Easy Spaghetti and Meatballs

Name: Easy Spaghetti and Meatballs
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 lb ground beef; 1/2 lb ground pork; 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs; 1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk; 2 medium cloves garlic, minced; 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley; 1-1/4 teaspoons kosher salt; 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper; 1 tablespoon vegetable oil; 1 medium shallot, minced; 3 medium cloves garlic, minced; 2 cans (28 oz each) whole peeled tomatoes; 2 tablespoons tomato paste; 2 teaspoons granulated sugar; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; 1 teaspoon dried basil; 1 bay leaf; Salt and pepper to taste; Cooked spaghetti and fresh minced basil for serving

By Sarah On October 27, 2014 | Updated: October 9, 2025

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This easy spaghetti and meatballs features juicy meatballs simmered in a flavorful homemade marinara sauce and will quickly become a dinner staple! Made in only 30 minutes completely from scratch with basic pantry ingredients.

Everyone loves a good spaghetti night! I love mine even more when it comes with a side of extra easy and that’s exactly what we’ve got on tap for today.

I’m talking scratch-made sauce, homemade meatballs, the whole spaghetti shebang in only about 30 minutes with simple pantry ingredients. And the flavors being off the CHARTS.

I mean, sure you could crack open that jar of marinara and break out those frozen meatballs, but spaghetti night deserves the best especially if we’re doing this whole deal in less than an hour!

This Spaghetti and Meatballs feature…

Moist and tender beef and pork meatballs
A rustic, flavorful homemade marinara sauce
An easy recipe that comes together in only 30 minutes with simple ingredients

Making the Spaghetti and Meatballs

(scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe)

Ingredients You Will Need

Ground beef
Ground pork
Panko breadcrumbs
Garlic
Parsley
Vegetable oil
Shallot
Whole tomatoes
Tomato paste
Granulated sugar
Oregano
Basil
Bay leaf
Spaghetti

Choosing Your Meat

I use a mix of ground pork and ground beef for these meatballs. A base of 1 lb ground beef plus another 1/2 lb ground pork makes for a juicy meatball texture.

If you would like to experiment with different meats, feel free to try using all beef, all pork, ground turkey, or ground chicken.

Tips for Perfect Spaghetti and Meatballs

Sear meatballs – this builds a flavorful crust on the outside of meatballs.
Use fresh garlic, shallot, and parsley – using these ingredients fresh will build lots of aromatic flavor in the sauce.
Build sauce with whole peeled tomatoes – these will break down into a texture-full marinara sauce with lots of robust flavor.
Add sugar to sauce – a touch of sugar helps smooth the acidity from the tomatoes.
Simmer sauce uncovered – this will allow steam to escape which helps reduce the sauce quickly.

Recipe Variations

Try these ideas for a different twist on this spaghetti.

Add heat to sauce – add 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes or a minced jalapeno pepper to sauce.
Make into a creamy sauce – fold 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream into sauce after simmering.
Add wine to sauce – after sautéing shallot, deglaze the pan with 1/2 cup red or white wine for a little additional flavor.

Storing and Freezing Sauce

This sauce stores well in refrigerator up to 6 days. Reheat leftovers in individual servings in microwave 2-3 minutes or over medium heat on stovetop for larger portions and serve with spaghetti.

To freeze sauce, allow to cool completely then store in a freezer-safe container, leaving about an inch of open air on top, and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw completely in refrigerator before reheating and serving with spaghetti.

It’s almost unreal how much flavor we’re able to build in this hearty sauce! It clings to the spaghetti noodles perfectly and those juicy meatballs just melt in your mouth they’re so tender.

Spaghetti night just got cool again!

Save this recipe using the ‘save to recipe box’ button below. If you make it, please let us know! Leave a comment + star rating below, or take a photo and tag it on with #wholeandheavenlyoven.

More easy weeknight dinners to make next!

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