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RECIPE – makes about 15 meatballs + sauce
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SPAGHETTI DOUGH (using pasta extruder)
▪4 lrg eggs
▪250g or 2c ap flour
▪210g or 1 1/4c semolina flour
▪5g or 1tsp salt
▪20g or 1 1/4Tbsp water
Add eggs, flour, semolina, and salt to mixer with paddle attachment. Mix on low for 60sec until dough begins to hydrate then add in water if needed. When dough is coming together into a mass, switch to dough hook and continue to mix on low for about 2 more mins.
Flip dough onto work surface and continue to knead by hand for about 60 seconds or until it’s formed into a ball. Place in the fridge covered for about 30min.
Grab dough from fridge and pinch off small pieces (about the size of a large walnut). Warm slightly and roll into a ball then drop into extruder (since im using my kitchen aid, the mixer is running on high speed). Cut at desired length then place on a floured tray and dust with flour.
Cook in well salted boiling water for 3-4 min (or per package instructions if using dried pasta).
Reserve some pasta water to finish pasta.
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MEATBALLS
▪250g or 1c buttermilk
▪1 egg
▪150g or about 4.5c bread, cubed (i find that regular white bread works well)
▪125g or 1 1/2c parmesan, grated
▪15g or 1/3c parsley, chopped
▪15g or 2Tbsp garlic, minced
▪18g or 1Tbsp salt
▪3g or 2tsp black pepper
▪15g or 1Tbsp lemon juice
▪Pinch chile flake
▪450g or 1lb 80/20 ground beef
▪450g or 1lb 80/20 ground pork
Add buttermilk, egg, and bread into a bowl and mix to hydrate. Add parm, parsley, garlic, salt, pepper, lemon juice, chile flake, and meats. Mix together until just combined. Try not to over mix.
Divide meat into 15 100-105g pieces, roll into balls, and place on a parchment lined sheet tray.
Bake at 475F/250C for 20 min until beginning to brown. Allow to rest for 10 min. Reduce oven heat to 325F/160C.
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TOMATO SAUCE
▪100g or about 1/2c olive oil
▪150g or 1.5c yellow onion, small diced
▪15g or 2Tbsp garlic, minced
▪Salt
▪Chile flake
▪1 28 oz can whole tomatoes (pureed until broken down)
▪1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
▪5g or 1 1/4tsp sugar
Heat large pot or dutch oven over medium. Add very long squeeze olive oil, onion, garlic, and generous pinch of salt. Stir to combine and sweat over medium for 10min or until onions are translucent and softened. Add pinch of chile flake, stir. Add in both cans of tomatoes. Stir, reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer for about 15min.
Taste for seasoning and add salt and 5g sugar if needed. Stir.
Gently lower cooked meatballs into the sauce and stir to coat. Return pot of sauce/meatballs into 325F/160C oven and cook for 20-30min.
When finished, the sauce should be nicely concentrated with browned edges.
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TO FINISH:
Add portion of pasta into a saute pan over low heat with 2 small pads of butter and a spoonful of pasta water. Swirl until combined and emulsify.
Add pasta to plate, top with 2 meatballs, sauce, grated parm, chopped parsley, and a drizzle of nice olive oil.
#spaghettiandmeatballs #meatballs #comfortfood
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CHAPTERS
0:00 The internet’s meatball recipe
0:38 Mixing the spag dough
1:52 Mixing and searing the balls
4:21 Making the sauce
5:23 Still working on a new website with Squarespace
6:22 Finishing the sauce and meatballs
7:34 Extruding the spaghetti
9:05 Boiling the spag and plating up
10:52 Let’s eat this thing
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32 Comments
i made this for dinner and it was delicious. thank you brian.
It seems that your videos are partly commercials I know. I know you have to make a living but truth of matters I think you you've lost your purpose that purpose is to watch enjoyable videos to learn how to cook
great vid Bri
Oregano in the sauce and fresh basil
Made this today as a practice run before a extended family birthday meal, the meatballs were soft and tasty, the sauce was good. The main comment I received from my wife was there was no Italian flavors, like basil or oregano, will need to add the herbs to make the family happy.
