Italian Spaghetti Sauce with Meatballs Recipe

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Most Helpful Positive Review

May 08, 2004

I was leary of making this without first pre-cooking the meatballs, but this is by far the best spaghetti and meatballs I have ever made. The meatballs ended up a nice brown color, they were not over cooked and I think putting them in before browning allowed some of the meat flavor to seep into the sauce. I great recipe.

—Navy_Mommy

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Most Helpful Critical Review

Dec 27, 2008

The sauce was way too sweet. It was also a bit bland. I tried it again without the onion and sugar, and added some oregano and a bay leaf and it was much better.

—rosebud3918

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2,643 Ratings

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Mar 27, 2007

Five star rating is based on the following changes. Instead of using all ground beef, I opted to use a combination of ground pork and ground beef (12 oz ground beef, 4 oz ground pork) -instead of plain bread crumbs, I used pre-seasoned breadcrumbs, I increased the parmesan cheese to 4 oz. With the sauce, instead of using 2 (28 oz) cans of whole tomatoes, I used 1 (28 oz can) of whole tomatoes, and then two smaller cans (14 oz) of crushed tomatoes. After simmering the sauce, I ran half of it through the blender to make it smoother. I also added a small can of tomato sauce in addition to the tomato paste, plus for added flavour I added 1 tsp italian seasoning, 1/2 tsp basil, and 1 tsp garlic powder. YUMMY!!!!!!!!!!

—Blondeprincess

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Jul 08, 2007

This was absolutly the most wonderful spaghetti. This was my first time making homemade spaghetti. I work long hours and don't have time at night to make a 2 hour meal, so what I did was use my slow cooker. In the morning i sauteed my onion and garlic, combined it with all the ingredience including half a can of tomato sauce for extra liquid since it tends to lose some in a slow cooker. Had my husband turn the cooker on low at his lunch, so the sauce cooked about 6 1/2 hours. one hour before the sauce was done, he put the meat balls in. We did end up adding the extra half a can of sauce just for liquid, but the flavor was amazing. By using the slow cooker for us working cooks, it was nice to come home to a ready made meal and good as this.

—tanker_wife

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Feb 07, 2003

This sauce was very easy to make and quite delicious. I do agree with some reviews that the meatballs were a bit bland, but to each his own, my husband liked them. I will never use bottled sauce again, that's for sure. Note: to others who who mentionned they substituted turkey or other poultry for ground beef ... you are never supposed to use breadcrumbs, that type of meat is quite dry, breadcrumbs only makes it worse!

—pythona1

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Oct 30, 2006

For Celeste, who found the meatballs too dry, may I suggest adding 1/2 cup of water, or milk, or tomato sauce to the meatballs? The eggs will bind them, but not make them moister - adding liquid makes them exquisitely tender and juicy. Also, if you want a lighter meatball, substitute oatmeal for the breadcrumbs - measure it first, then run it briefly in the blender so you won't have any big bits in the meatballs. I added 1.5 tsp oregano and 3 tsp basil; added 1 tsp seasoned salt, 1 medium green pepper. I was very, very happy with the sauce. Put it into a 250 degree oven while I cooked other stuff, for about 2 hours,it was wonderful. :D

—MUSIC_MINX

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Jun 30, 2003

Oh wow! These meatballs were phenomenal. I coated them in flour and sauteed them in olive oil first to seal in juices. I rolled them about the size of a silver dollar. This will be something I make often.

—elaina r j

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Feb 05, 2003

This is a great recipe - although I did alter it a bit from the beginning. Do brown the meat balls first, before adding them to sauce. I think this adds a little flavor. I also spiced up the meatballs with some stand-by italian spices (basic, oregano, etc.) and I upped the garlic (to taste). Also, I used crackers (pounded or processed to crumbs) in place of bread crumbs, and used a little less than called for. This made a very solid and yummy meatball - for those who have "spongey" meatballs. For those who used store-bought sauce with the meatballs - nothing compares with this sauce!

—ANNAKRATZ

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Nutrition

Calories
349 kcal
17%

Carbohydrates
23.7 g
8%

Cholesterol
82 mg
27%

Fat
21.2 g
33%

Fiber
4.5 g
18%

Protein
18.9 g
38%

Sodium
1492 mg
60%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Nutritional Information

Italian Spaghetti Sauce with Meatballs

Serving Size: 1/6 of a recipe
Servings Per Recipe: 6
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 349
Calories from Fat: 191

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 21.2g 33 %
Saturated Fat 5.9g 29 %
Cholesterol 82mg 27 %
Sodium 1492mg 60 %
Potassium 1023mg 29 %
Total Carbohydrates 23.7g 8 %
Dietary Fiber 4.5g 18 %
Protein 18.9g 38 %
** Sugars 11.8g
Vitamin A 16 %
Vitamin C 55 %
Calcium 17 %
Iron 55 %
** Thiamin 22 %
Niacin 70 %
Vitamin B6 37 %
Magnesium 21 %
Folate 25 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.