DIY Spaghetti and Meatballs

Ingredients

• Sauce:
• 1 (29 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
• 19 fluid ounces tomato juice
• 1 (5.5 ounce) can tomato paste
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• Meatballs:
• 1 ½ pounds lean ground beef
• 16 soda crackers, crushed
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 large clove garlic, crushed
• 1 (16 ounce) package spaghetti

Step 1

Gently heat your oven to 350°F (175°C). While that’s warming up, mix together the tomatoes, tomato juice, tomato paste, onion, parsley, salt, red pepper flakes, black pepper, thyme, and cloves in a big pot. Bring it all to a boil over high heat, then lower the heat and let it simmer gently for about an hour to an hour and a half.

Step 2

While the sauce is cooking, grab a bowl and combine the ground beef, crackers, eggs, Parmesan, garlic, parsley, and thyme. Shape the mixture into large meatballs and place them on a broiler pan. Pop them in the oven and bake until they’re nicely browned and cooked through, around 30 minutes.

Step 3

Once the meatballs are done, carefully add them into the simmering sauce. Let everything cook together for another 2 to 2 and a half hours so the flavors really meld.

Step 4

When you’re close to ready to eat, bring a big pot of salted water to a boil. Toss in the spaghetti and cook it until it’s tender but still has a bit of bite—usually about 12 minutes. Drain the pasta well.

Step 5

Serve the meatballs and sauce over the spaghetti, and enjoy!