Easy Meatball Bolognese Recipe

Comfort food at it's finest. A family-favourite dinner, this spaghetti and meatballs dish is one that is not only delicious but a complete joy to eat. It's rich, it's moreish, it's satisfying and... it's meatballs! Be amazed at how flavourful and delicious the meatballs are in this recipe. Who's ready for an Italian dinner!?

Love spaghetti? Check out my classic spaghetti bolognese recipe where I share my secret weapon for out of this world tender beef bolognese.

The meatballs in this recipe are packed with flavour and are at the perfect consistency. They're also really easy to make! In this recipe, I add a dash of worcestershire sauce which makes these meatballs extra delicious.

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Here are a few tips to keep meatballs moist and tender. Go for fatty beef mince (ground beef) when making meatballs for juiciness.

This recipe calls for half a grated onion for 2 reasons. It'll add delicious flavour and juicy onions adds moisture into the meatballs.

One other way of adding moisture (therefore, tenderness to the meatballs) is by adding a little milk or water into the mixture. Milk or water is not in this recipe (as I found the meatballs were pretty good without) however add a splash if desired.

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The key thing to note when making meatballs is to mix the mince mixture until just combined. Be careful not to over mix! This will toughen the meat and you end up with meatballs on the dense side.

So to avoid over mixing, best use your hands to loosely combine (FEEELL the food you're making!). Form the balls quickly and not handle it too much.

Searing meatballs on the pan adds flavour to the meat. Colour = flavour. Especially beef. If you want to avoid a little oil splatter, pop them into the oven on the top shelf to achieve the same result.

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Oven method: evenly spread the meatballs apart on a lined baking tray and bake on grill setting (on high) for about 5 - 10 minutes. This will give the meatballs a nice colour otherwise achievable through pan-searing.

Tip for pan-searing meatballs: Use a non-stick pan. Simply place the perfectly formed meatballs onto a dry pan. The meatballs will release fat naturally so there's no need to add any oil onto the pan.

The meatballs do not have to be completely cooked through in either method. They'll be simmering away in the marinara for 25-30 minutes.

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Homemade does not mean complexity nor hard. Making marinara is really simple. Pretty much soften the onions, add garlic and once super fragrant, add all other ingredients. There's not much else to it! Too easy.

It's important to soften the onions on low heat for about 5 - 7 minutes. The acidity in the tomatoes will pretty much put a halt to softening onions. So if the tomatoes are added before the onions are nice and soft, you'll end up with little crunchy onions! Hmmm.. no thanks!

Once the meatballs have been added into this super simple marinara, simmer for about 25 to 30 minutes on low heat, no lid. This will allow the marinara to develop the beloved rich flavour and achieve a thick, delicious consistency that's perfect with spaghetti!

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Spaghetti and Meatballs are quite rich and heavy (and omg so satisfying!) so serve with something light such as pan-seared asparagus or green beans. Otherwise, a side of refreshing salad like a Red Cabbage Salad will be great too!

I personally like to have the spaghetti and meatballs as is but cheese is always a good idea. Go ahead and grate as much parmesan cheese to serve! Oh and some fresh basil leaves because it is fragrant and looks pro 😉

Thank you for checking out my recipes! Let me know what you think and/or if you have any questions, thoughts, drop me a note in the comments section below.🙂

Instant Pot Spaghetti And Meatballs

Comfort food at it's finest. A family-favourite dinner, this spaghetti and meatballs dish one that is not only delicious but a complete joy to eat! This recipe makes sure that the meatballs are nothing short of flavour!

Note 1. Fatty beef mince (ground beef) is used in this recipe. But feel free to get creative! Mix things up: pork and veal is a popular combo or half beef mince and half sausage mince will be awesome too.

Note 2. Mix till just combined, do not over mix the meatballs. Be careful not to over mix! This will toughen the meat and you'll end up with meatballs on the dense side. Form the balls quickly with your hands and avoid handling it too much.

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Note 3. Optional oven method: skip the pan-searing instructions and evenly spread the meatballs apart on a lined baking tray and grill/broil on high for about 5 - 10 minutes. This will give the meatballs a nice colour otherwise achievable through pan-searing.

Note 4. Taste and adjust for seasoning stocks have varying levels of saltiness. Before adding salt in this step, mix then taste the sauce and make changes to the amount of salt to add where necessary for your preference. 

Calories: 687 kcal | Carbohydrates: 82.4 g | Protein: 36 g | Fat: 24.2 g | Saturated Fat: 8.6 g | Cholesterol: 117 mg | Potassium: 773 mg | Fiber: 5.7 g | Sugar: 8.1 g | Calcium: 94 mg | Iron: 7 mgThis is my go-to recipe for spaghetti and meatballs. With a quick 45-minute cook time, it’s perfect for busy weeknights and sure to please even the pickiest eaters. The meatballs are juicy and packed with flavor, with a fork-tender texture that keeps everyone coming back for more. To make things easy and save on mess, I brown the meatballs in the oven on a sheet pan instead of pan-frying them on the stovetop. I also use a good quality store-bought marinara sauce to save time, but feel free to use homemade tomato sauce if you have some on hand.

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For more family-friendly Italian recipes (everybody loves Italian!), try my baked ziti, stuffed shells, and chicken parmesan. For a ground turkey alternative to the meatballs, try this recipe.

For the most flavorful meatballs (or meatloaf), I recommend using equal parts beef, veal, and pork; at most supermarkets, this blend is labeled “meatloaf mix.” If your market doesn’t carry the blend, you can use half beef and half pork (since ground veal isn’t readily available).

For the cheese, be sure to use the real-deal imported Parmigiano-Reggiano from Italy; domestic Parmesan pales in comparison. You can always tell if it’s authentic by looking at the rind, which is embossed with the name over and over. If the cheese is already grated, it should be labeled “Parmigiano-Reggiano, ” not “Parmesan.”

Easy Peasy Spaghetti Bolognese

Bake for about 10 minutes, then remove the baking sheet from the oven and use a metal spatula or tongs to turn the meatballs (they will stick a bit but should release easily when you scrape under them with the spatula).

Put the meatballs back in the oven and cook for another 10 minutes, until they are nicely browned and almost cooked through.

In the meantime, bring the marinara sauce to a simmer in a large skillet. Taste it and adjust the seasoning if necessary (I usually add a healthy pinch of sugar and some freshly ground black pepper). Transfer the browned meatballs to the marinara sauce, leaving the fat behind. Cover loosely with a lid or foil and simmer for about 10 minutes, until the flavors marry and the meatballs are cooked through. Keep warm until ready to toss with pasta.

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I'd love to know how it turned out! Please let me know by leaving a review below. Or snap a photo and share it on Instagram; be sure to tag me @.

This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.Searching for a classic, simple, no-frills spaghetti & meatballs? You’ve come to the right place. We turn to a steaming bowl of this staple comfort food time and time again when we’re craving a pasta dinner that’s easy to make, and even easier to devour. Make this as is for our best-ever version of this classic dish, or feel free to use it as a base to experiment with and make your own!

When it comes to sauce, you've got options. For an even speedier dinner, you

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