Spaghetti and meatballs is a hearty meal loved by kids and adults, and a great choice for any weeknight. This recipe includes a homemade sauce and meatballs. The meatballs are browned in a skillet, but you can easily bake them in the oven while preparing the sauce. Here’s how to bake them:
How to Bake Meatballs
- Preheat the oven to 350 F and place a cooling rack in a baking pan or rimmed baking sheet.
- Shape the meatballs as directed and place them on the rack.
- Bake the meatballs for 20 to 30 minutes, until they reach 160 F. If baking turkey or chicken meatballs, bake them to 165 F.
Spaghetti and Meatballs
Spaghetti and meatballs may be Italian, but it’s also a classic American weeknight meal!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 to 6 servings 1x
- Category: Pasta
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Scale
For the Meatballs and Serving
Instructions
For the Sauce
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and green pepper and cook for 3 to 5 minutes until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, oregano, and 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese. Bring the sauce to a simmer; reduce the heat to low and continue cooking for 20 minutes.
For the Meatballs and Serving
- Soften the bread crumbs in the milk in a large bowl. Add the ground beef and seasoned salt.
- Shape the meat mixture into 1-inch meatballs.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and brown the meatballs, turning frequently to brown all sides.
- Transfer the meatballs to the simmering sauce and let them cook for 5 to 10 minutes, or until they reach 160 F (165 F if you happen to be using ground poultry).
- Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in boiling salted water following the package directions.
- Drain the spaghetti and serve with the meatballs, sauce, and Parmesan cheese.
