Craving a classic, comforting meal that’s also incredibly simple to whip up? Look no further than this amazing Spaghetti Meat Sauce recipe! This isn’t just any meat sauce; it’s designed to be your go-to for an easy weeknight dinner, ready in just about 30 minutes. Get ready to watch your family fall in love with every flavorful bite!
In the busy lives of working parents, finding truly “easy” dinners can feel like a quest. This recipe nails all the key criteria: minimal ingredients, fewer dishes, and a quick turnaround. It’s the kind of meal that takes the stress out of dinner, allowing you to spend more time enjoying it with your loved ones.
What Makes This Spaghetti Meat Sauce So Easy?
This Homemade Spaghetti Meat Sauce Recipe truly lives up to its “easy” label. It’s a clever twist on a classic, streamlined for modern life. Here’s why it’s about to become your new favorite:
- One-Pot Wonder: The entire meat sauce comes together in just one pot. Yes, you’ll need an extra pot for the spaghetti, but that’s still remarkably few dishes for a complete, satisfying meal!
- Ready in 30 Minutes: For many busy individuals, quick cooking time is the ultimate sign of an “easy dinner.” This sauce delivers, being ready from start to finish in about half an hour.
- Simple, Accessible Ingredients: You won’t find any exotic or hard-to-find items here. In fact, most of the ingredients can be bought in bulk and stored in your pantry, always ready for action. This convenience is a huge plus for meal planning and impromptu dinners.
How to Make Meat Sauce: Step-by-Step
Making this meat sauce is incredibly straightforward. While I often “measure as I go,” this recipe moves quickly, so a little prep makes all the difference.
Step 1: Gather and Measure Your Ingredients
- Before you even turn on the stove, take a few minutes to measure out all your spices and sugar. Open your canned tomatoes and have them ready. This crucial step prevents frantic scrambling and ensures your garlic won’t burn!
Step 2: Brown the Meat
- In a large dutch oven or a heavy-bottomed pot, place your ground beef.
- Over medium heat, break up the beef with a wooden spoon or spatula.
- Cook until the meat is browned and no longer pink.
- Once browned, carefully drain all but 2 tablespoons of grease from the pot. This keeps the sauce flavorful without being overly greasy.
Step 3: Add the Garlic and Tomatoes
- To the pot with the browned beef, add the minced garlic cloves.
- Sauté for just 30 seconds, or until the garlic becomes fragrant. Be very careful not to burn it, as burnt garlic can taste bitter.
- Immediately stir in both cans of tomatoes (crushed and diced).
- Then, add in all your pre-measured spices: sugar, salt, oregano, parsley, basil, and red pepper flakes.
Step 4: Simmer the Sauce
- Bring the entire mixture to a gentle boil.
- Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, allowing the sauce to simmer.
- Let it simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring intermittently. This simmering time is key, allowing all the wonderful flavors to meld and deepen, and for the sauce to thicken slightly.
Step 5: Adjust the Seasonings
- After 15 minutes of simmering, give the sauce a taste test.
- Add more salt and freshly ground black pepper a little at a time, until it perfectly suits your preference. Remember, you can always add more, but you can’t take it away!
Additions and Substitutions for Flexibility
One of the signs of a truly easy dinner is its flexibility. This meat sauce is incredibly adaptable, meaning you can tweak it to suit your family’s preferences without compromising the delicious end result.
- Bring in Onions: If you love onions (and your family tolerates them!), feel free to add chopped onions right after the meat is browned but before you drain the fat. Sauté them for 5 to 7 minutes until softened and translucent, then proceed with adding the garlic.
- Smoother Sauce: If your family isn’t keen on tomato chunks, simply substitute one can of crushed tomatoes for the can of diced tomatoes. This will result in a much smoother sauce.
- Turn Up the Heat: For those who enjoy a bit of spice, you can easily increase the amount of crushed red pepper flakes. The recipe calls for just 1/8 teaspoon, which is perfect for milder palates. Bump it up to 1/4 teaspoon or even a little more for an exciting kick!
