One-Pot Spaghetti and Meatballs
- Total
- 55 min
- Active
- 15 min
- Serves
- 4
- Level
- easy
Cooking the pasta directly in the sauce means it comes out already seasoned, and the starch it releases thickens everything into a sauce that clings rather than pools. Brown the meatballs first for flavor, then let the pot do the rest in about forty minutes, start to finish.
Ingredients
Method
-
In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, breadcrumbs, half the parmesan, the egg, milk, 2 minced garlic cloves, the salt and pepper. Mix gently with your hands just until combined, then shape into 16 meatballs, about 1.5 inches each.
-
Heat the olive oil in a dutch oven or deep skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs in batches, turning every couple of minutes, until deeply colored on most sides — they don't need to cook through yet. Lift them out onto a plate.
8 min -
Add the onion to the same pot and cook, stirring and scraping up the browned bits from the bottom, until softened.
4 min -
Stir in the remaining 2 garlic cloves and the oregano and cook until fragrant.
1 min -
Stir in the tomato paste, then the crushed tomatoes and chicken broth. Bring to a simmer.
3 min -
Nestle the meatballs and any collected juices back into the sauce. Cover and simmer until the meatballs are cooked through, to 160°F (71°C) at the center.
10 min -
Push the broken spaghetti down into the liquid so it's mostly submerged. Cover and simmer for 8 minutes, stirring gently every couple of minutes so the pasta doesn't stick to the bottom, then uncover for the final 4-5 minutes so the sauce reduces and clings to the pasta as it finishes cooking.
13 min -
Remove from the heat and let stand 2 minutes — the sauce thickens further as it sits. Serve topped with the remaining parmesan and the basil.
2 min
Substitutions
- Ground beef — A mix of beef and pork, or all ground turkey — turkey meatballs cook a little faster, so start checking their temperature a minute or two early.
- Spaghetti — Any long pasta works if it fits the pot; break it in half so it submerges evenly. Short pasta like penne also works and needs no breaking.
- Chicken broth — Vegetable broth, or water with an extra pinch of salt.
Storing leftovers
Keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. The pasta keeps absorbing sauce as it sits, so add a splash of water or broth when reheating on the stove or in the microwave. Freezes well for up to three months; thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Questions
Can I cook the pasta separately instead?
Yes — boil it on the side and stir it into the finished sauce, though you'll lose some of the thickening the pasta starch gives the sauce and need a second pot.
Why brown the meatballs before they're fully cooked?
Browning builds flavor through the crust, not by curing the inside — they finish cooking gently in the simmering sauce, which keeps them tender instead of tough.
How do I know the meatballs are done?
Check the center of the largest one with a thermometer; it should read 160°F (71°C). Cut one in half if you don't have a thermometer — there should be no pink.
The sauce looks thin when I add the broth — is that normal?
Yes. It thickens as the pasta cooks and releases starch, and again as it rests off the heat. Don't add extra pasta to compensate, or it won't all fit under the liquid.