Spaghetti and Meatballs with Homemade Sauce + Wine Pairing

Angela
Jun 21
3 min read

Some meals are fancy. Some are fast. But this one? This is the one everyone asks me to make.

My spaghetti and meatballs are a house favorite—and let’s be honest, probably the most-requested meal in my circle (especially by my husband, who lights up every time he smells it simmering on the stove).

I make everything from scratch, and while it’s not complicated, it does taste like a little bit of love and a whole lot of garlic.

Finished plate of spaghetti and meatballs — This is my go-to spaghetti and meatballs recipe — with a homemade sauce that’s been perfected over time.

Meatball Ingredients:

1 lb Italian sausage (I like to get mine from Fresh Market, but any quality sausage works)
1 lb ground beef (80/20 for juicy, flavorful meatballs)
1 cup Italian breadcrumbs (or torn up French bread)
About 1/4 cup milk
2 eggs
5–6 garlic cloves, minced
Salt & pepper to taste
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

🔥 How to Make the Meatballs

Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, pour milk over the breadcrumbs and let it soak for a few minutes.
In a large bowl, mix the sausage and beef together.
Add the soaked breadcrumbs, eggs, garlic, salt, pepper, parmesan, and parsley.
Mix gently with your hands (don’t overmix).
Scoop into 1½ inch balls — makes about 15–18 meatballs.
Bake for 25 minutes, flipping halfway through.
They’ll finish cooking in your red sauce later, so don’t worry if the centers aren’t fully done yet.

🍅 Homemade Red Sauce

You can totally use Rao’s (it’s one of the best jarred sauces), but when I’ve got the time, I make mine from scratch in my Dutch oven — the flavor is worth it.

Ingredients:

2 to 3 (28 oz) cans crushed San Marzano tomatoes
(If you use 3 cans, just add a little more of the other ingredients — garlic, basil, seasonings, etc. We always do 3 because we usually have a big crowd and my girls love having extra sauce!)
3 teaspoons tomato paste
6–8 garlic cloves, minced
2 shallots (or a small yellow onion), finely chopped
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons dried oregano
6 fresh basil leaves (divided — some for early, some for the end)
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

In your Dutch oven or stockpot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
Add the chopped shallots/onions and season with salt and pepper. Sauté until soft.
Add the garlic and cook for 1–2 minutes — don’t let it burn.
Tear in a few basil leaves and let them cook with the garlic for a minute or two.
Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another 1–2 minutes.
Pour in the wine to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits.
Add crushed tomatoes, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.
Bring to a simmer, partially cover, and let it cook for about an hour.
In the last 5 minutes, stir in a few more chopped basil leaves.
Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Add your baked meatballs to the sauce and simmer another 10–15 minutes.

🍝 Pasta & Serving Tips

Boil your favorite pasta — I love Barilla brand!
Don’t forget to salt your pasta water — it really makes a difference.
Reserve a bit of pasta water and stir in about 1/3 cup before serving to help the sauce coat the noodles perfectly.
Serve with extra parmesan cheese, and sometimes we even add a dollop of ricotta on top for good measure.
Bonus: I’m heading to Italy next month to learn how to make pasta from scratch — so more on that soon!

🍷 Wine Pairing

My go-to is a bold, earthy Chianti — it pairs perfectly with red sauce and meatballs.

One of my favorite bottles is Castellare di Castellina Chianti Classico Riserva, but don’t worry... I’ve definitely pulled a Kirkland bottle off the rack more than once and it absolutely works too.