Spaghetti and Meatballs

• ⏲️Prep time: 20 min
• 🍳 Cook time: 40 min
• 🍽️Servings: 6

Ingredients

For the sauce

• ½ chopped sweet yellow onion
• 3 cloves chopped garlic
• 1 cup finely chopped carrots
• 1 cup chopped cremini brown mushrooms
• 2 cans (28 oz.) Italian plum tomatoes
• ¼ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
• ¼ cup chopped fresh basil
• 3 tbsp. tomato paste
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan-Romano cheese blend
• ¼ cup red wine (optional)

For the meatballs

• 1 lb. ground beef
• ½ lb. fresh bulk Italian style pork sausage
• 2 tbsp. finely chopped basil
• 2 tbsp. finely chopped Italian parsley
• ½ cup finely chopped cremini brown mushrooms
• 2 large eggs
• ¾ cup unseasoned breadcrumbs
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan-Romano cheese blend
• Red wine (optional)

For the pasta

• 1 ½ lb. dry spaghetti

Directions

Prepare the sauce

1. Heat olive oil in a 4 to 5 quart pot on medium-high heat.
2. Add onions and cook for 2 minutes.
3. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds longer or until fragrant.
4. Add the carrots and mushrooms, and cook for 2 minutes.
5. Add the tomato paste, stir to blend, and cook for a minute longer.
6. Add the canned tomatoes, basil, and parsley.
7. Mash and stir the tomatoes with a potato masher until the sauce starts to thicken, about 5 minutes over medium-high heat.
8. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently while preparing meatballs, stirring occasionally.

Form the meatballs

9. In a large bowl, mix by hand the beef, Italian sausage, basil, parsley, mushrooms, eggs, breadcrumbs, cheese, and 2 tablespoons of salt and pepper.

• Do not overmix or the meatballs will be tough.

10. Use small melon baller (or teaspoon) to form 1-inch round meatballs.
11. Roll and compress into tight balls.

Cook the meatballs

12. In a separate wide, shallow pan, heat olive oil on medium-high heat.
13. Brown meatballs on all sides for about 2-3 minutes.

• Depending on the pan size, you may need to brown two batches of the meatballs. Cook them in a single layer; do not crowd the pan by stacking them.
• Do not overcook the meatballs; they will continue to cook in the sauce.

14. Towards the end of browning the meatballs, add a little bit of red wine to deglaze the pan.

Finish and simmer the sauce

15. Add the cheese and red wine to the sauce and stir it in. Add 1 teaspoon of salt to taste.
16. Add meatballs and gently stir. Simmer the sauce and meatballs for 30-45 minutes while cooking the spaghetti, stirring occasionally.

Cook the spaghetti

17. Cook the pasta and optionally add 1/3 cup of pasta water to the sauce.

Serve

18. Place a thin layer of sauce on a plate. Add pasta, sauce and meatballs.