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We all have our FAVORITE “spaghetti recipe” that we know and love, and today’s recipe is the same one we’ve enjoyed our entire lives.
Yes, it’s the one mom made since we were little and the same dinner recipe our kids know and love today. It is SO easy (just a few steps and a quick prep) and packed with all the spaghetti flavors we love – with no crazy ingredients that scare kids away.
The family love to eat it with a side of garlic bread for a quick and simple weeknight dinner that’s ALWAYS a hit – even with our picky eaters!
For other variations, we also love to make our Spaghetti pie and Spaghetti Casserole.
Why we think you’ll love it:
- No fail! This recipe is so simple that even your kids can make it. Just 5 minutes of prep and a few easy steps.
- Loved by all. There are no crazy ingredients in this recipe, which means even the pickiest of eaters love it.
- The perfect dinner. Add some cheesy garlic bread or garlic knots and a salad, and this is the perfect Sunday dinner.
Spaghetti Ingredients and Substitutions
- 1 pound ground beef – We use 80/20 ground beef for the added flavor. Drain the excess oil. Optional: add 1-2 minced garlic cloves. Replace with ground turkey, ground chicken, or ground Italian sausage.
- 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 (6-ounce) can tomato pasta
- salt + black pepper – to taste
- 2 cups hot water – or 2 cups beef broth instead of the bouillon and water
- 2 cubes beef bouillon – omit if using beef broth
- 2 teaspoons sugar – balances the acidity in the tomato sauce. Shredded carrots or sautéed mushrooms can also help with the acidity.
- ½ teaspoon dried basil – or ½ tablespoon fresh basil during the last 10 minutes
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano – or add ½ tablespoon fresh oregano during the last 10 minutes
- dash of garlic salt – or fresh, minced garlic and/or red pepper flakes for a little heat
- onions – optional (our kids aren’t fans, but if they like them, you can throw in either finely 1/4 cup finely chopped onions or even 1 tablespoon dried onions.
- 16 ounces spaghetti noodles – or zucchini noodles, rice noodles, or Spaghetti Squash
How to Make Spaghetti
- GROUND BEEF. Brown 1 pound ground beef in a large pan over medium-high heat. Drain excess grease.
- SAUCE. Heat 2 cups water with 2 beef bullion cubes in the microwave. Sprinkle salt and pepper to taste into the browned meat, 1 can tomato sauce, 1 can tomato paste, 2 cups water with the bouillon cubes, 2 teaspoons sugar, ½ teaspoon basil, ½ teaspoon oregano, and a dash of garlic salt. Simmer on low for 40-60 minutes.
- NOODLES. A few minutes before the hour is up, cook 1 pound spaghetti noodles as directed on the package (al dente). Once the noodles are cooked, add them to the sauce , stir to combine and serve immediately.
- SERVE. We like to top our spaghetti with grated or shredded Parmesan cheese and some fresh basil.
Kristyn’s Recipe Tips
- We always salt the water pasta generously, which helps with the flavor.
- To help balance the acidity in the sauce add sugar or shredded carrots.
- Before you drain your pasta, scoop out about 1/3 cup of the starchy pasta water to add to your sauce at the end. It coats the noodles perfectly, giving you that smooth, restaurant-quality texture.
- If you’re watching your carbs, we like to cook up Spaghetti Squash and use that instead of noodles.
Kid-Friendly Spaghetti
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef, 80 percent lean/20 percent fat
- 2 cups hot water
- 2 cubes beef bouillion, or use 2 cups beef broth and omit hot water
- 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- pinch of garlic powder
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 (16-ounce) package spaghetti
Instructions
- Cook ground beef in a large pan over medium heat, breaking into small pieces, until browned, 8-10 minutes. Drain excess fat.
- Dissolve bouillon cubes in hot water and add to meat. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, sugar, basil, oregano, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Simmer on low for 30 minutes.
- A few minutes before the sauce is done, cook spaghetti noodles according to package directions.
- Drain spaghetti and add to the sauce, tossing to coat. Top with Parmesan.
Video
Notes
- The longer it simmers, the more the flavors will meld and intensify.
- Add dry herbs at the beginning and fresh herbs toward the end.
- Taste as you go and add any extra seasonings.
- To help balance the acidity in the sauce add sugar or shredded carrots.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
Cook the sauce without the hamburger and only simmer for half the time. Another idea is to omit the ground beef but serve Meatballs on the side for people to add in as desired.
Cook sauce according to recipe directions, let cool, put into an airtight freezer-safe container, and freeze for up to 6 months. Reheat the sauce and add it to the cooked pasta.
Store leftovers in the fridge for 3-5 days if properly stored in an airtight container(s), or put in a freeze ziploc and freeze for up to 3 months.
