Restaurant, family style, spaghetti and meatballs
Whole food · Restaurant Foods
Photo: Wikipedia
This is a classic Italian-American comfort dish featuring tender, savory meatballs nestled in a rich tomato sauce, all served over a bed of long, cylindrical spaghetti pasta. The texture is a satisfying contrast between the soft, yielding pasta and the firm, juicy meatballs, while the sauce provides a tangy, slightly sweet, and herbaceous backdrop. Nutritionally, it's a balanced meal offering a good source of protein and carbohydrates, with a moderate fat content from the meat and sauce.
Calorie split: 18% protein · 36% carbs · 45% fat
↓ Full nutrition💚 Why it's loved
People adore it for its hearty, nostalgic comfort, where the savory depth of the meatballs perfectly complements the bright acidity of the tomato sauce. It's a versatile family staple that feels both indulgent and satisfying, deeply embedded in casual dining and home cooking culture.
⚠️ Watch-outs & how to enjoy it better
The dish can be high in sodium and saturated fat, especially with traditional recipes, and the refined pasta may cause a rapid blood-sugar spike. To counteract this, opt for lean ground meat (like turkey or a beef-pork blend), use low-sodium sauce, and pair the meal with a large side of non-starchy vegetables like roasted broccoli or a leafy salad to add fiber and slow digestion.
Key benefits
- Provides a complete protein source from the meatballs.
- Offers complex carbohydrates for sustained energy.
- Contains lycopene, an antioxidant from the tomato sauce.
- Can be a good source of iron and B vitamins from the meat.
- Highly customizable with lean meats or added vegetables.
🍽️ Popular dishes
🌍 Where it's eaten
💡 Did you know?
The iconic pairing of spaghetti and meatballs as a single dish is largely an Italian-American invention; in Italy, meatballs (polpette) are typically served as a separate main course, not on top of pasta.
Full nutrition (USDA data · scales with serving)
| Water | 66.6 g |
| Energy | 170 kcal |
| Energy | 712 kj |
| Protein | 7.8 g |
| Total lipid (fat) | 8.5 g |
| Ash | 1.5 g |
| Carbohydrate, by difference | 15.5 g |
| Fiber, total dietary | 1.5 g |
| Total Sugars | 2.0 g |
| Sucrose | 0.50 g |
| Glucose | 0.63 g |
| Fructose | 0.70 g |
| Lactose | 0.00 g |
| Maltose | 0.20 g |
| Galactose | 0.00 g |
| Starch | 11.4 g |
| Calcium, Ca | 45.0 mg |
| Iron, Fe | 1.3 mg |
| Magnesium, Mg | 23.0 mg |
| Phosphorus, P | 89.0 mg |
| Potassium, K | 206 mg |
| Sodium, Na | 351 mg |
| Zinc, Zn | 1.0 mg |
| Copper, Cu | 0.11 mg |
| Manganese, Mn | 0.28 mg |
| Selenium, Se | 18.4 ug |
| Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid | 0.90 mg |
| Thiamin | 0.11 mg |
| Riboflavin | 0.17 mg |
| Niacin | 2.0 mg |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.44 mg |
| Vitamin B-6 | 0.14 mg |
| Folate, total | 36.0 ug |
| Vitamin B-12 | 0.39 ug |
| Vitamin A, RAE | 28.0 ug |
| Retinol | 18.0 ug |
| Carotene, beta | 120 ug |
| Carotene, alpha | 0.00 ug |
| Cryptoxanthin, beta | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin A, IU | 258 iu |
| Lycopene | 2740 ug |
| Lutein + zeaxanthin | 159 ug |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.75 mg |
| Tocopherol, beta | 0.00 mg |
| Tocopherol, gamma | 0.36 mg |
| Tocopherol, delta | 0.06 mg |
| Tocotrienol, alpha | 0.03 mg |
| Tocotrienol, beta | 0.27 mg |
| Tocotrienol, gamma | 0.08 mg |
| Tocotrienol, delta | 0.00 mg |
Fat & fatty acid profile (per 100g)
| Fatty acids, total saturated | 3.1 g |
| SFA 4:0 | 0.01 g |
| SFA 6:0 | 0.01 g |
| SFA 8:0 | 0.01 g |
| SFA 10:0 | 0.02 g |
| SFA 12:0 | 0.02 g |
