Easy Spaghetti And Meat Sauce Recipe (Made with Ground Beef & Store Bought Sauce)

Looking for an easy, scrumptious spaghetti and meat sauce recipe? Well, look no further because this is THE ONE!!!

This spaghetti and meat sauce recipe is the bomb.com and is the perfect mid-week dinner. So give it a shot and let me know what you think in the comments! You WILL NOT regret it!

An Italian classic

Spaghetti and meat sauce is an Italian dish that Americans absolutely fell in love with. I don’t know too many folks who don’t love Spaghetti and meat sauce.

Some prefer it made with meat sauce, while others prefer meatballs. But you’d be hard-pressed to find an American who’d tell you that they don’t like it.

I can’t tell you how many times someone has told me Spaghetti and Meatballs is their favorite dish! I’ll be the first to tell you it’s one of my favorites, too.

Below is an old Spaghetti and Meat Sauce tutorial I posted to my YouTube channel. Check out the video below for visual step-by-step instructions if you’re more of a visual learner.

Watch Me Make It

My first successful dish

Spaghetti was one of the first dishes I mastered as a teen. In my mid-teens, I developed a love for cooking and realized I was pretty darn good at it.

It was back in 2003, at age 16, when I really started to impress my parents with my cooking. I come from a family of good cooks, especially my father’s side.

Aunt Angie, Grandma Gwen, and my nana Alice Mea are names my followers are very familiar with. That’s because I’ve modified many of their recipes and always make sure to give them props on my blog.

I learned the most about cooking just by always watching those three throw down in the kitchen. And I can’t forget my father, who everyone called Snooks, because everybody loved his pies and cakes.

I remember neighbors asking him to bake for them all the time during the holiday season. Don’t get me wrong, he could put together a gourmet meal, but baking pies and cakes was what he was best at.

Now, although my mom’s side isn’t known for cooking, my grandpa Milton was a beast in the kitchen! He worked as a chef at Lord & Taylor in Philadelphia for over 30 years.

I say all that to say cooking was sort of in my DNA, but I fell in love with it out of necessity. Lol! I’m not so sure I would have enjoyed it as much if my grandma Val hadn’t been so lazy! Lol!!

I moved in with my grandma Val during the early 2000s, around 2001 or so. She was a pretty solid cook, but she didn’t like to do it unless she absolutely had to.

Her husband, McCloud, whom I’ve mentioned many times before, was the better cook of the two. But the problem was, he was rarely ever home. Lol!

So who was left to cook? You guessed right… Yours truly, Philly boy Jay! He would fill the cabinets with boxed food and canned goods, and pack the fridge with snacks and drinks.

The freezer and deep freezer in the basement were always filled to the top! So there was always plenty of food for me to cook for myself and Grandma Val.

I remember fish being one of the first things my family trusted me to cook. Let’s just say I ruined it by doing the absolute MOST. What was I thinking, seasoning fish with sugar? SMH!

My aunt Pam was freaking livid because she had just bought the 3 lbs of Whitings I decided to experiment with. That was in 2001, so I was around 13 or 14 and just entering high school.

They wouldn’t let me near the stove again until I was about 16! Haha! By this time, I had watched Grandma Val, Grandma Gwen, Nana, and McCloud cook a thousand times.

I was far more knowledgeable about cooking and finally understood how certain dishes were supposed to be prepared. Eventually, they trusted me to prepare dinner for them again, and this time around I NAILED IT!

They absolutely loved it and were asking, “Jay, you made this?!!!” They kept asking because they couldn’t believe how well I did making dinner.

What dish do you think it was I made for dinner that impressed them so much? That’s right… Spaghetti and Meat Sauce!! Anyway, I say all this to say spaghetti and meat sauce will always hold a special place in my heart.

It’s not only one of the first dishes I mastered, but it’s what made me fall in love with cooking. It’s also the dish that convinced my family that I was good enough to cook when they didn’t feel like it. Lol!