Complete The Meal
Sides
Garlic Knot Recipe
20 mins
Olive Garden Breadsticks
2 hrs 27 mins
Quick Caprese Salad
5 mins
Antipasto Salad
15 mins
Desserts
Panna Cotta Recipe
4 hrs 10 mins
Italian Cookies
1 hr 20 mins
Easy Chocolate Cake Recipe
50 mins
Jello Cheesecake
6 hrs 30 mins
Spaghetti Recipes
Collections
This recipe was first shared July 2014.
I’ve been making this recipe for at least a year, and it is such an easy weekly rotation dish. It’s delicious, filling, and feels like literally no work to just whip up and put on the stove. A nice bonus is how impressed people are by the homemade sauce (even though it is so simple to put together). Def thankful to have this one!
Can you make the sauce ahead of time ? I work late and wanna make it before going back to work. Didn’t know if re heating it and eating same day would make a difference
Yes you can definitely make the sauce ahead of time!
I don)t like it
My kids and husband loved this ! So simple and easy ! Paired with some garlic bread *chefs kiss*
We love this spaghetti! It is rich and hearty! My youngest son just requested it again for his birthday this week. It is always a hit!
This was a great back to school dinner, the kids ate it up. No complaints!
This spaghetti was so easy to make and so delicious. My whole family loved it!
Just a tip, after browningmet i put a little olive oil in and pan and the tomato paste in and saute along with the meat for about 3 min until you see the paste turn a darker shade of red. Then continue as your recipe states.
I feel this really makes a huge differece cooking the padt a bit.
Thanks for sharing!
The whole family loved it. My 4 year old finally eat something we did! Yes! I made it with Turkey & added 2 garlic cloves for extra flavor… so delicious.
I also made a gluten free past & regular spaghetti. I added the regular spaghetti to the sauce, which was a hit. It will be on the dinner rotation.
I tried making my own using your recipe I found that is so amazing results
Simmering the sauce for 1 hour is the key. It makes all the difference. Finally my spaghetti is chef’s kiss. Thank you!
I would love your cookbook.
i like spaghtti a lot
I made this spaghetti sauce for my family this weekend. It was very easy to make and everyone loved it and we have some picky eaters!! Definitely a keeper!
Yay! I’m so glad that this recipe is a hit with the fam!
A box of 300 g of catelli spaghetti will serve how many adults
Can you give me a immédiate answer please.
Finally, a post worth reading. It’s always nice to find postings like this one.
This was so delicious!! Even my picky toddler loved it. Definitely going to be a staple.
Very easy! Takes absolutely no effort at all! If you can make ramen you should be able to handle this!
Do I still add the beef bouillion if doing the meatless option?
Yes!
So easy, but so good! I’ve tried a similar recipe, but I think simmering it for an hour really made a difference in the flavor. 🙂
Enjoyed this for dinner last night and it was a hit all around the table! Easy yet hearty, and packed with flavor; spaghetti never disappoints!
Nothing is better than homemade spaghetti sauce and we loved this easy recipe! Thanks so much for sharing.
I loved the recipe thank you Justin
Love it! I tried many spaghetti recipes, and this one is the best. It is my go to spaghetti recipe.
Yay! So happy to hear that!
this is hands down the best spaghetti I have ever made!! I followed the directions as written, and per your suggestion, I added a dash of red pepper flakes. I believe it made eight servings but for me and my husband it was so delicious. We ate it all in two days. I will be sure to try some of your other recipes. The best thing was, there was no chopping involved. It was so simple to make.
Fantastic recipe! Im pretty picky about my sauce, but this one is near perfect for me. I made the mistake of adding a dash of red pepper flakes that another commenter suggested, and it ruined the sauce for me. I made another batch and combined them, and superb!
So easy and so delicious!!! I do like to add 2 cloves of garlic, pinch of crushed red pepper towards the end of cooking the beef. Also add 1/4 tsp of onion powder to the sauce. This one is now on my regular rotation. Also great to make when having guests over. Thank you!!!
I love spaghetti
Very easy and delicious recipe. Great leftover for the rest of the week. Mmmm. Thanks.
Everyone has their go-to spaghetti recipe, and this one is a great one! It’s delicious, easy, and the kids love it. I never thought about adding beef bullion – a great tip.
This recipe really is so easy – and nothing beats homemade spaghetti sauce! Love it!
This is my kid’s favorite spaghetti recipe and has become my go-to since the prep time is so quick. This dish is a great one for leftovers as well!
good
Another fantastic recipe from you! This will be my go-to spaghetti recipe now.
