This easy spaghetti recipe with meat sauce is a family favorite for a weeknight dinner. With a few simple ingredients, this hearty classic is always a hit with kids!
While I love making homemade spaghetti sauce, bolognese sauce recipe and million dollar spaghetti when I need a quick 30 minute meal this is my go-to spaghetti recipe!
Table of Contents
Best Spaghetti Recipe and Meat Sauce
When it comes to easy meals, this easy spaghetti recipe with ground beef is at the top of my list. Ready in just 30 minutes, it’s absolutely delicious. Other favorites are crockpot Italian chicken, meatball subs, French bread pizzas and parmesan ranch chicken.
This spaghetti and meat sauce is one of my tried-and-true easy dinner recipes that satisfies any easy pasta recipe cravings. We love to serve it with a chopped salad and breadsticks or garlic bread for an amazing, yet classic spaghetti dinner.
Recipe Ingredients
With almost all of the ingredients already in your pantry, this easy spaghetti recipe comes together in a hurry.
- Onions and garlic: These aromatics add wonderful flavor! Sauté them in oil first before adding the meat.
- Meat: I like to use ground beef, but Italian sausage works really well, too.
- Spices: Italian seasoning, Kosher or table salt, black pepper and oregano add so much flavor and work really well with the marinara sauce.
- Tomato sauce: This easy spaghetti recipe calls for 1 jar of marinara or spaghetti sauce (I love Prego spaghetti sauce), but you can make your own homemade marinara sauce if you prefer.
- Diced tomatoes: I like the texture diced tomatoes add to the sauce, making it a bit heartier, but this is totally optional.
- Spaghetti: This long noodle is ideal for soaking up the sauce, but you can use any shape you like.
How to Make Spaghetti
Dinner can be on the table in 30 minutes with this quick and easy spaghetti recipe.
- Brown the meat. Heat olive oil in a frying pan. Add onions and cook until translucent. Stir in garlic and cook 1 more minute. Next add in meat and seasonings and cook until beef has browned.
- Simmer. Stir in marinara sauce and tomatoes and let simmer uncovered.
- Cook noodles. While sauce is simmering, cook the spaghetti noodles according to package.
- Serve and enjoy! Serve meat sauce over cooked pasta and top with fresh basil and parmesan cheese, if desired.
TIP: For a thinner sauce, add in 1/2 cup of the pasta water before simmering.
Variations
- Veggies. Add in vegetables when sauteing the onion, such as mushrooms, carrots, or bell peppers.
- Meat. Swap out the ground beef for Italian sausage or ground turkey.
- Cheese. Try topping it with fresh mozzarella for a real treat.
- Herbs. Fresh basil or oregano work really well in this recipe.
Have Leftovers? Try Making:
- Spaghetti boats. My family absolutely LOVES spaghetti boats! Simply top sliced garlic bread with leftover spaghetti and mozzarella, then bake for 5-10 minutes until bubbly.
- Leftover spaghetti casserole. Spaghetti casserole is such a fun and delicious way to use leftover spaghetti! It’s basically an easy combo of baked spaghetti and lasagna. Super family-friendly!
- Italian sloppy joes. This is such an easy and delicious dinner! Make sloppy joes by topping a hamburger bun or piece of Texas toast with the spaghetti meat sauce. Dig in and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
The longer you simmer your meat sauce the better it will be. Tossing in some fresh sprigs of basil or oregano will also take it to the next level.
Adding in some cooked garlic, onions and herbs will add great flavors to your basic spaghetti recipe. A pinch of red pepper flakes and a splash red wine or pomegranate will help deepen the flavors.
I find the easiest way to cook pasta is by boiling it in a big pot of salted water (do not skip this step as it helps the pasta from sticking together). Make sure the spaghetti is completely submerged.
That depends on who you ask, but some find that adding a spoonful of pasta water to the sauce helps boosts the flavor. It will thin your sauce, however, so only do so if you are working with a thicker sauce.
Storing and Freezing
One of my favorite things about this easy spaghetti recipe with meat sauce is that it makes a perfect freezer meal! Sometimes I’ll double the recipe and freeze half. It’s perfect for a busy weeknight and makes dinner a breeze!
- To freeze: Let cool completely, then add sauce to a freezer bag. Label with the date, then store in freezer for up to 3 months.
- To thaw: Let thaw in the fridge overnight, then reheat on the stove until warm. Serve over spaghetti noodles and add cheese if desired!
More Easy Pasta Dishes
HUNGRY FOR MORE? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all the newest recipes!
