Spaghetti and Meatballs

Photo and recipe courtesy of Our Best Bites. Original post found here.

This is the best spaghetti and meatballs I've ever had. It's very fresh with lots of diced tomatoes and onions. Although we've never done this, we think it would be awesome if you want to make it meatless and just add sauteed mushrooms.

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Recipe by Our Best Bites

Italian Meatballs:

1/2 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 lb. Italian sausage (some of my kids don’t like this, so I now just use all ground beef)
1/4 c. dry bread crumbs
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 Tbsp. dehydrated onion
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 Tbsp. freshly grated Parmesan cheese (or the canned stuff is fine, but of course not as good as fresh)
1 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. parsley
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. salt

Turn on the oven broiler. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside. 

Gently combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Shape the meat mixture into meatballs. Place the meatballs on the prepared baking sheet. 

Place the baking sheet in the oven and cook for 7-10 minutes or until the meatballs are becoming brown and fragrant. If you’re going to be simmering the meatballs in soup or sauce, it’s best to cook them until they’re just brown so they can finish cooking in the sauce or soup and release some of their flavor into the cooking liquid. 

Sauce:

1 large onion, chopped
4-5 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1-2 Tbs Olive oil
2 28-oz. cans crushed tomatoes
16 oz. tomato sauce
1-2 Tbsp. sugar (to taste)
2 tsp. basil
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
Pinch of baking soda (to help neutralize the acid)

Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add onion and garlic and cook until onions are translucent and garlic is fragrant. Add remaining sauce ingredients and combine well. Bring to a simmer and add meatballs. Simmer on low, uncovered, until desired consistency is reached–about 25-30 minutes for a sauce that’s of medium consistency. Serves 8-10. 

FREEZER MEAL INSTRUCTIONS:

Prepare meatballs as directed, but divide the meatballs among two freezer-safe containers. Prepare sauce through adding all ingredients to the pan, but don’t simmer; rather, divide the sauce among the two containers. Freeze until ready to use. When ready to use, place in slow cooker and cook on low for about 5-6 hours, although you’ll want to keep an eye on the sauce and make sure it’s not burning if you go for the whole 6 hours.

Recipe shared by Carolyn.