Oven-Roasted Spaghetti and Meatballs
Friday, November 12, 2010 at 3:04PM 
In a hurry? Got no time to make spaghetti and meatballs? I’m here to tell you that you do. Here’s a recipe that could revolutionize your world. It’s a total game-changer, this one. That is, if you love spaghetti and meatballs, and in my fantasy world that would be everyone.
Spahgetti and me go way back. My love for it is legendary (within our family lore, anyway). From the time I could put fork to mouth, all I wanted was spaghetti. Every dinner, every restaurant, no matter where we were, that’s all I wanted. I still make it with alarming frequency, and after all these years I never tire of it. Me and spaghetti, we’re tight. Add a meatball, and this is a happy girl.
I really don’t care how long it takes me to make it, but I recently came across this recipe in a magazine devoted to pasta recipes (what else?), and I was quickly infatuated with it. The whole idea is that you take all of your sauce ingredients and just dump them in a roasting pan, make your meatballs and set them on top, and then shove the whole shootin’ match in the oven for like 45 minutes. What emerges from said oven is nothing short of spaghetti nirvana.
The meatballs roast and flavor the sauce ingredients, and the sauce simmers and flavors the meatballs and it’s all so very easy. The meatballs are removed from the pan, the sauce ingredients are run through the blender and then everyone is re-united for the big spaghetti finale. I just love stuff like this.
So here’s the deal. You put everything together the night before and stick it in the fridge. When you get home from work, just throw it in the oven, cook your pasta and you have perhaps some of the best spaghetti and meatballs in recent history. Well, that may be debatable, but I’m purdy sure you’re going to like how easy this is. Easy and delicious are my two favorite things. Here’s the recipe…
Oven-Roasted Spaghetti and Meatballs
Click here for a printable recipe
For the Sauce
1 28-oz can whole tomatoes (preferably San Marzano)
1 14-0z diced tomatoes
1 medium onion, chopped
3-4 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp crushed red pepper
a good handful of chopped fresh basil
Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
1 lb. spaghetti
Parmesan cheese for mixing and serving
For the Meatballs
1 ½ lbs ground meat (I used ground turkey)
½ cup fresh breadcrumbs
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
½ cup finely chopped onion
1 egg, slightly beaten
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
1 ½ tsp kosher salt
½ tsp fresh ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 425.
Place the sauce ingredients in an 11 x 13 roasting or baking pan, breaking up the tomatoes with your hands. Mix to combine all the ingredients.
Combine the meatballs ingredients and form into ball about the size of a golf ball and place on top of the sauce ingredients. Drizzle with a few tablespoons of the olive oil and a sprinkling or grated parmesan or pecorino romano cheese.
Place in a preheated oven and bake for about 40-45 minutes, turning the meatballs about halfway through.
While the sauce and meatballs are cooking, cook the spaghetti in lots of boiling, salted water until al dente (about a minute less than indicated on the package). Drain, but do not rinse.
Remove the roasting pan from the oven and remove the meatballs from the pan, but keep warm. Puree the sauce ingredients using an immersion blender or a regular blender or food processor. If using a regular blender, you will want to do this in 2 batches. Return the pureed sauce to the roasting pan and add the spaghetti. Stir to combine, mixing in additional parmesan cheese.
Serve with the meatballs and more grated parmesan as desired.
Reader Comments (14)
What a great way to cook the sauce and meatballs. Perfect! And I just have to say that your first pic is the most perfect spaghetti and meatball picture!
This sounds delightful. I, too, never tire of spaghetti, but my family does. Maybe I'll just make myself a big dish to eat over several days!
Tammi, you really should just make a big batch of this and keep it for yourself. Who knows, if you tell them they can't have any, they get interested :)
Thanks, Carrie! That photo makes me laugh.
Oh, I like this. I like this a lot. Spaghetti and meatballs are my absolute favorite. I can't wait to give it a try and love it's simplicity. Thanks for sharing!
Well, we like it a lot too, Tanya! It's now my only and favorite way to make spaghetti and meatballs. Thanks for stopping by.
I know it's turkey time but this pasta is calling my name Patrice! Happy Thanksgiving friend!
I made this tonight and it was great! Very easy and very tasty, perhaps the best spaghetti and meatballs I've made yet. It will become a staple for me for sure! Thanks for sharing!
When making the weekly menu i asked for input from my 4-year-old daughter, who immediately responded "Meatballs!" I've never made meatballs, but i was sure I'd find something good at Tastespotting. Yours was one of 5 recipes I'd 'pinned' to try, and I'll never need to try the other 4. Simply divine!
So glad you liked this, Chris. It's one of our favorites too! Thanks so much for letting us know!
Hello from Colorado! I made this for myself and Dusty last night and, wow. The best spaghetti we've ever had! Thanks Patrice - hope you all are well.
So great to hear from you, Erin! And I'm so glad you liked the spaghetti and meatballs! It's our fave too. Love how easy it is. Thanks so much for letting us know!
Just found your website and tried this recipe for dinner last night. It was a big hit! No more frying meatballs and spattering up my kitchen, yay! I have added you to my favourites list and look forward to trying out some more of your recipes. Thanks!
Welcome, Tilly!! So glad you liked this one. It's one of our favorites too! Thanks so much for letting us know!