| SFA 14:0 | 0.20 g |
| SFA 15:0 | 0.03 g |
| SFA 16:0 | 1.8 g |
| SFA 17:0 | 0.06 g |
| SFA 18:0 | 0.92 g |
| SFA 20:0 | 0.01 g |
| SFA 22:0 | 0.01 g |
| SFA 24:0 | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated | 3.6 g |
| MUFA 14:1 | 0.04 g |
| MUFA 15:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 16:1 | 0.21 g |
| MUFA 16:1 c | 0.20 g |
| MUFA 17:1 | 0.04 g |
| MUFA 18:1 | 3.3 g |
| MUFA 18:1 c | 3.1 g |
| MUFA 20:1 | 0.05 g |
| MUFA 22:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 22:1 c | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 24:1 c | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated | 1.2 g |
| PUFA 18:2 | 1.1 g |
| PUFA 18:2 n-6 c,c | 0.99 g |
| PUFA 18:2 CLAs | 0.03 g |
| PUFA 18:3 | 0.09 g |
| PUFA 18:3 n-3 c,c,c (ALA) | 0.08 g |
| PUFA 18:3 n-6 c,c,c | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 18:3i | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 18:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:2 n-6 c,c | 0.03 g |
| PUFA 20:3 | 0.01 g |
| PUFA 20:3 n-3 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:3 n-6 | 0.01 g |
| PUFA 20:4 | 0.02 g |
| PUFA 20:5 n-3 (EPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:4 | 0.01 g |
| PUFA 22:5 n-3 (DPA) | 0.01 g |
| PUFA 22:6 n-3 (DHA) | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total trans | 0.22 g |
| Fatty acids, total trans-monoenoic | 0.18 g |
| TFA 16:1 t | 0.02 g |
| TFA 18:1 t | 0.17 g |
| TFA 22:1 t | 0.00 g |
| TFA 18:2 t not further defined | 0.03 g |
| Fatty acids, total trans-polyenoic | 0.03 g |
| Cholesterol | 19.0 mg |
Amino acid profile (per 100g)
| Tryptophan | 0.09 g |
| Threonine | 0.33 g |
| Isoleucine | 0.37 g |
| Leucine | 0.71 g |
| Lysine | 0.56 g |
| Methionine | 0.19 g |
| Cystine | 0.14 g |
| Phenylalanine | 0.40 g |
| Tyrosine | 0.25 g |
| Valine | 0.45 g |
| Arginine | 0.50 g |
| Histidine | 0.27 g |
| Alanine | 0.44 g |
| Aspartic acid | 0.69 g |
| Glutamic acid | 2.2 g |
| Glycine | 0.46 g |
| Proline | 0.79 g |
| Serine | 0.39 g |
| Hydroxyproline | 0.06 g |
FAQ
Is spaghetti and meatballs a traditional Italian dish?
Not exactly. It's a classic Italian-American creation. In Italy, meatballs (polpette) are usually smaller and served as a standalone main course, not atop pasta.
How can I make it healthier?
Use lean ground meat (turkey, chicken, or a lean beef blend), incorporate finely chopped vegetables like mushrooms or zucchini into the meatballs, choose a low-sodium tomato sauce, and serve over whole-wheat pasta or zucchini noodles.
What's the best way to store leftovers?
Store the pasta and sauce with meatballs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. The pasta may absorb some sauce, so you might add a splash of water when reheating.
Nutrient density (calculated · NRF9.3)
Nutrient Rich Foods index: beneficial nutrients (protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals) minus saturated fat, added sugar & sodium, per 100 kcal.
NRF9.3 index — Fulgoni, Keast & Drewnowski, 2009. Computed from USDA nutrients.
Weight-loss friendliness (composite index)
Energy density 1.70 kcal/g · 18% calories from protein · 1.5 g fiber · 2.0 g sugar per 100 g.
Composite of energy density (Rolls et al., 1999), protein & fiber satiety, minus sugar. A calculated heuristic — ranks satiety-per-calorie, not a clinical measure.
Dietary load (calculated from USDA values)
Potential renal acid load. Positive = acid-forming, negative = alkaline-forming.
Sodium-to-potassium ratio: 1.70 (lower is better — aim for ≤ 1)
Sodium:potassium per WHO potassium guidance. Computed from USDA nutrients.