Ted Allen’s Spaghetti and Meatballs

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Recipe intro

Ted Allen's spaghetti and meatballs recipe is a classic dish that brings comfort and satisfaction to the table. The combination of perfectly cooked spaghetti noodles, tender meatballs, and rich tomato sauce creates a harmonious blend of flavors. This recipe is known for its simplicity and ability to please even the pickiest eaters. With a few basic ingredients and a little bit of love, you can recreate this beloved Italian favorite in your own kitchen.

Keywords: Ted Allen, spaghetti, meatballs, recipe, comfort food.

Ted allen's spaghetti and meatballs recipe details

Ted allen’s spaghetti and meatballs recipe, recipe Rating: 4.7
Number of votes:122

Supermarket sauces are nowhere near as good as homemade. This easy, garlicky marinara tastes like tomatoes, olive, oil and herbs and doesn’t take too long to make. The addition of spicy, tender meatballs makes this a real rib-sticker. You can make them entirely from beef, if you want, but mixing beef and pork—an Italian tradition—really makes them better.

Ready in: 55 mins

Ingredients

Serves: 6

• 1 pound dried spaghetti, linguine, or fettucine
• 1 medium onion, chopped fine
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped fine
• 1/3 cup chicken stock
• 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 1/2 pound ground beef
• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 1/3 cup breadcrumbs
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
TOMATO SAUCE:
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 medium garlic cloves, chopped or sliced, whatever is easiest
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or oregano
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, preferably San Marzano
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 10 leaves fresh basil, chopped

Preparation method

Prep: 15 mins | Cook: 40 mins

1. In a large bowl, using your hands, mix all ingredients until evenly combined, being careful not to overwork (you don’t want to compact the meat too much). Put a little oil on your hands and form loosely into golf-ball sized meatballs—do not compress tightly
2. Put 3 or 4 tablespoons of olive oil into a large frying pan and heat over medium.
3. Gently add meatballs and brown on all sides; this will take about 15 minutes. Drain on paper towels while you make the sauce.
4. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat.
5. Add the onion, garlic, herbs, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook covered until the onion is soft and breaking down, 8 to 10 minutes.
6. Add the chicken stock, bring to a boil, and simmer uncovered until reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes, along with the juices and the sugar, and the browned meatballs, and bring to a simmer, and cook for an hour.
7. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and basil leaves, and taste for seasoning.
8. 15 minutes before meatballs and sauce are done, bring a large pot of water to a boil, then salt generously.
9. Add pasta and cook according to directions, testing one noodle a minute or two early to make sure you don’t overcook. Drain noodles well and serve with meatballs.