Ina Garten Italian Spaghetti And Meatballs

This hearty savory Ina Garten Italian Spaghetti and Meatballs is made with ground beef, crushed tomatoes, and parmesan cheese, ready in 1 hour and 30 minutes. Slicing into a tender meatball reveals a perfectly seasoned center that drinks up the rich red wine tomato sauce. I love keeping a batch of these in the freezer for busy weeknights.

Why This Classic Works

I used to struggle with dry meatballs until I realized the importance of using a mix of meats and fresh breadcrumbs. The combination of pork, veal, and beef creates a tender texture that ground beef alone just cannot match.

Simmering the browned meatballs directly in the homemade tomato sauce is the real trick here. I learned that letting them finish cooking in the liquid keeps them moist while flavoring the sauce from the inside out.

Ina Garten Italian Spaghetti And Meatballs Ingredients

For the Meatballs:

• 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1/2 lb ground pork
• 1/2 lb ground veal
• 1 cup fresh white breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 cup olive oil (for frying)

For the Sauce and Pasta:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup yellow onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 1 lb dried spaghetti

How To Make Ina Garten Italian Spaghetti And Meatballs

1. Mix the meat: In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, pork, veal, breadcrumbs, parmesan, eggs, parsley, water, salt, and pepper until just blended.
2. Shape the meatballs: Form the mixture into 2-inch balls, placing them on a clean baking sheet or parchment paper.
3. Brown the meatballs: Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat, then brown the meatballs in batches for 5 to 7 minutes until golden on all sides.
4. Build the sauce: Remove the meatballs, add the onion to the pot, and cook for 5 minutes before stirring in the garlic and red wine to deglaze.
5. Simmer together: Pour in the crushed tomatoes, return the meatballs to the pot, and simmer gently for 40 minutes until cooked through.
6. Cook the pasta: Boil the spaghetti in heavily salted water according to package directions, then drain and toss with the sauce and meatballs.

Recipe Tips

• Do not overmix: Mixing the meat too vigorously will make the meatballs tough instead of tender.
• Use fresh breadcrumbs: Dried breadcrumbs absorb too much moisture, whereas fresh breadcrumbs keep the interior light and soft.
• Deglaze the pan: Scraping up the browned bits with the red wine adds a deep, savory foundation to your sauce.

What To Serve With Italian Spaghetti And Meatballs

Italian Spaghetti and Meatballs pairs naturally with a crisp green salad tossed in a simple vinaigrette. You will also want a loaf of warm garlic bread to soak up any leftover tomato sauce at the bottom of the bowl.

How To Store

Store leftover spaghetti and meatballs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can also freeze the meatballs and sauce together for up to 3 months, thawing overnight before reheating gently on the stove.

FAQs

Can I use just ground beef?

Yes, you can use all beef, but the texture will be slightly denser than using the three-meat blend. The mix of pork, veal, and beef provides the best flavor.

Can I bake the meatballs instead?

Absolutely. Bake them at 400F for about 20 minutes before adding them to the simmering sauce if you want to skip pan-frying.

What kind of wine is best?

A dry red wine like Chianti or Cabernet Sauvignon works beautifully to balance the acidity of the tomatoes. If you do not consume alcohol, beef broth is a fine substitute.

Why add water to the meat mixture?

The warm water hydrates the fresh breadcrumbs before cooking. This acts as a binder that prevents the meatballs from drying out.

Nutrition

• Calories: 650 kcal
• Total Fat: 32 g
• Saturated Fat: 10 g
• Cholesterol: 145 mg
• Sodium: 980 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 55 g
• Protein: 38 g

Try More Recipes:

• Italian Lemon Pasta Recipe
• Italian Pasta in White Wine Sauce Recipe
• Creamy Spaghetti Recipe (1-pot)

Ina Garten Italian Spaghetti And Meatballs

Recipe by Paula

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

1

hour 

Total time

1

hour 

30

minutes

Ina Garten Italian Spaghetti and Meatballs features tender savory mixed-meat balls, crushed tomatoes, and dry red wine, ready in 1 hour and 30 minutes. This comforting classic is exactly what you need for a cozy weekend family dinner.

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb ground beef

• 1/2 lb ground pork

• 1/2 lb ground veal

• 1 cup fresh white breadcrumbs

• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

• 2 large eggs

• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

• 1/2 cup warm water

• 1 tsp kosher salt

• 1/2 tsp black pepper

• 1/4 cup olive oil (for frying)

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 cup yellow onion, chopped

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/2 cup dry red wine

• 28 oz can crushed tomatoes

• 1 lb dried spaghetti

Directions

• 1. Mix the meat: In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, pork, veal, breadcrumbs, parmesan, eggs, parsley, water, salt, and pepper until just blended.
• 2. Shape the meatballs: Form the mixture into 2-inch balls, placing them on a clean baking sheet or parchment paper.
• 3. Brown the meatballs: Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat, then brown the meatballs in batches for 5 to 7 minutes until golden on all sides.
• 4. Build the sauce: Remove the meatballs, add the onion to the pot, and cook for 5 minutes before stirring in the garlic and red wine to deglaze.
• 5. Simmer together: Pour in the crushed tomatoes, return the meatballs to the pot, and simmer gently for 40 minutes until cooked through.
• 6. Cook the pasta: Boil the spaghetti in heavily salted water according to package directions, then drain and toss with the sauce and meatballs.