Indulge in the ultimate comfort food experience with juicy beef meatballs bathed in a rich, thick tomato sauce, perfectly paired with al dente spaghetti. This classic dish promises a perfect blend of flavours and textures, inviting you to savour each bite and experience the joy of homemade Italian cuisine.
Prepare the meatballs: In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan cheese, minced garlic, chopped basil, egg, salt, and pepper. Mix until well combined.
500 g ground beef, 1/2 cup breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, 2 cloves garlic, 2 tbsp basil, 1 large egg, salt, ground black pepper
Shape the mixture into golf ball-sized meatballs and set aside.
Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Olive oil
When hot, add the meatballs in batches and cook until browned on all sides, about 8-10 minutes.
Transfer the cooked meatballs to a plate and set aside.
In the same skillet, heat another tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat and add the chopped onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
1 tbsp olive oil, 1 large onion, 2 cloves garlic
Stir in the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, salt, and pepper. Bring the sauce to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Let the sauce simmer gently for about 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened.
800 g chopped tomatoes, 2 tbsp tomato paste, 1 tsp sugar, salt, ground black pepper
While the sauce is simmering, cook the spaghetti according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain the cooked spaghetti, reserving a cup of the cooking water to thin the sauce if needed.
400 g spaghetti
Once the sauce has thickened, return the cooked meatballs to the skillet and simmer for an additional 5 minutes to heat through.
To serve, place a portion of spaghetti on each plate, top with meatballs and a generous ladle of sauce. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh basil or parsley.
Parmesan cheese, basil
Enjoy your classic meatballs and spaghetti with thick tomato sauce.