Italian Spaghetti Sauce with Meatballs is my favorite way to make this classic Italian dish. I love homemade spaghetti and meatballs! This is a very rich, thick, and chunky spaghetti sauce your family will love. It is SO easy because you just throw all the ingredients in the crockpot and let it simmer all day!

Follow Me On Instagram!

It is also wonderful reheated and you can use the basic sauce for any Italian recipe that calls for a marinara sauce (although I would probably dice everything fine in that case).

The recipe for the sauce  is inspired by the one in the Fanny Farmer cookbook, 1965 edition, but I have made so many changes it is almost unrecognizable. The meatball recipe is straight out of the Fanny Farmer cookbook (same edition) with only a few changes.

We have made homemade Italian Spaghetti Sauce with Meatballs countless times over the years including many times for company. It never fails to please.

I originally made this recipe in August of 2012. I remade this recipe in December 2013 and again in June 2017 with gluten free noodles and homemade gluten free bread crumbs. This latest time I served it for our Friday night care group and everyone loved how thick the sauce was.

If you’re looking for a dynamite meatball and spaghetti sauce recipe, give this one a try sometime. You will be licking your chops in no time!

Italian Spaghetti Sauce with Meatballs has always been one of our favorite entrees.

You can either add the raw meatballs along with the sauce or bake them in the oven for about 20-30 minutes at 350. You can also can pan-fry the meatballs before adding them to the spaghetti sauce. I’ve made the meatballs all three ways.

However, if you add raw meatballs, you MUST use 96% lean ground beef or the raw meatballs will emit too much grease into the sauce while cooking.

If you use gluten free noodles, I highly recommend using Ronzoni GF spaghetti. It’s made with rice, corn & quinoa flour. It has a great blend for the texture and taste.

Here’s what I did.

I used these ingredients.

Let me say, you don’t always have to be hard line on the ingredients. I make with what I have on hand. But if you want a thick sauce (like I make) you must include the tomato puree and tomato paste. I’ve used all crushed, all diced, or all whole tomatoes before with good success.

Put tomato puree, diced tomatoes, whole tomatoes, crushed tomatoes and tomato paste into a crockpot.

Add onions separated into rings. If you buy whole mushrooms, you will need to slice them. Add mushrooms. If using canned mushrooms, drain first. If you like bell pepper in your tomato sauce, you can add it here (although I usually do not add one). 

Add garlic, salt, pepper, sugar, parsley, basil, oregano, red pepper flakes and bay leaves.

Stir all the sauce ingredients together. Cover with lid and begin cooking on high or low (depending on how soon you want the spaghetti sauce done).

I used these ingredients to make the meatballs.

Melt butter in glass measuring cup. Stir in gluten free (or regular) Italian-style bread crumbs and combine well.

To make meatballs: Place ground sirloin or beef, dehydrated onions, parsley, salt and pepper add buttered breadcrumbs in a mixing bowl.

Mix meatball ingredients with your hands until beef mixture is very well-mixed.

Shape meat mixture into golf ball-sized meatballs and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake meatballs about 20-30 minutes at 350.

Add meatballs and cover with lid. Cook about 3 hours on high, or 4-5 hours on low.

If using raw meatballs: Place raw meatballs into crockpot. You MUST have a 96% lean ground beef or sirloin for this to work, otherwise the meatballs will cook off and there will be too much grease.

If you have less than 96% lean it is better to bake the meatballs about 20-30 minutes first or until browned. Drain any grease and dry off the meatballs before placing in the crockpot to eliminate greasy taste.

Stir all ingredients together in crockpot. Cook on high for about 3 hours and low for 4-6 hours.

The sauce is cooked and ready to be served.

Italian Spaghetti Sauce with Meatballs is such an appetizing dinner. Serve with spaghetti noodles or gluten free pasta.

Italian Spaghetti Sauce with Meatballs is so easy when you make it in the crockpot.

Here’s the recipe.

ITALIAN SPAGHETTI SAUCE WITH MEATBALLS 

(Recipe inspired by the Fannie Farmer Cookbook, 1965 edition)

Italian Spaghetti Sauce with Meatballs

Teresa Ambra

Italian Spaghetti Sauce with Meatballs is our favorite way to enjoy spaghetti. This is a fantastic homemade spaghetti sauce with homemade meatballs. It's loosely based on a vintage Fanny Farmer recipe and makes a very thick sauce that can easily be made in the crockpot or on top of the stove. If you enjoy chunky spaghetti sauce recipes, this one is perfect!

