This Boomer Dinner Is Still Beloved Today And Simple Enough To Make At Home, So You Can Skip Olive Garden - Tasting Table

"While both spaghetti and meatballs are quintessential Italian dishes, they aren't traditionally served together in Italy. The combination of meatballs, called polpette, with tomato sauce and spaghetti stems from an influx of Italians immigrating to the United States in the late 1800s and early 1900s, where they found meat to be much more affordable and began to use it more liberally in their cooking."

"Eventually, these Italian immigrants began to fold themselves into American society, sharing their cuisine and opening restaurants, where many Americans would dine out at these approachable Italian restaurants, ingraining Italian-American cuisine into the culture. Additionally, men stationed in Italy during WWII returned with a fondness for Italian cuisine. Spaghetti and meatballs were even popularized in Hollywood, with 1955's "Lady and the Tramp" showcasing the dish on the movie poster, solidifying the image in the minds of children growing up in the boomer generation."

"But unless you're seeking the old-school ambiance of a neighborhood joint or unlimited salad and breadsticks at Olive Garden, you're better off making the classic Italian-American dish at home instead. Tomato sauces like marinara or pomodoro are quick and easy to make yourself, especially with a few expert tips, but if you're in a rush, there's no shame in using a good-quality jarred pasta sauce as a shortcut."

Spaghetti and meatballs originated as an Italian-American creation after late 19th–early 20th century immigration, when meat became more affordable in the United States and immigrants used it more freely in cooking. Immigrants opened restaurants and integrated their cuisine into American culture, aided by returning WWII servicemen who favored Italian food and by popular culture such as 1955's "Lady and the Tramp." Red-sauce Italian restaurants proliferated, but the dish is often best prepared at home. Quick tomato sauces like marinara or pomodoro are easy to make, jarred sauces work as shortcuts, and meatballs require simple ingredients and freeze well.

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