Frank Sinatra's spaghetti and meatballs consists of a simple, tasty homemade tomato sauce made with fresh garlic and herbs. The combination beef and pork meatballs with cheese, parsley and bread crumbs are easy to make and a perfect complement to the tangy sauce.
Table of Contents
History of this Recipe
This Sinatra family recipe first appeared in 1945 when it was published in the
WFBL Cookbook of the Stars. Shared by his first wife, Nancy Sinatra, Frank claimed it was always one of his favorite meals.
Whether he was enjoying one of his mother's recipes or dining in his favorite restaurant, Frank naturally gravitated to Italian recipes. He was a pretty mean cook himself, even once making his mom's marinara sauce on TV's Dinah Shore Show in 1970.
Later in his own cookbook, The Sinatra Celebrity Cookbook, Frank shared a memory of his father often cooking large pots of spaghetti sauce (sometimes called Sunday sauce or Sunday gravy), even whipping one up last minute for the entire Tommy Dorsey orchestra! According to the beloved star, after he married his second wife, Barbara, his mom (Dolly Sinatra) and his dad (Marty Sinatra) taught her how to make all of his favorite foods.
This recipe begins with making the meatballs, then letting them slowly cook in the homemade sauce to absorb the flavors.
Meatball Ingredients
The meatball recipe calls for "Italian cheese." This could be many things, and I imagine they used whatever they had on hand at the time. I used fresh grated parmesan and it was delicious, but other options include Romano cheese or Pecorino Romano.
- Ground pork - higher fat content than beef helps hold meatballs together and adds great flavor
- Ground beef - 70% - 80% lean is recommended for the best flavor and consistency
- Garlic - aromatic and flavorful
- Olive oil - for browning meatballs so they don't stick to the pan
- Parmesan cheese - adds a savory flavor
- Eggs - binds everything together
- Italian style bread crumbs - adds moisture and acts as a binder with the egg
- Chopped parsley - adds color and flavor
- Salt - seasoning
- Pepper - adds a bit of spice
Spaghetti Sauce Ingredients
This is one of those vintage recipes with simple, fresh ingredients and lots of flavor.
- Italian style tomatoes - pre-seasoned with Italian spices
- Tomato Puree - the liquid base
- Yellow onion (diced) - adds depth to the flavor
- Garlic (minced) - aromatic and flavorful
- Chopped parsley - an Italian herb that adds a fresh flavor
- Olive oil used to brown meatballs - infused with the flavor from the cooked meatballs
- Thyme - A popular herb in Italian recipes that pairs well with tomatoes
- Salt - adds a pop of flavor
- Black pepper - adds some spice
- Spaghetti noodles - cooked to a al dente; firm but not too soft or too hard
How to Make the Meatballs
In a frying pan, warm olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the meatballs; use a wooden spoon to move them around, cooking a couple of minutes on each side until golden brown.
How to Make the Spaghetti Sauce
Expert Tips for Best Results
- Use fresh herbs for the garlic cloves, parsley, and thyme rather than those from a jar. The garden-fresh flavor it gives this simple pasta sauce is really noticeable.
- Grate your own parmesan cheese rather than use it from a bag. Packaged grated cheese has a waxy coating to keep it from sticking together. Hand grating only takes a minute, and the flavor from using quality ingredients really shines through. You can bet Mrs. Sinatra and old blue eyes weren't using cheese from a bag!
- Cook pasta with a pinch of salt according to package directions, just until al dente for an authentic Italian meal. De Cecco is the brand that comes highly recommended by my local Italian market, and should be available in your regular grocery store.
- Store remaining sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days to retain freshness.
Serving Suggestions
To start the party, begin with a light appetizer from the mid century era such as Lipton Onion Soup Dip with chips or veggies, or a cream cheese ball with some crackers. If you'd like to serve a pre-dinner cocktail, try the Frank Sinatra 3-2-1 or the Classic Manhattan with Bourbon.
For the main course, consider serving with a Caesar salad and a loaf of garlic bread. A nice red wine would add the perfect complement, such as an Italian Chianti or a lovely Cabernet Sauvignon.
We hope you enjoy our Frank Sinatra spaghetti and meatballs recipe. Put on your favorite Rat Pack tunes and savor this delightful Sinatra-style Italian dish!
Mangia bene!
More Rat Pack Recipes to Try
Have a comment or a vintage recipe you'd like to share? We'd love to hear from you! Please rate, comment, or send me an email at [email protected].
Frank Sinatra's Recipe for Spaghetti and Meatballs
Ingredients
Meatballs Ingredients
- ½ lb ground beef
- ½ lb ground pork
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup Italian style bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon chopped parsley
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Sauce Ingredients
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 1 clove garlic
- 28 oz Italian style tomatoes
- 14 oz tomato puree
- 1 teaspoon chopped parsley
- ½ cup olive oil
- ½ teaspoon thyme
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 pound spaghetti noodles
Instructions
How to Make the Meatballs
- In a large bowl, mix all meatball ingredients together until thoroughly combined.
- Form into meatballs, making them as uniform in size as possible.
- In a frying pan, warm olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the meatballs; use a wooden spoon to move them around, cooking a couple of minutes on each side until golden brown.
- Using a slotted spoon, remove from pan and set aside until spaghetti sauce is prepared.
How to Make the Spaghetti Sauce
- Pour the oil that was used to cook the meatballs into a large pot. Add the diced onions and garlic and cook over low heat until tender, about 5 minutes.
- Add the Italian-style tomatoes and the tomato puree to the pot with the oil, then add the salt, pepper, thyme and parsley. Mix well, then add the meatballs. Cover and let sauce cook over low heat for 1 hour, gently stirring on occasion to make sure meatballs don't stick to the bottom of the pan (but be careful not to break them up.)
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil, then add one pound of pasta. Cook just until al dente, then drain. Place drained pasta on a serving platter. Layer half the cheese on top, then pour half the spaghetti sauce over the cheese. Repeat layers. Add a sprinkling of parsley over the top and serve immediately.
Notes
- Use fresh herbs for the garlic cloves, parsley, and thyme rather than those from a jar. The garden-fresh flavor it gives this simple pasta sauce is really noticeable.
- Grate your own parmesan cheese rather than use it from a bag. Packaged grated cheese has a waxy coating to keep it from sticking together. Hand grating only takes a minute, and the flavor from using quality ingredients really shines through.
- Cook pasta with a pinch of salt according to package directions, just until al dente for an authentic Italian meal.
- Store remaining sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days to retain freshness.