Homemade spaghetti is the best! The flavor of this spaghetti is amazing! Such an easy recipe to follow. Thanks for sharing!
Homemade spaghetti sauce really is worth the extra effort & thankfully this recipe doesn’t require much! It’s super yummy & super easy – the perfect combo!
So much better than using store-bought spaghetti sauce! The combo of ingredients was spot on. Thanks for another great recipe!
This spaghetti is one of my favorites to make since I can prep the sauce quick and can let it simmer while I’m working on homework with the kids.
Yes!! So glad that this recipe can come in clutch on those busy nights.
We definitely have “our” spaghetti recipe, but I always love trying other versions. This one is simple, and very delicious!
Super easy to follow and really tasty! Family loved this tonight! 🙂 THANKS!!!!! I highly recommend!!
Love spaghetti too
The beef bullion added so much flavor!!
This spaghetti recipe was so YUMMY! I followed the recipe to the tee & will be making it again and again!The only thing I wish I changes was doubling up on the ingredients to make a bigger pot of it 🙂
My picky eaters are finally enjoying dinner! Thank you so much for this recipe!
I make this dish way too often. It’s a problem, but it’s so good and it’s so easy so I won’t be stopping anytime soon.
That is fine with me 🙂 Glad you like it!! Thank you!
Live spaghetti and so does my kids make this all the time ?
usually I don’t comment on Pinterest recipes, because either I make them and they are okay or I make them and everyone hates it in the house. I have a household of the most pickiest eaters ever.
But I had to say something here:
This spaghetti sauce has been approved by everyone in this house. They love it!! And its just the most perfect thing to make on a day where we are all lazy and I don’t want to do much for dinner.
And to show how picky my 8 year old is, well he only eats chicken nuggets and pizza and French fries.. That’s all.. or plain old pasta… So him eating this is just a godsend… Thank you ^^
You have just made my day!! Thank you so much for leaving me a comment! So happy your family liked it!
This was delicious! I added 1/4 cup of heavy cream towards the end and it gave it just the right amount of creaminess. Thanks for the great recipe!
Good idea, I will have to try that! Glad you liked it! Thank you!
What a delicious spaghetti recipe! My kids love it. It is worth the time it takes for sure! SO much flavor!
Best spa tec I’ve ever had, made, tried. Del every time
I am happy you think that!! Thank you for letting me know!
This is a great RECIPE….I veganized it as FOLLOWS….1 cup prepared TVP….No HAMBURGER…1 med can tomatoe sauce instead of a small CAN….then followed the rest of the RECIPE….I put it all in a small crockpot for 8 HOURS…This was really GOOD….Absolutely will make it again…….Thank you
Thank you for sharing what did. Hopefully, it will help anyone else looking to need it vegan 🙂
Yum! perfect meat sauce recipe, especially for those who like tomato sauce but dislike eating tomatoes 🙂 the amount of sauce was perfect for a serving of four in this household.
Thank you for letting me know! I am glad you tried it!
This reicpe is so easy and makes borIng sPaghetti fUN again! Budget friendly, yummy, and quick and easy to make!
Thank you so much for sharing that!
If I am out of hamburger meat and cant make it to thE Store, could i make it without meat but keep everythiNg else exactly the same?
Yes, for sure 🙂 Enjoy!!
this recipe is kid friendly and one the whole family will love! Spaghetti is usually on our menu once a month and we all love this one! great flavor and delicious!
This is by far the yummiest spaghetti recipe! My kids love it & there is never any leftovers! I always keep ingredients on hand!
this recipe is a keeper! I can’t believe how easy it is and so saucy and delicious!
I love reading about people’s recipes for spaghetti! Thanks for sharing1
You are so welcome!! I am the same way!
CouLdnt get any easier and delcious. Ive been trying to teaCh my Kids simple recipes that they can help cook. This was a perfect one. Thanks!
This is the best spaghetti I’ve ever made! Thank you for sharing this recipe!
This is the ultimate comfort food! Thank you!
This is definitely the most requested recipe in our house!
My Goodness, this is definitely a keeper!! It’s everything I want in a sauce. not a huge fan of peppers and onions and mushrooms so this is the perfect sauce for me!! Yummy gimme some more!!!
The only go to recipe for spaghetti that I ever use. Its a family favorite. Dont Make any changes other than quadruple to feed my hungry family!
This recipe is delicous. I am curious however as to how much garlic You RECOMMEND adding.
I just add a dash, really. Maybe 1/2 a teaspoon. If you love garlic, you could add more, or if you don’t like it, it can always be less.
We lOve this sauce. I sharEd it wIth my BFF. She uses it With her eggplant Parmesan. Can i ude this for lasagna?
