Easy Spaghetti and Meatballs

Back-to-school in a pandemic. Virtual again for Marcus and Jasmine. In-person (Marietta district decided differently) for Isaiah and Zoe. The split means: two kids at home, two kids at school, four kids' schedules, two districts' policies, one kitchen table that is both a classroom and a homework station and a dinner table and the center of a family that is learning to orbit around each other without collision.

Marcus starts 10th grade virtually, which he handles with the resignation of a boy who has accepted that his high school experience will include a global pandemic and has decided to argue about it in debate instead of at home. Jasmine starts 8th grade virtually, which she handles by singing through every virtual class with the camera off and the mute button on, which she thinks is secret and which I know because I walked past the dining table and heard her harmonizing with a history lecture.

Isaiah starts 8th grade in person. He walks out the door every morning with a mask and a backpack and the slight swagger of a boy who has grown three inches over the summer and doesn't know what to do with his new height except wear it. Zoe starts 5th grade. She skips. Literally skips out the door. She is ten and the pandemic has not dimmed her light. Nothing dims her light. She is Derek's sunshine and Jasmine's sister and the family's compass — always pointing toward joy, even when the rest of us are pointing toward worry.

Made a first-day-of-school dinner x2 (because two different first days): spaghetti Monday (Isaiah and Zoe), spaghetti Wednesday (Marcus and Jasmine). Two spaghettis. Two first days. One family. The tradition bends to accommodate the reality. The spaghetti doesn't care about the schedule. The spaghetti just cares that you sit down.

Two first days meant two spaghetti nights, and I’m not going to pretend I made something elaborate — I needed a recipe that would feel like a celebration without requiring me to be a different person than I was that week, which was tired and proud and a little bit stretched. Easy Spaghetti and Meatballs was the answer both times: a pot of sauce that filled the house with a smell that said we’re okay, we’re together, sit down. The spaghetti didn’t care that Isaiah’s first day was Monday and Marcus’s was Wednesday. It just showed up.

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 30 min | Total Time: 45 min | Servings: 6

Ingredients

1 lb spaghetti
1 lb ground beef (80/20)
1/3 cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
1 large egg
2 cloves garlic, minced, divided
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
1 jar (24 oz) marinara sauce
1/2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Make the meatball mixture. In a large bowl, combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, egg, half the minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix gently with your hands until just combined — do not overwork or the meatballs will be tough.
Shape the meatballs. Roll mixture into balls about 1 1/2 inches in diameter (roughly the size of a golf ball). You should get about 18–20 meatballs.
Brown the meatballs. Heat olive oil in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add meatballs in a single layer and brown on all sides, about 6–8 minutes total. Work in batches if needed. Transfer to a plate; they do not need to be cooked through yet.
Build the sauce. In the same skillet, reduce heat to medium and add remaining garlic. Sauté 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in marinara sauce and stir in Italian seasoning, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
Simmer meatballs in sauce. Return meatballs to the skillet. Bring sauce to a gentle simmer, then cover and cook 15–18 minutes, turning meatballs once halfway through, until cooked through (internal temperature 165°F).
Cook the pasta. While meatballs simmer, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining.
Combine and serve. Add drained spaghetti to the skillet with the sauce, tossing to coat and adding a splash of reserved pasta water if needed to loosen. Serve topped with additional Parmesan and parsley if desired.

Nutrition (per serving)

Easy Spaghetti and Meatballs — When the Tradition Has to Show Up Twice