Does it do any harm to make the meatballs/form them, then let them sit in the fridge for a few hours? Trying to make for a group dinner and would like to make them ahead. Thanks in advance for any pointers!
Brian, what brand would you recommend for whole wheat bread? We love spaghetti in our house, but we use whole wheat/grain everything since husband is diabetic and we're on a Mediterranean diet, which permits carbs, but restricted to whole grain or whole wheat.
So I have my mom's traditional meatball recipe, but I confess I'm going to be a traitor and will be trying these soon!! She uses standard ground beef/crumbled up saltines/eggs/spice mix and they're delicious! But want to try these.
Question though. I do like to cook my meatballs in the sauce. If I do that, afraid that the 80/20 beef and pork are going to leach out too much fat into my tomato sauce (sticking with my mom's recipe for that hah!). If I use 90/10 beef and pork and cook the meatballs in the sauce, think that will still make satisfactory meatballs?
This recipe was absolutely superior to anything I have ever had before. So easy to follow and quick to do, prime cooking right here!
It's Beefy, Cheesy aaaaannnd Porky!
looks like munchuria with meat instead of cabbage and veggies
I don't know where you stand on Hawaiian sweet bread that's what I use in my meatballs
You’re the best! Love your recipes and watching you cook it really inspiring and always fun. Thanks so much!
I’m making these meatballs right now. I’m very excited and hopeful. I’ll follow up on the outcome. Thx Bri
Omg! Meatballs are insanely delicious!!! Best I’ve ever had. Thank you Brian. I’ll keep this recipe forever!!!
I just made this with boxed pasta and can confirm it's pretty amazing! I bet it's mind blowing with fresh pasta lol. Thanks Brian
Who wants buttered pasta for spaghetti and meatballs? Who wants a "pure pasta bite"? Who wants a pure sauce bite? Finish your pasta in your sauce…. this recipe is absolutely ridiculous.
Love all of Brian's content. Anyone out there make the sauce and meatballs the night before? How did it re-heat? Looking to offer this to a group but might not have a lot of time the day-of but don't want to give a soggy mess : (
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In the interest of time, can I make the meatballs a day ahead and then make the sauce the following day?
Ok, so I JUST finished making, and eating these…INCREDIBLE! I was always sort of indifferent towards spaghetti & meatballs, now I realize it’s because I’ve been eating terrible meatballs for years. These were perfect, juicy, and so flavorful. Followed the recipe down to the gram. Thanks a million Mr. Lagerstrom. Can’t wait for leftovers tomorrow!
ETA: sadly I couldn’t try out the fresh pasta since I don’t have any of the gear, but with just regular dried spaghetti was 👌
My Italian family has been making an inherited recipe for spaghetti and meatballs for generations and I think I’m gonna have to try this and maybe hybridize the two.
Your meat ball recipe can't even compare to mine!! If you are thinking about moisture. You got it all wrong!! Think a little bit harder!! Nobody makes meatballs the way I do, And I have searched the internet for thousands of recipes!! Good luck!!! LOL
I'm one of those weird heathens that doesn't like cheese with most things. However, that panade is intriguing enough for me to try next time I make meatballs (instead of just soaked panko breadcrumbs).
And I'd like to add in another factor that makes for better meatballs: having them sit overnight in the refrigerator in the sauce and then being reheated the next day. The sauce AND the meatballs both enhance each other's flavor and it only gets better over the following day or two. Slowly reheated meatballs and sauce plus freshly cooked pasta is one of my favorite combinations on the planet!
Who else watching this drunk?
I don’t have a pasta extruded.
Subbed veal for pork.. turned out great
250c at 20mins cooks them all the way through!
You can't cook fresh pasta to al Dante you fool!!!!
Old school sugar is necessary for balance !
Meatball recipe begins at 1:53
Im gonna try these. But I'm gonna fry them in the pan and then deglaze with red wine.