Baked Spaghetti and Homemade Meatballs

8:44 PM


A heaping plate of Spaghetti and Meatballs gives a feeling of comfort, great for family get together, or just a night of relaxing.

The stars of this dish are the meatballs, of course, and they don't disappoint with lots of garlic and cheddar cheese to give them a strong flavor that stands up to the hearty marinara sauce.

For ease of travel, I turned this dish into a Baked Spaghetti and Meatballs dish by just layering the spaghetti and the meatballs with the best marinara sauce and topping it off with some Parmesan cheese.



Spaghetti and Meatballs

    2-2 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef
    1/4 cup dried chopped onions
    1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
    4 tablespoon garlic minced
    1 teaspoon dried oregano
    1 teaspoon dried basil
    1 teaspoon ground coriander
    4-6 slices of white bread, together quickly run under water and squeezed out
    4 large eggs
    16 oz. diced cheddar cheese
    2 1/2 teaspoons salt
    1 1/2 teaspoons course ground black pepper
    1/4 cup olive oil
    1 lbs. spaghetti, cooked and drained
    4 cups The Best Marinara Sauce
    8 oz Parmesan cheese, shredded
    2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a large bowl, mix together ground beef, dried onions, parsley, garlic, oregano, basil, coriander, bread, eggs, cheddar cheese, salt and pepper. Form meat mixture into about 40 (1 1/2-inch) balls with dampened hands, arranging meatballs on 2 large baking sheets or in shallow baking pans. Heat olive in a large heavy skillet (preferably nonstick) over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown meatballs in 4 or 5 batches (without crowding), turning frequently, about 5 minutes per batch. Return to baking sheets. Pour marinara sauce in the skillet, scraping the bottom of the skillet to loosen any excess browning from the meatballs. Simmer marinara sauce for 20 minutes. Add meatball back into the skillet and simmer for 20 minutes more. Spread the cooked spaghetti in the bottom of a greased large oblong baking dish. Pour meatballs and marinara sauce over the spaghetti. Top with Parmesan cheese and bake in a 375 degree oven for 20 minutes, garnish with fresh chopped parsley.

The Best Marinara Sauce
    1 tablespoon olive oil
    1 large onion, chopped
    4 cloves garlic, chopped
    1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
    1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
    1 teaspoon oregano
    1 bay leaf
    1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
    2 tablespoons sugar
    1 1/2 teaspoon salt
    1 teaspoon pepper
    1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
    1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
Heat a large skillet on high heat. As soon as the skillet is hot, but not smoking, add the oil. When the oil is hot add the onions and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until they release their fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, oregano, bay leaf, cinnamon, sugar, salt and pepper. Simmer uncovered over low heat until the sauce thickens about 30-40 minutes. Sir in basil and parsley and turn off heat. Makes 4 cups.
Kay Little
Kay Little

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