Updated 11.28.25
When I go to an Italian restaurant, I never order the classic dishes, like pasta Alfredo, Carbonara, Pesto or Spaghetti Meatballs. Why not? Because these are easy recipes you can make at home, and they are quick to make. You can also adjust them to your family’s wishes, like no eggs, less cream, more pancetta, different nuts and you can make the meatballs your way, may it be chicken, turkey meat or a different size, like I did.
Spaghetti with meatballs is a dish I’ve never seen in an Italian restaurant, so this is my take.
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Key Ingredients in This Recipe
You’ll find the complete list of ingredients and exact quantities in the recipe below.
- Spaghetti – I prefer to use whole grain pasta whenever I can. They have more flavor, contain more fiber and protein than regular pastas.
- Ground beef – I use lean ground beef, 80/20. No need to use fatty beef. The ground pork delivers the fat and the additional flavor.
- Ground pork
- Breadcrumbs – plain breadcrumbs. They function to hold the liquid part, the milk to ensure a lighter meatball.
- Milk
- Onion
- Egg
- Cottage cheese
- Garlic
- Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
- Salt, pepper and oregano
- Parsley and basil
- Marinara sauce – your choice of store-bought or self-made. My favorite is Rao Sensitive Marinara Sauce.
How to Make Spaghetti and Mini Meatballs
Step 1 – Mix the breadcrumbs with the milk in a bowl.
Step 2 – Add ground beef, ground pork, chopped onion, egg, cottage cheese, garlic, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, salt, pepper, oregano, parsley and basil to the bowl. Mix until combined – not longer.
The more you mix the chewier/denser the meatballs will become.
Step 3 – Now form the meatballs. Use a measuring spoon, the size of a teaspoon and start rolling the mini meatballs in with your hands. They will be a little bigger than 1-inch in diameter.
Place the meatballs on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. There will be about 45-50 meatballs.
Step 4 – Brush each meatball with a tiny bit of olive oil.
Slide the baking sheet in a pre-heated oven of 400°F and bake for approx. 15 minutes. The balls will not become brown. If you prefer that, I suggest you bake them on the stove in a skillet.
Step 5 – While the meatballs are in the oven, cook the spaghetti according to the directions on the packaging.
Step 6 – Heat the marinara sauce (your own creation or store-bought) and add finely chopped parsley and basil as well as the meatballs. Check whether the sauce needs some additional salt & pepper.
Step 7 – Drain the spaghetti – divide over 2 plates or bowls and cover with the mini meatballs in marinara sauce. Enjoy!
Alternatives and Substitutes
- Ground meat – you can basically use any type of ground meat you like, but please be cognizant of the fact that the leaner the meat the drier and denser the meatballs can become. Adding partially fattier ground meat, like pork, will make the meatballs juicier and more flavorful.
- Plain breadcrumbs – of course you can use flavored breadcrumbs and/or make your own.
- Cottage cheese – this is just a tiny extra protein. You can replace this with ricotta. This ingredients also helps in keeping the meatballs juicy.
- Garlic – a clove or garlic paste or not at all, if you’re not a fan of garlic.
- Parmigiano Reggiano cheese – if you don’t have Parm, I would suggest using Pecorino Romano, Grana Padano or another relatively dry cheese.
Other Meatball Recipes to Try
- Italian Meatballs with Nduja
- Spaghetti Squash with Mini Turkey Meatballs
- Spicy Mediterranean Meatballs
Spaghetti and Mini Meatballs
Pin Recipe FacebookIngredients
- 4 ounces ground beef
- 6 ounces ground pork
- 1 tablespoon breadcrumbs, plain
- 1 tablespoon milk (NOTE 1)
- 1 tablespoon cottage cheese (NOTE 2)
- 1/2 egg, lightly beaten
- 1/4 onion, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic (NOTE 3), minced
- 2 ounces Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
- 1/4 tablespoon parsley, finely chopped
- 1/4 tablespoon basil, finely chopped
- 1/4 tablespoon oregano (NOTE 4), finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- pepper
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 ounces spaghetti
- 1.5 cups marinara sauce, home-made or store-bought
Instructions
- Mix the breadcrumbs with the milk in a bowl.
- Add ground beef, ground pork, chopped onion, egg, cottage cheese, garlic, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, salt, pepper, oregano, parsley and basil to the bowl. Mix until combined – not longer.The more you mix the chewier/denser the meatballs will become.
- Now make the meatballs. Use a measuring spoon, the size of a teaspoon (see detail image) and start rolling the mini meatballs in with your hands. They will be a little bigger than 1-inch in diameter.Place the meatballs on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. There will be about 45-50 meatballs.
- Brush each meatball with a tiny bit of olive oil.Slide the baking sheet in a pre-heated oven of 400°F and bake for approx. 15 minutes. The balls will not become brown. If you prefer that, I suggest you bake them on the stove in a skillet.
- While the meatballs are in the oven, cook the spaghetti according to the directions on the packaging.
- Heat the marinara sauce (your own creation or store-bought) and add finely chopped parsley and basil as well as the meatballs. Check whether the sauce needs some additional salt & pepper.
- Drain the spaghetti – divide over 2 plates or bowls and cover with the mini meatballs in marinara sauce. Enjoy!
Notes
- You can use broth or water instead
- You can use ricotta instead
- 1 clove of garlic equals 1 teaspoon of garlic paste
- If you don’t have fresh oregano, use 1/4 teaspoon dried
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hello trying this tonight! Just so you know, I see Parmigiano Reggiano cheese in the instructions but not in the ingredients so I omitted.
Hi Shelby; Hope your mini meatballs were a success. I’m sorry I forgot the Parmigiano Reggiano in the ingredients list, it should have been there. I’ve corrected it by adding 2 ounces of grated Parmigiano cheese.
Super easy and yummy! Just a couple of questions. Can I make these and freeze them? Also, are you sure it’s 2oz of cheese? Not complaining, just need to make sure it’s supposed to have that amount of cheese. Thanks!
Hello Carolyne;
I am glad to read that you like these mini meatballs and yes, you can certainly freeze them. Just allow them cool completely, put in a freezer safe zip lock bag or freeze safe container and place in the freezer. When you are ready to eat, let them thaw in the refrigerator. You can reheat them in the microwave, oven, or in some marinara sauce on stove top.
As far as the cheese is concerned; also a yes. It is indeed 2 ounces. That’s a quantity that adds flavor as well as binding the mixture together.