Spaghetti with Meat Sauce
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Cook Time
15 mins
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Total Time
30 mins
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Servings
4
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Calories
6046 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
American
Spaghetti with Meat Sauce
Description
This recipe combines ground beef sautéed until browned with finely diced onion, carrot, and celery to build a flavorful base. Garlic is added briefly before deglazing the pan with dry white wine or broth, which enhances depth. Tomato paste and oregano are stirred in, followed by crushed tomatoes and water or broth to form the sauce. The mixture simmers to meld flavors.
Dry spaghetti is added directly to the pot, submerged in the sauce without stirring, then covered and cooked until tender, allowing the pasta to absorb the sauce. The result is pasta coated with a robust meat and tomato sauce that carries the sweetness of vegetables and herb notes. Grated Parmesan cheese on top adds salty richness, and fresh basil or parsley can provide aromatic freshness.
This dish suits weeknight dinners with its all-in-one-pot cooking and familiar flavors. Ground beef can be substituted with turkey, chicken, or pork. Leftovers keep well refrigerated or frozen; the sauce and pasta may be stored separately for best texture retention. Gentle reheating restores warmth without drying.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil - This can be replaced with any neutral-tasting oil such as canola or vegetable oil.
- 1 pound ground beef 90% lean - Alternatively, try ground turkey, chicken, or pork.
- ½ onion small diced - Yellow or white onion work best, small
- 1 carrot small diced - Or, use additional celery and onion, small
- 1 celery small diced - You can try leeks for a similar effect, stalk
- ¼ cup white wine optional - If you don’t consume alcohol, replace the wine with chicken, vegetable, or beef broth, dry
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ teaspoon oregano Or an Italian seasoning blend, dried
- 28 ounce San Marzano crushed tomatoes Regular crushed tomatoes can be used if you can’t find San Marzano but the sauce won’t have as much depth of flavor, can
- 2 cups water or low-sodium beef broth for extra flavor
- salt to taste (about 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper if using water, or less salt if using broth
- black pepper to taste (about 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper if using water, or less salt if using broth
- 8 ounce spaghetti prefer a whole wheat type, or if you’re on low carb diet, use low-carb spaghetti. NOTE: If you pan is not wide enough, you may brake the pasta is half to fit your pot; otherwise, leave it whole
- basil or chopped parsley to garnish (optional, fresh leaves
- ½ cup Parmesan Cheese shaved or grated - Or, Pecorino.
Instructions
- Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the oil, and cook the ground meat, stirring occasionally, until browned (about 5 minutes). TIP: Use a wooden spoon or spatula to break the beef up into smaller crumbles.
- Reduce the heat to medium, add the onion, carrot, and celery, and cook, stirring once and a while, until the onion has softened, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the wine and let it almost evaporate.
- Then, stir the tomato paste and oregano and let it cook for about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, water (or broth), season with salt and pepper to taste, and stir well. Lastly, add the pasta, making sure to submerge it completely in the liquids but without stirring.
- Cover the pot and cook over medium heat until the water (or broth) is absorbed and the pasta is cooked, about 12 to 15 minutes depending on the type of spaghetti you use.
- Serve topped with shaved or grated cheese! If you want, you can garnish it with some fresh basil leaves.
Notes
- Leftover spaghetti with meat sauce can be kept refrigerated in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
- Freeze the meat sauce separately for up to 3 months; cook pasta nearly al dente before freezing for better texture.
- To reheat, warm pasta and sauce together gently on medium heat, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Ground beef can be substituted with turkey, chicken, or pork for variation.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 6046 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 604.6kcal | 30% |
| Carbohydrates | 62.1g | 21% |
| Protein | 35.5g | 71% |
| Fat | 24g | 37% |
| Saturated Fat | 8.1g | 41% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1.5g | 9% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 10.9g | 55% |
| Trans Fat | 0.7g | 35% |
| Cholesterol | 84.6mg | 28% |
| Sodium | 668.7mg | 28% |
| Potassium | 1134.9mg | 24% |
| Fiber | 5.9g | 24% |
| Sugar | 11.2g | 22% |
| Vitamin A | 3213.5IU | 64% |
| Vitamin C | 22mg | 24% |
| Calcium | 212mg | 21% |
| Iron | 6.4mg | 36% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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