This Simple Spaghetti with Meat Sauce is a classic Italian-American dish. It is made with ground beef, tomato sauce, herbs, and spices. The combination of flavors creates a comforting meal that can be served with garlic bread or a green salad for a complete dinner. This easy spaghetti recipe is sure to become one of your family’s favorites!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- This Simple Spaghetti with Meat Sauce is simple and straightforward.
- The ground beef gives the sauce a hearty flavor, while the tomato sauce adds a bright and acidic note.
- The herbs and spices add depth of flavor without making it overly complicated.
- Plus, this recipe can be prepared in just 30 minutes!
If you love easy pasta recipes, you may also enjoy this Tuscan Chicken Pasta recipe.
Ingredients
You only need a few simple ingredients to make this delicious dish. All of these ingredients are commonly found in basic kitchen pantries, so you may even be able to avoid a trip to the grocery store to make this weeknight meal.
- ground beef
- yellow onion
- garlic powder
- Italian seasoning
- salt
- pepper
- pasta sauce
- spaghetti noodles
Equipment
You only need a few common kitchen tools to help you make this simple yet hearty recipe. Gather these tools and get ready to enjoy a family-friendly meal.
- large pot
- large skillet
How to Make This Simple Spaghetti with Meat Sauce
Making this dish is so simple. Just follow the step-by-step instructions below to make this delicious meal in no time.
Step 1: Peel and chop the onion
Before we get started making the sauce, you need to peel and dice the onion.
Step 2: Brown the ground beef until cooked all the way through
Add ground beef to a large skillet, then add the onions and seasonings. Cover over medium heat until the meat is browned, breaking the meat up as it cooks.
Step 3: Drain the grease
Once the meat is browned, drain the grease.
Step 4: Add in the sauce and simmer
Once you’ve drained the meat pour the sauce over the meat and stir it in. And, then cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
Step 5: Cook the pasta
Add water to a large dutch oven and bring to a boil over high heat. Add noodles and cook according to the package instructions.
Step 6: Drain the noodles
Strain the water from the noodles, then return to the pot.
Step 7: Serve and enjoy
Serve meat sauce over the noodles.
Storage
Leftover spaghetti can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days and can be reheated in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Pro Tips
Here are a few tips to make sure that your simple spaghetti with meat sauce turns out perfectly every time that you make it.
- Make sure to brown the meat all the way through. This will ensure that it is cooked thoroughly.
- Choose your favorite pasta sauce for this recipe. You can use store-bought or homemade, whichever you prefer!
- You can garnish this dish with some other fresh herbs like parsley and basil.
- Cook your pasta according to package directions as times change according to brands.
FAQs
Do you have questions for this simple spaghetti with meat sauce recipe? Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions for this recipe.
You can freeze leftover spaghetti for up to 3 months. Allow the dish to cool completely before storing in an airtight container and placing in the freezer. You can also vacuum seal it prior to freezing for added freshness.
You can use any type of ground meat that you would like. Ground turkey, pork, or chicken all work well in this recipe.
To make it vegetarian just skip the ground beef and use a plant-based protein instead. Beyond meat is a great way to make this dish meat-free.
Next time you are looking for a quick and easy meal, try this simple spaghetti with meat sauce recipe. With just a few ingredients and minimal prep time, you can have a delicious weeknight meal on the table in no time! Enjoy!
Simple Spaghetti with Meat Sauce
This flavorful spaghetti is so easy to make and requires just a few ingredients like ground beef, onion, pasta sauce, noodles, and seasoning. This is the recipe that I have been serving to my family for our twice monthly spaghetti nights for 2 decades, except that I add mushrooms to ours.
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- ½ medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 2 (24 oz) cans pasta sauce
- 1 lb spaghetti noodles
Instructions
- Peel and dice the onion.
- Add ground beef to a large skillet, then add the onions and seasonings.
- Cover over medium heat until the meat is browned, breaking the meat up as it cooks.
- Once the meat is browned, drain the grease.
- Pour the sauce over the meat and stir it in.
- Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Add water to a large dutch oven and bring to a boil over high heat. Add noodles and cook according to the package instructions.
- Strain the water from the noodles, then return to the pot.
- Serve meat sauce over the noodles.
Notes
Feel free to add mushrooms to this recipe, as it really enhances the flavor.
When I make this spaghetti, I also add more of the seasonings after the meat has been browned and drained.
You can let this simmer on low for 1-2 hours too, and the flavors really come together.
Add a little bit of grated parmesan too, if you’d like! I use the Hunts 4 cheese pasta sauce blend.