Spaghetti & Meatballs

Spaghetti and meatballs always make for a wonderful meal and this recipe did not disappoint! Most of the time I don't like meatballs, (I know, I'm weird, I just usually don't like them!) but these were soft, moist, and flavorful!

This recipe made 4 servings of spaghetti & meatballs. We had it for dinner two days in a row and it was just as good leftover as is was fresh! A serving had 4 meatballs, 2 oz. of pasta, and a healthy portion of sauce!

To make the meatballs you will need:

• 3/4 lb. GROUND BEEF
• 2 cloves GARLIC, minced
• 6 Tbs PLAIN BREAD CRUMBS
• 1 LARGE EGG
• 6 Tbs PARMESAN CHEESE, shredded
• 2 Tbs FRESH PARSLEY, minced
• pinch of SALT and PEPPER
• splash of MILK
• 3-4 Tbs OLIVE OIL

To make the sauce you will need:

• 1/2 YELLOW ONION, chopped
• 2 cloves GARLIC, minced
• 1/2 tsp SALT
• 1/2 tsp PEPPER
• 14 oz. WHOLE TOMATOES
• 14-20 oz. CRUSHED TOMATOES (I used closer to 20 oz. because I wanted the sauce to have more liquid and not be so chunky)
• Optional: 1/4 cup WHITE WINE
• 2 Tbs FRESH PARSLEY, minced
• 8 oz. SPAGHETTI

Start off by mixing together the ground beef, garlic, bread crumbs, egg, Parmesan cheese, parsley, salt, pepper, and milk in a medium bowl.

Don't be afraid, get your hands in there and mix it all up!

Once the mixture is well combined roll out balls that are about 1 & 1/2 inches in diameter and place them on a cookie sheet. Once all of the meatball are rolled out, place the cookie sheet in the freezer for about 10 minutes. Doing this helps them stay together better while you brown them. 

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Once the oil is hot, sear the meatballs in the pot, turn to brown. (You are not trying to cook the meatballs just yet, you are just trying to get a good sear all over.) 

Place the meatballs on a paper towel once they have a good sear in order to drain off any excess oil. 

Into the large pot with oil, add the onion and garlic and cook for a few minutes until they start to to turn translucent.



Then add the whole tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, wine, salt, pepper, and parsley. Stir and cook for about 20 minutes over medium heat.

Then add the meatballs to the sauce and cook for another 30 minutes. Stir gently as to not break up the meatballs. If the sauce starts to get too thick you can add more crushed tomatoes if you have them or else a little bit of water.



Start boiling water in a separate pot at the beginning of the 30 minutes for the spaghetti. This way all of the food will be ready at once!

Serve the meatballs and sauce over the spaghetti and top with more Parmesan cheese!

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Spaghetti & Meatballs

Ingredients:

To make the meatballs you will need:

• 3/4 lb. GROUND BEEF
• 2 cloves GARLIC, minced
• 6 Tbs PLAIN BREAD CRUMBS
• 1 LARGE EGG
• 6 Tbs PARMESAN CHEESE, shredded
• 2 Tbs FRESH PARSLEY, minced
• pinch of SALT and PEPPER
• splash of MILK
• 3-4 Tbs OLIVE OIL

To make the sauce you will need:

• 1/2 YELLOW ONION, chopped
• 2 cloves GARLIC, minced
• 1/2 tsp SALT
• 1/2 tsp PEPPER
• 14 oz. WHOLE TOMATOES
• 14-20 oz. CRUSHED TOMATOES (I used closer to 20 oz. because I wanted the sauce to have more liquid and not be so chunky)
• Optional: 1/4 cup WHITE WINE
• 2 Tbs FRESH PARSLEY, minced
• 8 oz. SPAGHETTI

Directions:

1. Start off by mixing together the ground beef, garlic, bread crumbs, egg, Parmesan cheese, parsley, salt, pepper, and milk in a medium bowl. Don't be afraid, get your hands in there and mix it all up!
2. Once the mixture is well combined, roll out balls that are about 1 & 1/2 inches in diameter and place them on a cookie sheet. Once all of the meatball are rolled out, place the cookie sheet in the freezer for about 10 minutes. 
3. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Once the oil is hot, sear the meatballs in the pot, turn to brown. (You are not trying to cook the meatballs just yet, you are just trying to get a good sear all over.) 
4. Place the meatballs on a paper towel once they have a good sear in order to drain off any excess oil. 
5. Into the large pot with oil, add the onion and garlic and cook for a few minutes until they start to to turn translucent. Then add the whole tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, wine, salt, pepper, and parsley. Stir and cook for about 20 minutes over medium heat. 
6. Then add the meatballs to the sauce and cook for another 30 minutes. Stir gently as to not break up the meatballs. Start boiling water in a separate pot at the beginning of the 30 minutes for the spaghetti. This way all of the food will be ready at once!
7. If the sauce starts to get too thick you can add more crushed tomatoes if you have them or else a little bit of water. 
8. Serve the meatballs and sauce over the spaghetti and top with more Parmesan cheese!

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This recipe is based on the Pioneer Woman's recipe for spaghetti & meatballs: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/02/spaghetti-meatballs/