- Go Leaner with Ground Turkey: If you prefer ground turkey over beef, it works beautifully in this recipe. If you find there isn’t enough grease (at least 2 tablespoons) after browning the turkey, add a little olive oil before adding the garlic.
Why Add Sugar to Spaghetti Sauce?
When you’re making spaghetti sauce with canned tomatoes, like we are here, they can introduce a noticeable amount of acidity. A small pinch of sugar (just 1 to 2 teaspoons) is added to balance this acidity without making the sauce taste sweet.1 It simply rounds out the flavors. If you’re hesitant, start with 1 teaspoon, taste, and add more if needed.
An excellent alternative to sugar is adding a whole carrot, cut into large pieces, while the sauce simmers.2 The carrot naturally balances the acidity and can be removed before serving.3
Storing, Freezing, and Reheating Leftovers
This meat sauce is fantastic for meal prep and saving for later!
- Refrigeration: Because of the ground beef, you can keep leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.4
- Reheating: To reheat, gently warm the sauce over medium-low heat on the stovetop, stirring often. Only reheat the portion you plan to eat immediately. This sauce should ideally not be reheated more than once.
- Freezing: This meat sauce freezes perfectly! Once it has completely cooled, transfer it to a jar or freezer-safe container. Be sure to leave a solid 2 inches of room at the top of the container to allow for expansion as it freezes. Store in the freezer for up to a month.
What to Serve with Spaghetti Meat Sauce
While this is technically a condiment, once you boil some water and add spaghetti, you’re just steps away from a satisfying meal! Here are a few low-effort side dish ideas that will complete your meal with delicious vegetables:
- Italian Chopped Salad: Fresh, vibrant, and a fantastic contrast to the rich sauce.
- Garlic Bread: A classic pairing! Crusty bread is perfect for soaking up every last bit of that amazing sauce.
- Crispy Brussels Sprouts: Roasting Brussels sprouts takes minimal hands-on time and results in a delicious, slightly caramelized side that even picky eaters might enjoy.5
- Roasted Cauliflower Recipe: This is often a go-to side on pasta night, loved by kids and adults alike for its tender-crisp texture and subtle flavor.
Enjoy making this incredibly easy and delicious Spaghetti Meat Sauce! It’s sure to become a beloved staple in your kitchen.
Spaghetti Meat Sauce Recipe Card
Serves: 7 cups (approx. 4 generous servings)
Prep time: 5 minutes | Cook time: 25 minutes | Total time: 30 minutes
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Description
This quick and easy Spaghetti Meat Sauce recipe is the perfect beginning to a delicious weeknight dinner. Make this flavorful 30-minute sauce and watch your family ask for seconds!
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef (80/20 recommended)
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 28 ounces (1 large can) crushed tomatoes
- 28 ounces (1 large can) diced tomatoes6
- 2 teaspoons sugar (see note on balancing acidity)
- ½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon parsley
- ½ teaspoon basil
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Equipment Needed
- Large dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons
Instructions
- Prep Ingredients: Before you start cooking, measure out all your spices and sugar. Open both cans of tomatoes and have them ready. This ensures quick cooking and prevents garlic from burning.
- Brown the Meat: In a large dutch oven over medium heat, break up the ground beef. Cook until it’s browned and no longer pink. Drain off all but 2 tablespoons of grease from the pot.
- Add Garlic & Tomatoes: Add the minced garlic to the pot and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant (be careful not to burn). Stir in both the crushed tomatoes and diced tomatoes. Then, mix in the sugar, salt, oregano, parsley, basil, and red pepper flakes.
- Simmer the Sauce: Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and let it cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and flavors meld.
- Adjust Seasoning: Taste the sauce and add more salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed, a little at a time, until it’s perfectly seasoned to your liking.
- Serve: Serve hot over your favorite cooked pasta, like spaghetti, and enjoy!
Notes
- Don’t burn the garlic: The reason for prepping ingredients beforehand is to ensure the garlic doesn’t burn, which can ruin the dish.
- For a smoother sauce: Replace the can of diced tomatoes with another can of crushed tomatoes.
- To add heat: Increase the red pepper flakes to ¼ teaspoon or more.