No ratings yet

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 6 minutes mins

Total Time 31 minutes mins

Course Beef Main Dish/Pasta Main Dish

Cuisine Italian

Servings 12

Calories 244 kcal

Equipment

• 1 large stock pot with lid to cook spaghetti noodles
• 1 colander to drain spaghetti noodles
• 1 large crock pot
• 1 sharp knife to cut vegetables
• measuring cups
• measuring spoons
• 1 large mixing bowl
• 1 wooden spoon
• 1 small microwaveable bowl
• 1 18x26" cookie sheet pan
• 1 spatula

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

SPAGHETTI SAUCE:

• 29 oz. can tomato puree
• 29 oz. can diced tomatoes undrained
• 1 12-oz. can tomato paste
• 1 large onion sliced and separated into rings
• 8 oz. can sliced mushrooms drained
• 2-3 cloves garlic sliced or minced (I use 1 heaping tablespoon minced garlic from a jar)
• 1 heaping tablespoon dried parsley
• 1 heaping teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 heaping teaspoon dried basil
• 2 heaping tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
• 3 shakes red pepper flakes if desired
• 2-3 whole bay leaves

MEATBALLS:

• 1 lb. 96% lean ground beef or sirloin (better to use meat with less fat and get 96% lean especially if you want to add raw meatballs to crockpot)
• 2 tbsp. dry onion flakes minced
• 2 tbsp. dried parsley
• 1/2-1 tsp. sea salt
• 1/4-1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1 stick unsalted butter melted (1/2 cup)
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups Italian style bread crumbs or Gluten Free Italian Bread Crumbs

Instructions

 

SPAGHETTI SAUCE:

• Put all in a crockpot that has been sprayed with cooking spray and let simmer on high for about 3 to 4 hours or low 5-6 hours.
• Add meatballs, if desired.
• Or cook on stove top about an hour on a low-medium heat.
• Remove bay leaves before serving.

MEATBALLS:

• Melt butter in microwave.
• Add enough crumbs that mixture is not wet, but not so dry you can’t stir it either.
• Put in large mixing bowl with other ingredients.
• Mix well with hands until well mixed.
• Spray large cookie sheet with cooking spray (one with an edge).
• Heat oven to 350°.
• Shape mixture into small meatballs trying to make sure there are no cracks in your meatballs.
• Place on sprayed cookie sheet.
• Bake about 20-30 minutes or so until well browned (not burned!).
• Remove from cookie sheets onto paper towels to absorb any excess grease.
• Add to spaghetti sauce and serve with cooked spaghetti.

Notes

NOTE: This makes a thick spaghetti sauce which we prefer over thin sauces.

 

NOTE: If you like bell pepper in your tomato sauce, add 1 bell pepper, diced, or cut in strips.

 

NOTE: The original recipe called for the meatballs to be fried in butter. But I found that method caused them to get too burned, and they are softer – melt-in-your-mouth when you bake them rather than fry them.

 

NOTE: You can also add raw meatballs to sauce and cook in crockpot for 4-6 hours. But you must use 96% lean beef for that to work or you will end up with too much grease in your sauce.

 

NOTE: I usually cook on high about 3 hours and low 4-6 hours in the crockpot.

 

NOTE: If you're trying to make this recipe gluten free, I use 4C brand gluten free Italian-style breadcrumbs for the meatballs and Ronzoni gluten free spaghetti. I purchase both of them at Wal-Mart.

 

^© Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen

Nutrition

Calories: 244kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 13gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 44mgSodium: 680mgPotassium: 764mgFiber: 5gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 833IUVitamin C: 20mgCalcium: 115mgIron: 5mg

Keyword meatballs, noodles, pasta, spaghetti

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Italian Spaghetti Sauce with Meatballs is absolutely wonderful! Even the gluten free version is spectacular!

Let’s eat!

We love Italian Spaghetti Sauce with Meatballs and believe you will too.

You may also enjoy these delicious recipes!