A few years later, in 2006, I made a big Thanksgiving dinner for the family. They were blown away and started wanting me to cook all the time after that.

At age 19, the family fully understood that Philly boy Jay could absolutely COOK and not just cook, but do it pretty well. Ok y’all, let’s get onto the important stuff.

Common Questions about Spaghetti

• Do you break the Spaghetti in half? I break it in half once, but it’s completely optional. Traditionally, you wouldn’t! Some people love long strings of Spaghetti twirling around their fork. But breaking it in half makes it a lot easier to cook, serve, and eat.
• Do you add salt to your pasta water? Yes, salt adds flavor to the pasta. I season the water with about 2 teaspoons of salt before it comes to a boil. How much I use depends on how much pasta I’m making.
• Do you add oil to the pasta water? I used to, but I no longer do! Like most people, I used to think it stopped pasta from sticking. What it does is make the Spaghetti slippery, preventing the meat sauce from sticking.
• What does al dente mean? In Italian, it means “to the tooth.” That means to be tender and firm with a bite. The last thing you want is white, bloated, soggy Spaghetti! YUCK! I usually cook mine over high heat for 10 to 12 minutes, then strain it immediately.
• Do you rinse the Spaghetti once it’s done? Only if I’m making pasta salad. For a hot dish like this, you want the pasta to retain its starch. The starch is what helps the meat sauce stick. Just strain it as soon as it’s al dente so you don’t overcook it.
• Do you season your Spaghetti once it’s done? Personally, I do! Before topping it with the meat sauce, I toss the Spaghetti with butter and parsley.

Ingredients you’ll need:

Here are all the ingredients we’ll be using for this recipe. So get your shopping list together and make sure you pick up all these ingredients.

Pasta

• Pasta: I like to use thin Spaghetti. Make sure you use a good brand.
• Liquid: We’ll use about 2.5 quarts of cool water to boil our Spaghetti.
• Seasonings: A little Salt is needed to season our water, which infuses our pasta with flavor. I sprinkle the Spaghetti with Parsley flakes once it’s done.
• Fat: For a little extra richness, we’re gonna toss the hot Spaghetti with a small amount of butter before adding the meat sauce. We’re not using a lot; just enough to lightly coat the pasta. We do this to give the pasta a subtle, buttery flavor and keep it from being bland and dry.

Meat sauce

• Meat: Use 80/20 Ground Beef; its high fat content adds moisture and flavor. We’ll be using Sweet Italian Sausage as well. It’s packed with so much flavor, which makes it a real game-changer for meat sauce. Be mindful that sweet Italian sausage meat is pork. If you don’t eat pork, you can replace it with more ground beef or even ground turkey.
• Vegetables: Onions are a must when creating a good meat sauce. We’ll be using standard Yellow Onions. Just like onions, garlic is essential for a good meat sauce, so we’ll be adding some Minced Garlic. Now Green & Red Bell Peppers aren’t traditional or necessary, but I like what they bring to the table. Last but not least, I add a small amount of Diced Tomatoes, but they’re not necessary either. Add a little if you like your meat sauce a little chunky.
• Condiments: I love adding mushrooms to my meat sauce, but I don’t like to use a lot, so I prefer Prego’s Mushroom Sauce. Just in case you want to know how much to buy, purchase two 24-oz bottles of Prego’s Mushroom Sauce. You can use traditional sauce if mushrooms aren’t your thing. We’ll also be adding some Tomato Paste. I use it to thicken the sauce and give it a traditional rich red color.
• Liquid: Reserve a 1/2 cup of Pasta Water. We’ll be adding the pasta water to the meat sauce so it doesn’t dry out while it simmers for 15 minutes. Adding pasta water to the meat sauce also helps it better stick to the noodles and gives it a nice, silky consistency.
• Seasonings: Seasoning salt, Creole Seasoning, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Italian Seasoning, and Black Pepper are the best combination of seasonings for meat sauce. We’ll be adding a little Sugar as well to reduce the acidity in the tomato sauce.

