Cheesecake Factory Spaghetti and Meatballs (Copycat Recipe)
This Cheesecake Factory Spaghetti and Meatballs copycat recipe brings restaurant-style comfort straight to your kitchen. Juicy beef meatballs, a rich tomato sauce, and al dente spaghetti come together in this easy, crave-worthy pasta dish you can make any night of the week, better than takeout!
Equipment
- 1 Large Skillet For browning meatballs & sauce
- 1 Large Pot For boiling pasta
- 1 Mixing Bowl For preparing meatball mix
- 1 Baking Sheet Optional, if baking meatballs
- 1 Tongs or ladle For combining and serving
Ingredients
- Meatballs
- 1 lb ground beef – 85% lean is best
- ¾ cup breadcrumbs – Italian-style or plain
- ¼ cup grated parmesan – Freshly grated for best flavor
- 2 cloves garlic – Minced
- 1 large egg
- 2 tbsp parsley – Chopped fresh or dried
- Salt and pepper – To taste
- 2 tbsp olive oil – For cooking
- Tomato Sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion – Diced
- 3 cloves garlic – Minced
- 28 oz crushed tomatoes – San Marzano recommended
- 1 tbsp tomato paste – Optional for depth
- 1 tsp sugar – To balance acidity
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes – Optional
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp dried basil
- 1 tbsp butter – For richness
- Salt and pepper – To taste
- Pasta
- 12 oz spaghetti – Bronze-cut if possible
- Water + 1 tbsp kosher salt – For boiling
- 1 tbsp olive oil or butter – Optional for finishing
- Garnish
- Fresh parsley – Chopped
- Grated parmesan – To serve
- Cracked black pepper – Optional
Instructions
- Make the Meatballs:
- In a bowl, mix ground beef, breadcrumbs, parmesan, garlic, egg, parsley, salt, and pepper. Form into balls.
- Cook the Meatballs:
- Brown meatballs in a skillet with olive oil, or bake at 400°F for 15–18 minutes. Set aside.
- Make the Sauce:
- In the same skillet, sauté onion and garlic in olive oil. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, herbs, salt, and pepper. Simmer 15–20 minutes. Finish with butter. Add meatballs and simmer another 10 minutes.
- Cook the Pasta:
- Boil pasta in salted water until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water. Drain (don’t rinse).
- Assemble:
- Toss pasta with most of the sauce. Plate and top with meatballs and extra sauce.
- Garnish and Serve:
- Finish with parsley, parmesan, and cracked black pepper.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Meatballs and sauce can be frozen for up to 3 months.
- For gluten-free, use GF pasta and breadcrumbs.
- Optional: Add ¼ cup red wine to the sauce for extra depth.