Spaghetti with Homemade Beef Meatballs

Ingredients

For the recipe

• 340 g (12 oz) dry spaghetti
• 450 g (1 lb) lean ground beef, about 90% lean
• 40 g (1/3 cup) plain dry breadcrumbs
• 30 g (about 1/3 cup) finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 large egg
• 30 ml (2 tablespoons) milk
• 15 g (about 3 tablespoons) chopped fresh parsley
• 4 garlic cloves, minced and divided
• 4 g (about 2/3 teaspoon) fine table salt, divided, plus salt for the pasta water
• 1 g (about 1/2 teaspoon) freshly ground black pepper
• 14 g (1 tablespoon) olive oil
• 150 g (about 1 medium) yellow onion, finely chopped
• 800 g (28 oz) canned crushed tomatoes, preferably without added sugar
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
• 10 g fresh basil leaves, torn, plus more for serving

Instructions

1. Prepare the meatball mixture: In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, egg, milk, parsley, half the minced garlic, half the salt and all the black pepper. Mix gently with clean hands just until evenly combined; overmixing can make the meatballs firm.
2. Shape the meatballs: Divide the mixture into 16 equal portions and roll each portion into a ball about 4 cm / 1 1/2 inches wide. Place them on a clean plate and wash your hands and any utensils that touched the raw beef.
3. Brown the meatballs: Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the meatballs in a single layer and cook for 6-8 minutes, turning carefully, until browned on several sides. They do not need to be fully cooked yet. Transfer them to a clean plate.
4. Start the sauce: Add the onion to the same pan and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring often, until softened. Add the remaining garlic, oregano and optional red pepper flakes; cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
5. Simmer the meatballs: Stir in the crushed tomatoes and remaining salt, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Return the meatballs and any collected juices to the sauce. Bring to a gentle simmer, partially cover and cook for 18-20 minutes, turning the meatballs once, until the sauce thickens and the meatballs reach at least 71 degrees C / 160 degrees F in the center. Stir in the torn basil.
6. Cook the spaghetti: While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it according to taste. Add the spaghetti and cook according to the package directions until al dente. Reserve about 120 ml / 1/2 cup of pasta water, then drain the spaghetti.
7. Combine and serve: Toss the drained spaghetti with enough tomato sauce to coat it, adding a splash of reserved pasta water if needed. Divide among four bowls and top each serving with four meatballs and the remaining sauce. Garnish with extra basil if desired and serve immediately.
8. Timing note: Preparation takes about 25 minutes and cooking takes about 40 minutes. Boiling the pasta while the meatballs simmer keeps the total elapsed time to roughly 65 minutes.