Spaghetti and Meatballs in Pepperoni Sauce

Spaghetti Pie

Chicken Spaghetti

Italian Spaghetti Sauce with Meatballs

Teresa Ambra

Italian Spaghetti Sauce with Meatballs is our favorite way to enjoy spaghetti. This is a fantastic homemade spaghetti sauce with homemade meatballs. It's loosely based on a vintage Fanny Farmer recipe and makes a very thick sauce that can easily be made in the crockpot or on top of the stove. If you enjoy chunky spaghetti sauce recipes, this one is perfect!

No ratings yet

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 6 minutes mins

Total Time 31 minutes mins

Course Beef Main Dish/Pasta Main Dish

Cuisine Italian

Servings 12

Calories 244 kcal

Equipment

• 1 large stock pot with lid to cook spaghetti noodles
• 1 colander to drain spaghetti noodles
• 1 large crock pot
• 1 sharp knife to cut vegetables
• measuring cups
• measuring spoons
• 1 large mixing bowl
• 1 wooden spoon
• 1 small microwaveable bowl
• 1 18×26" cookie sheet pan
• 1 spatula

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

SPAGHETTI SAUCE:

• 29 oz. can tomato puree
• 29 oz. can diced tomatoes undrained
• 1 12-oz. can tomato paste
• 1 large onion sliced and separated into rings
• 8 oz. can sliced mushrooms drained
• 2-3 cloves garlic sliced or minced (I use 1 heaping tablespoon minced garlic from a jar)
• 1 heaping tablespoon dried parsley
• 1 heaping teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 heaping teaspoon dried basil
• 2 heaping tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
• 3 shakes red pepper flakes if desired
• 2-3 whole bay leaves

MEATBALLS:

• 1 lb. 96% lean ground beef or sirloin (better to use meat with less fat and get 96% lean especially if you want to add raw meatballs to crockpot)
• 2 tbsp. dry onion flakes minced
• 2 tbsp. dried parsley
• 1/2-1 tsp. sea salt
• 1/4-1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1 stick unsalted butter melted (1/2 cup)
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups Italian style bread crumbs or Gluten Free Italian Bread Crumbs

Instructions

 

SPAGHETTI SAUCE:

• Put all in a crockpot that has been sprayed with cooking spray and let simmer on high for about 3 to 4 hours or low 5-6 hours.
• Add meatballs, if desired.
• Or cook on stove top about an hour on a low-medium heat.
• Remove bay leaves before serving.

MEATBALLS:

• Melt butter in microwave.
• Add enough crumbs that mixture is not wet, but not so dry you can’t stir it either.
• Put in large mixing bowl with other ingredients.
• Mix well with hands until well mixed.
• Spray large cookie sheet with cooking spray (one with an edge).
• Heat oven to 350°.
• Shape mixture into small meatballs trying to make sure there are no cracks in your meatballs.
• Place on sprayed cookie sheet.
• Bake about 20-30 minutes or so until well browned (not burned!).
• Remove from cookie sheets onto paper towels to absorb any excess grease.
• Add to spaghetti sauce and serve with cooked spaghetti.

Notes

NOTE: This makes a thick spaghetti sauce which we prefer over thin sauces.

 

NOTE: If you like bell pepper in your tomato sauce, add 1 bell pepper, diced, or cut in strips.

 

NOTE: The original recipe called for the meatballs to be fried in butter. But I found that method caused them to get too burned, and they are softer – melt-in-your-mouth when you bake them rather than fry them.

 

NOTE: You can also add raw meatballs to sauce and cook in crockpot for 4-6 hours. But you must use 96% lean beef for that to work or you will end up with too much grease in your sauce.

 

NOTE: I usually cook on high about 3 hours and low 4-6 hours in the crockpot.

 

NOTE: If you’re trying to make this recipe gluten free, I use 4C brand gluten free Italian-style breadcrumbs for the meatballs and Ronzoni gluten free spaghetti. I purchase both of them at Wal-Mart.

 

^© Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen

Nutrition

Calories: 244kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 13gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 44mgSodium: 680mgPotassium: 764mgFiber: 5gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 833IUVitamin C: 20mgCalcium: 115mgIron: 5mg

Keyword meatballs, noodles, pasta, spaghetti

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!