“Let’s talk about the SUGAR”

“You add sugar to your meat sauce?” is a question I get often, and my answer is an astounding, YES!!

Sugar reduces the acidity and gives the sauce the perfect balance! Otherwise, it’ll be too bitter and overwhelm the dish. But some people prefer it bitter and REJECT the idea of adding sugar.

I always add sugar to my tomato sauce, no matter what I’m making. Whether it’s pizza, Lasagna, or even tomato soup, you best believe I’m adding a pinch of sugar!

Adding sugar to sauce has been a big topic of debate in the culinary world for years. Especially for dishes like Spaghetti and pizza, where many people believe the sauce should be bitter.

At the end of the day, you have to be happy with what’s going in your mouth. So if you think using it is sacrilegious, omit it and do you boo!

Personally, I feel it’s necessary to reduce the acidity and give the sauce that perfect balance. Now that we’ve got all that out of the way, let’s get into how to make this delicious meat sauce!

How to make meat sauce

1. Place a large pot over high heat.
2. Add cool water and salt.
3. Once it comes to a boil, break the Spaghetti in half.
4. Add the Spaghetti and boil for 12 minutes.
5. Once done, reserve half a cup of the starchy pasta water.
6. Drain the Spaghetti and set aside.
7. Add the butter and parsley to the pot, then toss well to coat.
8. Place a large skillet over medium heat.
9. Add the meat and cook until it browns, about 8-10 minutes.
10. Chop the meat as finely as possible while it cooks.
    
    
11. Once the meat browns, drain some of the fat.
    
    
12. Add the onions, peppers, and minced garlic to the skillet.
13. Add in the seasonings and stir well.
14. Cook until the onions are translucent, about 4-5 minutes.
    
    
15. Reduce the heat to low.
16. Add the tomato sauce, paste, diced tomatoes, and sugar.
17. Add the reserved pasta water, then stir well.
18. Cover with a lid, leaving a small crack on the side.
19. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring periodically.
    
    
    
    
    
    
20. Combine the spaghetti and meat sauce, or serve the sauce over the tender spaghetti.

Tips for best results

• Don’t overcook Spaghetti: cook it just until it’s al dente! The last thing we want is white, soggy, bloated Spaghetti. I usually let my Spaghetti cook for 12 minutes.
• The secret sauce trick: Before you drain your noodles, save about half a cup of the starchy water. Adding a splash to your sauce helps it stick to the noodles and gives it a nice, silky, professional finish.
• Use two spatulas: Make sure you have 2 on hand to break up the ground beef and Italian sausage as they cook. You want it to be as fine as possible.
• Let it simmer: Keep the sauce on low for 10-15 minutes. It gives the flavors a chance to really come together so it doesn’t taste like it’s straight out of the bottle. Make sure you stir the meat sauce periodically while it simmers.

Spaghetti And Meat Sauce Variations:

• Cheddar Cheese: When I’m making this just for myself, I like to add cheddar cheese to the sauce. OMG is all I can say! If you’re a cheese lover like I am, you’re gonna love this addition.
• Fried Pork Bacon Bits: The first time I tried it with bacon was during my vacation in Venice, Italy. It was an absolute game-changer! The next time I made Spaghetti and meat sauce at home, I threw in some bacon and LOVED IT. Give it a shot; it’s something I love to do once in a while.
• Fresh Mushrooms: I love mushrooms, but they’re optional! They make for a great addition if you love mushrooms like I do.
• Shrimp: This is my favorite way to “level up” my Spaghetti and meat sauce. It adds a whole new dimension to the dish. If you love seafood, this addition won’t disappoint. I’ve only added shrimp to my meat sauce a few times, but I enjoyed it every single time.
• Jalapeños: Want to add a kick of heat to your meat sauce? Chop up some fresh jalapeños to create a more “Mexican-style” dish.