Easy Spaghetti Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- ½ Tablespoon olive oil
- ½ onion , minced
- 2-4 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 pound ground beef , or Italian sausage
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt , more to taste
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper , or red pepper flakes
- 1 (24-ounce) jar marinara or spaghetti sauce
- 1 (14-ounce) can can petite diced tomatoes , drained (optional)
- 1 (16-ounce) box spaghetti noodles
Option toppings: Fresh basil and Grated parmesan
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook 3 to 5 minutes, or until softened. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute longer. Stir in ground beef, salt, pepper, and oregano. Cook until meat is browned. Drain any excess grease.
- Stir in spaghetti sauce and diced tomatoes. Simmer uncovered 15 minutes. Season to taste.
- Boil spaghetti according to package instructions while sauce is simmering. Drain, reserving 1 cup to add to the sauce if too thick.
- Spoon sauce over noodles while hot and top with fresh basil and parmesan cheese, if desired, to serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Categorized as: 30 Minute Meals, 30 Minute Meals, Beef, Dairy-Free, Dinner, Freezer-Friendly, Italian, Kid-Friendly, Pasta, Stovetop
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
Great spaghetti recipe
My kids devoured this!!
Thank you for this recipe! My tastebuds have gone blind to jarred pasta sauce and it just tastes so plain to me now. I needed a recipe that was easy to spice up since I’m too lazy to actually make from scratch sauce. This was perfect! It has that homemade taste to it, and it’s so full of flavor and so simple to make! I’ll definitely be making this again.
I’m the same way! So glad you enjoyed this sauce!
I seriously loved this! Such a perfect meal for busy nights!
Total family favorite!
You just can’t beat a thick and tasty homemade red sauce! This recipe sounds super tasty.
Hope you enjoy! :)
Made this tonight and it turned out perfect! So good and easy. Definitely a keeper.
To make spegatti dinner extra special or date night or Sunday dinner add sausage and Italian sausage. Add garden salad , garlic bread and cinnamon rolls for dessert. Use candles or to give table new look at hurraine lamp and oil and light for dinner or go dollar store get candles and add it. Dress up for dinner. Especially if gave kids and can’t go out. Do romantic candle night dinner once kids go bed.
Great ideas Veronica! Thanks for sharing! :)
I was at home on Saturday morning I realized that ground beef say to use or freeze be 9/20/17. It was 9/30/17 so I decided to cook it. I put in water defrost for 1 or more using cold water method you change water every 30 minutes per pound. I decided I want spegatti. So I like muller spegatti add water and kosher salt like it cook fi 40 minutes. I was looking for recipe I thought it was I heart recipes with Rosie which is souful recipes. It wasn’t until I click I realize I was on wrong website. I love trying recipes so I gave yours try. I use three caps full of great value olive oil from Walmart. I add 2.25 ground beef let cook for 40 minutes. I Add regular spoon full McCormicks black pepper,spoonful kosher salt from McCormick, great value Walnart minced onions, McCormick minced garlic , 5th season Walmart brand for eighty -eight cents garlic power, onion power,Italian seasoning and parlsey flakes. I drain fat at twenty minutes. Then after 40 minutes. I drain all fat. I put in sauce pan. I add jar pregu traditional sauce. I add one cup eater using jar then add seasonings again stir for minute. I lost cook for hour. It usually takes me 2 hours cook it but it be so good and worthy the time.
Glad you enjoyed this recipe! Thanks for stopping by. :)
Love how simple this is! I also enjoy your original photos – they give me hope :)
:D
This is so close to how we make ours! It’s always a favorite!
This spaghetti recipe is so good! There is nothing better than good classic meals!
It’s kids most favorite, and it’s sauce is what we had to consider prior serving it for it is the one who makes it palatable. But my mom use to tell me that it is the pasta that makes it perfect. I doubt it, just try to figure it out a spaghetti without it’s sauce? It’s probably the most unwanted food isn’t it? So, sauce is important.:)
Amazing! I love spaghetti!
Looks amazing! I love spaghetti!
Thanks for linking up!
~Liz
this sounds delicious a few kids of mine do not like spaghetti the way I fix it I will try it your way and see what they think
Looks great! We are having spaghetti tonight… and mine will be pretty much like your recipe except I add fresh mushrooms and zucchini! Yummy! Came over from Creative Therapy.
Have a great day!
Hi Jamielyn! Thanks for the yummy recipe for spaghetti! sooo good!