a little something for a slow Sunday
Superb Spaghetti & Meatballs
Tender herb-flecked beef meatballs browned in olive oil, then simmered in a simple bright tomato sauce with a single bay leaf doing quiet magic in the background. Spooned over spaghetti, served with garlic bread, and kept honest — no fuss, no chunks, no fancy business.
Prep
15 min
Cook
25 min
Serves
4
Course
Main
the method
Instructions
- 1
Mix the meatballs
In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, bread crumbs, fresh herbs, garlic, egg, onion pepper, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and a few grinds of black pepper. Mix gently with your hands — just until everything is incorporated.
- 2
Roll them out
Shape the mixture into meatballs about 1 inch in diameter. Try to keep them roughly the same size so they cook evenly.
- 3
Brown in olive oil
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add the meatballs and cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides.
- 4
Build the sauce
Pour in the tomato sauce, drop in the bay leaf, and give everything a gentle stir so the meatballs are tucked into the sauce.
- 5
Simmer
Let the pot simmer for 8–10 minutes, until the sauce has warmed through and the meatballs are cooked all the way through.
- 6
Boil the pasta
While the sauce simmers, cook the spaghetti in well-salted water until al dente. Drain and divide between bowls.
- 7
Plate and enjoy
Spoon the meatballs and sauce over the spaghetti, fish out the bay leaf, and serve right away with warm garlic bread on the side.
This one is meant to stay simple — a clean tomato sauce, no chunks, no mushrooms, just the meatballs and the herbs doing the talking. Spice it up however you like at home: a pinch of red pepper flakes, a glug of red wine, a heavier hand with the garlic. As for Parmesan — I'll be honest, it's not for me, but my family always grates a little over their bowls at the table and swears by it. Set some out and let everyone make it their own.
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buon appetito
Twirl a forkful, tear off a corner of garlic bread, and let dinner take its time. That's the whole point.
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