Mom is famous for her spaghetti and meatballs. While she may have made it on other days, I always associate this dish with Sundays. I have such fond memories of sitting in church, knowing that a comforting plate of spaghetti and meatballs was waiting for us when we got home. Just thinking about it makes me drool.
Add some freshly baked bread and a nice green salad, and you’ve got the perfect Sunday meal!
The secret to this sauce is to use your favorite homemade or store-bought sauce and finish cooking the meatballs right in the sauce. This adds so much flavor, giving the sauce that perfect homemade taste.
Now, when it comes to making the meatballs, try not to be an over-achiever. Over-mixing the meat can lead to tough, rubbery meatballs—definitely not what we’re going for! Gently form the meat mixture into medium-sized meatballs. If uniformity is important to you, a large cookie scoop can help you achieve perfectly even meatballs.
My mother has always placed the raw meatballs directly in the sauce, and after cooking, they turn out super flavorful, soft, and just heavenly! Expect some grease to accumulate on top of the sauce at the end of the cooking process. Simply skim this off with a spoon just before you’re ready to serve. Opting for lower-fat ground beef can help reduce the amount of grease that might accumulate.
If you prefer, you can brown the meatballs in the oven before adding them to the sauce. This will help the meatballs stay together during the simmering process and avoid the need for skimming later on. Just remember, you’re only browning the meatballs on the outside—they’re still raw on the inside, so skip the urge to taste-test at this point!
I promise you, it’s well worth the extra effort to make the homemade meatballs. They’re the star of the dish and elevate this meal to something truly special.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground beef 93% lean
- 1 lb. ground pork*
- 1 med-lg onion, chopped
- ¾ C bread crumbs Can substitute with panko.
- ½ C milk
- 1 lg. egg
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 2 T parsley, chopped dried or fresh
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 lb. spaghetti pasta, cooked and drained Can substitute with thin spaghetti pasta
- 1 64oz. jar favorite spaghetti sauce I use the Prego brand with mushrooms.
- fresh parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Start the Sauce:Pour the spaghetti sauce into your slow cooker (or Dutch oven), set the heat to high, and cover it. This will allow the sauce to gently heat up and develop even more flavor while you prepare the meatballs.
- Prepare the Meatballs:Using your hands or a stand mixer (my preference), gently mix the ground meats with the onion, egg, bread crumbs, milk, salt, parsley, and pepper until just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can result in tough meatballs.Roll the meat mixture into medium-sized meatballs. For uniform size, use a cookie scoop.Using tongs, carefully add the meatballs to the sauce in the slow cooker, ensuring each meatball is fully covered with sauce – or if you prefer to brown them first, go on to the next step.
- Brown the Meatballs (optional):If you prefer to brown the outside of your meatballs before placing them in the sauce, preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Prepare a sheet pan by covering it with foil and lightly spraying it with non-stick spray. Set the pan aside while you shape the meatballs.Place the shaped meatballs on the prepared sheet pan and cook in the oven for 15 minutes, just until the outside is browned. Remove and add to the sauce.Note: If you choose to brown your meatballs first, you can reduce the overall cooking time in the sauce by an hour or so, as the meatballs will be partially cooked already.
- If using a slow cooker: Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours, or until the meatballs are fully cooked and tender. If you need the dish ready sooner, you can cook on high for 2-3 hours, then reduce to low until the meatballs are cooked through (165℉.If using a Dutch oven: Simmer the mixture on the stovetop for approximately 4-5 hours, stirring occasionally, until the meatballs are cooked through and the sauce is rich and flavorful.
- When ready to serve, ladle the meatballs and sauce over cooked spaghetti noodles. Garnish generously with Parmesan cheese.