That would be good! I am sure you could 🙂
I went ahead and used the kid-friendlY sPaghetti saUce without hesitating to wait for a reply. My 10y/o has been bUgging me to make lasagna for a feW weekends now. It was absolutely delicious! Thanks again for sharing this recipe.
That is good to know! Thank you so much for sharing that!
My extemely picky 11 year old loved this sauce and even ate the lasagna I made with it, so it’s a keepeR. I made a small change and used low-sodium beef broth instead of the BOUILLON cubes and water.
Given how much she liked it, any suggestions for other “picky eater” favouRites? ?
Yay!! I love to hear that!! Oh, man..my kids love most of the pastas I share or chicken recipes. Usually, those get eaten 🙂
Thank you for Sharing this great Spaghetti sauce recipe. It’s simplE to make and my family loved it.
I am glad you did!! It is a staple around our house! Thank you so much!
The first ever recipe that I made for my husband. Its the only spaghetti recipe that I use. So good and easy to make. Love it!
this recipe is on my weekly rotation! my kids could eat this every day! It is full of flavor & way better than any jarred sauce. I won’t make it any other way!
I could eat this Spaghetti all day, every day! I love when my family makes this!
How much salt? The recipe doesn’t say?
Sorry, I need to add that. It is 1/2 teaspoon of salt 🙂
For the small cans, you mean the 8 oz cans correct? Just not the standard size?
Also for your basil and oregano – did you use dried or fresh? Thanks!
Yes, the 8 ounce 🙂 I use dried. Hope you like this as much as we do!
Sounds like a good recipe, and very similar to mine! I actually use Better ‘n Boullion chicken flavor. It’s a flavorful paste, more expensive than bouillon but much more flavorful and lasts longer. And I use the chicken flavor, which sounds strange but works really well. I’ll have to try yours too! I’ll probably add a bit of olive oil. Thanks! ❤
Thanks for sharing that!! I will have to try it!!
I’ve been making this recipe at least ten times now but i STILL don’t know exactly what measurements you are using for the tomato sauce or the tomato paste ! what exactly is the size of a small can of tomato sauce and a small can of tomato paste ?
Personally, I don’t remember the ounces but it’s the “SMALLEST” cans available for the sauce and the paste. I hope this helps.
Yes, the tomato sauce is 8 ounces & I can’t think of the paste, but it’s the small, tiny can 🙂
I’d like to try this recipe. Do you use a pound of pasta? The amount isn’t specified in the recipe.
Thanks!
Do you drain the fat from the hamburger? and what mix should I use 70/30 or something leaner?
Yes, you could drain the meat or you don’t have to. I have done both and they work out the same..it just depends on what you like and as far as the meat, you could use whatever meat you like. I use whatever I have on hand, usually 80/20, but any of it, will be just fine in this recipe. Hope you enjoy, as much as we do…it’s the best!
I found this recipe via Recipe Girl and the weekly meal plans. This reminds me of the spaghetti I ate when growing up — except that there was onion in it.
I did make one major change to the preparation of the recipe. I recently read the article at Food52 about the origins of Martha Stewart’s One Pan Pasta Recipe along with some variations. I decided to try and make this with that method. Instead of adding 2 cups of water, I added 4 1/2 cups and the spaghetti and let it boil for 9 minutes. Perfect! And only one pan to wash.
Oh, perfect! I’m so glad you liked it and will have to try it one pan next time I make it. Thanks for the tip! 😀
My kids and husband are extremely picker eaters and hate jar sauce, so this was a good find. They love it. The only thing I found is that a whole box of noodles (at least the barilla multigrain kind I use) is too much for the amount of sauce. So I only use 3/4 of a box of noodles and we have plenty leftover with our family of 5.
This was so good. Tried it lastnight. Not only did my husband and I both like it, but my picky little eater loved it too! And she usually wants spaghetti with no sauce. Lastnight she asked for “a little more sauce”. So kudos to you, I’ll definitely be sifting through your other website and goodies on your site.
Your comment made my day, Michele! I LOVE hearing that. This Spaghetti recipe is definitely our fav! Our kids are picky too but they’ll eat this no problem at all!! 😀
Yum, Yum, Yummmmmmy! This looks lip smackin’ good!!! I can’t wait to try this recipe!!!! 🙂
Let me know if you do try it. It’s our FAVORITE!! 😀
My family loooves spaghetti. Josh usually makes it on Sunday with a “secret ingredient” for everyone to guess. 😉 We’ll have to try this one. Pinned!
That’s so fun!! Definitely have Josh give this recipe a try… it’s so easy and delish!! XO
Can’t go wrong with spaghetti! This recipe look delish!
Definitely not – especially in our fam! We have it at least once a month! 😉