato paste and cook 3 to 5 minutes longer.Test Kitchen tip: Be sure to give the tomato paste those few minutes on the stove before adding any other ingredients. The extra cooking time allows the sugars in the paste to caramelize, giving the sauce a flavor boost.
Person stirring in the additional sauce ingredients ending with the basil that they are pouring in from a metal measuring cup
Step 2: Add remaining sauce ingredients and simmerAdd the water, tomato sauce, parsley, basil, salt and pepper to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, pop a lid on the pan and let the sauce simmer for 50 minutes. Don't worry; you don't have to sit around as it cooks. Set a timer and move on to the next step.Test Kitchen tip: Simmering helps meld and amplify the flavors of the sauce, so don't skimp on the simmering time.Â
Person using their hands to combine the ingredients for the meatballs across two glass bowls
Step 3: Combine ingredients for the meatballsThe best time to make the meatballs is while the sauce is simmering. In a large bowl, combine the first seven meatball ingredients. Then gently tear the ground beef into small sections and add it into the mix. Take care not to squish the meat as you break it up.
Person using their hands to combine the ingredients for the meatballs in one large glass bowl
Step 4: Mix ingredients together by handHere's where it helps to get hands-on. With clean hands, gently combine the ingredients. It's important not to compact the meat as you work.Test Kitchen tip: Resist the urge to squeeze! Your meatballs will thank you for it.Â
Person using their hands to roll the meat mixture from the glass bowl into balls that they then place on a separate white plate
Step 5: Shape the meatballsWe think this is the fun part. Shape the meat mixture into 1-1/2-in. rounds, roughly the size of a Ping-Pong ball. (P.S. This is a great task for the kids to help with.)Test Kitchen tip: Wet your hands before rolling to keep the meat from sticking to your fingers. Re-wet them every 2 or 3 meatballs; keep a bowl of water nearby so you don't have to keep walking to the sink.
Using tongs, the person then transfers their meatballs into a saucepan to brown them
Step 6: Brown the meatballsLet's add some color to those polpette. In a large skillet, heat the canola oil over medium heat. Then add the meatballs, browning on each side until they no longer look pink. Brown the meatballs in batches to avoid crowding the pan; drain.Test Kitchen tip: Another method for browning the meatballs is to place them on a baking sheet and roast in a 375° oven for about 20 minutes.
Using tongs, the person then transfers their meatballs into the dutch oven filled with their sauce to submerge them
Step 7: Add meatballs into the sauce and cookAdd the browned meatballs the sauce that's been simmering on the stovetop. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer again for about an hour more, stirring occasionally. This will help the flavors blend as the meat cooks through. (Prefer slow cooking? Cook on low for 5 to 6 hours.) Now's a good time to cook the spaghetti and enlist some help to set the table—and maybe make a quick side salad.
Dutch oven filled with sauce-covered meatballs and a large metal spoon resting inside for serving. Plain pasta waits in a bowl behind
Step 8:Â Mangiamo (let's eat!) Pasta perfetta! Your spaghetti and meatballs are done. Dollop onto hot cooked spaghetti and enjoy.Test Kitchen tip: If you'd like to save this dish for later, skip making the pasta for now. Place the meatballs and sauce in freezer containers and freeze; they'll be easy to reheat for meals throughout the week. Just be sure to cover the meatballs with sauce to prevent them from drying out.
NOTES
Nutrition
View line-by-line Nutrition Insights™: Discover which ingredients contribute the calories/sodium/etc.
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| Serving Size: 1 Recipe (3609g) | ||
| Recipe Makes: 1 Recipe | ||
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| Calories: 7576 | ||
| Calories from Fat: 2856 (38%) | ||
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| Amt Per Serving | % DV | |
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| Total Fat 317.3g | 423 % | |
| Saturated Fat 109.7g | 548 % | |
| Monounsaturated Fat 136.9g | ||
| Polyunsanturated Fat 27.2g | ||
| Cholesterol 3101.2mg | 954 % | |
| Sodium 2466.7mg | 85 % | |
| Potassium 7043.2mg | 185 % | |
| Total Carbohydrate 692.4g | 204 % | |
| Dietary Fiber 31.2g | 125 % | |
| Sugars, other 661.2g | ||
| Protein 456g | 651 % | |
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Powered by: USDA Nutrition Database Disclaimer: Nutrition facts are derived from linked ingredients (shown at left in colored bullets) and may or may not be complete. Always consult a licensed nutritionist or doctor if you have a nutrition-related medical condition. |
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Calories per serving: 7576
Get detailed nutrition information, including item-by-item nutrition insights, so you can see where the calories, carbs, fat, sodium and more come from.
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