What to serve with Spaghetti and meat sauce:

• Fried Chicken: Spaghetti and meat sauce pairs perfectly with crispy fried chicken. It gives you chicken parmesan vibes. I promise the combo works every time.
• Fried Fish: People up North might not know this, but fried fish served with Spaghetti is popular down South. I tried it and totally understood why—it’s the perfect mix.
• Fried Pork Chops: Spaghetti tastes great with crispy fried meat, and Pork chops are no exception to the rule. My grandma Val’s husband, McCloud, would always serve Spaghetti with a crispy fried pork chops on the side.
• Seared Steak: This has become a favorite of mine. However, whenever I pair Spaghetti with a seared steak, I usually keep the pasta simple with just sauce and no meat.
• Tossed Salad: If you want something light and refreshing, a tossed salad is the way to go.
• Spinach: Spinach is my favorite veggie to pair with Spaghetti and meat sauce. Sautéing it with butter and a splash of vinegar always hits the spot! OMG!
• Condiments: Now if you’re wondering what people use to dress their Spaghetti and meat sauce/meatball… it’s undoubtedly grated Parmesan cheese. Grated Parm was literally made for Spaghetti and meat sauce/meatballs. Lol!

Storage and Reheating

• How to store it: Place the leftovers in a container or bowl. Cover it with a lid, aluminum foil, or plastic wrap, then refrigerate.
• Can you freeze it? Yes. Add it to a Ziploc bag and make sure it’s tightly sealed. Store in the freezer to keep it fresh for 3 months or more.
• How to reheat: Place it in a microwave-safe dish. Heat it on high for 1-2 minutes or until hot throughout.
• How to reheat Spaghetti and meat sauce in a pot: Add it to a skillet and place over medium heat. Let it simmer for 8-10 minutes or until hot throughout; stir periodically. Add a quarter cup of sauce if needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Can I make homemade tomato sauce? Yes, as long as you have a good “sauce from scratch” recipe. I know how to make homemade sauce, but I’m very lazy, so I rarely do. Lol!
• Can I use a different type of pasta? Absolutely! While Spaghetti is the classic choice, penne or rigatoni can be used. Do you and use what you love best.
• Can I use ground turkey instead of beef? For sure! Ground turkey or chicken is a great low-fat option. Just keep in mind that they might need a little extra seasoning.
• Do I really have to add sugar? It’s not mandatory, but I highly recommend it. It gives the sauce balance by reducing the acidity. If you like a sharp, bitter sauce, feel free to omit it!
• What if my leftover Meat Sauce dried up the next day? This tends to happen as your leftover pot of Spaghetti and meat sauce sits in the fridge overnight. Ground meat and Spaghetti are good for absorbing sauce so this is usually what happens. Just stir in a little sauce before you reheat it.

Cookware & utensils you’ll need:

Make sure you have all of these cooking utensils in the kitchen. You’ll need them for this Spaghetti and meat sauce recipe.

• Large skillet: For frying the meat and sautéing the veggies.
• 2 Spatulas: Use 2 spatulas to break up the meat.
• Knife: To chop the vegetables.
• Large pot: You need a large pot to boil the Spaghetti in.
• Colander: To strain the Spaghetti once it’s done.
• Tongs: Tongs make it easier to transfer and plate the Spaghetti.
• Big Spoon: A large spoon for stirring and scooping the meat sauce.

Alright y’all, that’s it for now. The full recipe, with all the measurements and detailed instructions, can be printed below. I’m glad that, after all these years, I was able to create a recipe for this dish and share it with you all.

If you enjoy this dish as much as I do, please give me a 5-star rating and leave a comment below. Make sure you share this recipe with your friends and family, and subscribe so you never miss a recipe.

Enjoy, later!

PBJ~

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