Spaghetti and Meatballs

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Discover the ultimate Spaghetti and Meatballs recipe—easy to make, freezer-friendly, and perfect for family dinners. Includes step-by-step instructions, tips for prepping ahead, and a rich, flavorful sauce that pairs beautifully with tender meatballs.

Course Main Dish

Cuisine Italian

Keyword crock pot, freezer meal, Italian meatballs, slow cooker, spaghetti

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 30

Total Time 50

Servings servings

Calories 448kcal

Author Laura

Equipment

Ingredients

For the meatballs

1 lb lean ground beef
1 lb Italian sausage
½ cup bread crumbs
½ tsp pepper
2 Tbsp dried minced onion
4 eggs lightly beaten
4 Tbsp Parmesan cheese freshly grated
2 tsp basil
1 tsp parsley
4 cloves garlic minced
1 ½ tsp salt

For the sauce

olive oil
1 large onion chopped
4-5 cloves garlic minced or pressed
56 oz crushed tomatoes two 28 oz cans
16 oz tomato sauce
2 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp basil
1 tsp Italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
pinch baking soda to help neutralize the acid
spaghetti cooked for serving

Instructions

For the Meatballs:

Line a baking sheet with foil. Add all of the meatball ingredients to a large bowl. Mix together until combined; by hand is best. I like to have kitchen gloves for recipes like this or meatloaf recipes. Shape into balls, whatever size you like. I use a cookie scoop to shape meat into balls and then roll them in my hands to even them out. Place on the lined cookie sheet and broil for a few minutes until the meatballs start to brown. Remove from oven and set aside.

Make the Sauce:

Heat olive oil in a large pot. Add onion and garlic and cook until onions are translucent and garlic is fragrant. Add remaining sauce ingredients and combine well.

To enjoy now:

Bring the sauce to a simmer and add meatballs. Simmer on low, uncovered, for about 25 minutes for a sauce that's of medium consistency.
Serve over cooked spaghetti noodles and top with fresh parmesan if desired.

To FREEZE for later:

Place the sauce in a gallon-sized freezer bag. Add the meatballs to another gallon-sized freezer bag. Freeze the sauce bag standing up. This makes it possible to add the sauce to the slow cooker when ready to cook. Freeze until ready to use. For two freezer meals, I add half the sauce and meatballs between the two freezer bags and freez standing up.
When ready to use, run cold water over the sauce bag. This will make it easier to remove from the bag. Place the sauce in the slow cooker and add the meatballs. Cook on low for about 5-6 hours. Check on it in about an hour or so and stir to get the meatballs covered in the sauce.

Nutrition