ITALIAN SPAGHETTI WITH MEATBALLS

Italian Spaghetti with Meatballs image

My mother got this recipe from our Italian neighbors in the 1950s. It's been a big hit at our church community dinners, where we sometimes make three or four batches of this wonderful sauce.-Monica Crouch, Trotwood, Ohio

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories Dinner

Time 3h45m

Yield 20-24 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 26

Ingredients

4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons dried parsley flakes
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cans (28 ounces each) tomato puree
2 cans (28 ounces each) tomato sauce
2 cans (12 ounces each) tomato paste
2 to 3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1-1/2 teaspoons dried basil
1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
MEATBALLS:
3 eggs
1/3 cup water
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cups soft bread crumbs
2 cups grated Parmesan or Romano cheese, divided
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
3 pounds lean ground beef

Steps:

In two or three stockpots or Dutch ovens, saute garlic and parsley in oil 1 minute. Add tomato puree, sauce, paste, sugar and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 2-1/2 hours., Preheat oven to 375°. For meatballs, in a large bowl, combine the eggs, water, onion, bread crumbs, 1 cup Parmesan cheese, garlic and seasonings; mix well. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. Shape into 1-1/2-in. balls. Place meatballs on greased racks in shallow baking pans. Bake, uncovered, 15-18 minutes or until no longer pink., Stir the remaining Parmesan into spaghetti sauce; simmer 30 minutes. Drain meatballs on paper towels; add to sauce. Freeze option: Freeze cooled meatballs and sauce in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a covered saucepan, gently stirring and adding a little broth / water if necessary.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 185 calories, Fat 8g fat (3g saturated fat), Cholesterol 66mg cholesterol, Sodium 545mg sodium, Carbohydrate 11g carbohydrate (5g sugars, Fiber 2g fiber), Protein 16g protein.