To debunk the myth, in Italy, meatballs are NOT normally served with spaghetti or any other type of pasta!
The American Italian families started this tradition when they emigrated as they found they had more money for meat. They therefore made them more often and to keep traditions alive, served them with pasta. In Italy, however, meatballs (or polpette) are served as a ‘secondi’ meaning a main course, usually with a side of vegetables or just some crusty bread.
If you don’t have the time or inclination to make them from scratch, use shop-bought meatballs. They won’t be as tender but with the sauce, they will taste just as good. Where we live in Calabria, veal is mainly used to make the meatballs. However you can use minced beef, minced pork (or a mix of the two 50/50). If you want a healthier version use a mix of minced chicken and minced turkey (50/50).
This is a really great recipe because there is quite a lot of sauce. Use some good quality bread to mop up the sauce, just like they do in Italy!
We normally have some sauce left over (but not meatballs) and we mix it with some pasta the following day for a quick lunch!