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Our favorite spaghetti is kid-friendly and made with a delicious homemade sauce making it the perfect family dinner recipe!
LINDSAY: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “This was so delicious!! Even my picky toddler loved it. Definitely going to be a staple.”
How To Make Spaghetti
It seems like everyone I have ever met has “a spaghetti recipe” they know and love, and each one is different! Today’s recipe is one my mom has made her whole life and one our my own family loves now for dinner!
Why We Love It!
- No Fail! This recipe is so simple that even your kids can make it.
- 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.
- PREP TIME: 5 MINS
- COOK TIME: 45 MINS
INGREDIENTS
- 1 Pound Ground Beef – I like to use 80/20 ground beef because it is so flavorful. Since it produces so much excess oil, I will drain it before adding the meat to the sauce.
- Use ground turkey, ground chicken, or ground Italian sausage in place of ground beef. For added flavor, mince 1-2 garlic cloves and add them to the ground beef. Brown in a large skillet.
- 1 – 8 Ounce Can Tomato Sauce
- 1 – 6 Ounce Can Tomato Pasta
- Salt + Black Pepper, to taste
- 2 cups Hot Water
- 2 Cubes Beef Bouillon – You can also use beef broth instead of the bouillon and water
- 2 teaspoons Sugar – helps balance the acidity in the tomato sauce. Sautéed onion or mushrooms can also help with the acidity as well.
- Spices – 1/2 teaspoon dried basil, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, dash of garlic. You can also add red pepper flakes for a little heat.
- Fresh herbs. One teaspoon of dried herbs equals one tablespoon of fresh herbs. Dried herbs are added at the beginning of the cooking time, while fresh herbs are added toward the end.
- 16 Ounces Spaghetti Noodles – For substitutes, try using zucchini noodles, rice noodles, or Spaghetti Squash in lieu of traditional spaghetti noodles.
STEP BY STEP: In PHOTOS
STEP 1. GROUND BEEF. Brown the hamburger in a large pan. Drain the fat if desired.
STEP 2. SAUCE. Throw in salt, pepper, tomato sauce and paste, water (with the bouillon cubes in it or beef broth in the can), sugar, basil, oregano, and garlic. Simmer on low for 40-60 minutes.
STEP 3. NOODLES. A few minutes before the hour is up, cook the box of spaghetti noodles as directed on the package. Once the noodles are cooked, add them to the sauce and serve immediately.
We like to top our spaghetti with grated (or even shredded) Parmesan cheese and some fresh basil if desired. It truly is so delicious!
MEATLESS OPTION. If you would like a meatless version, cook the sauce without the hamburger, and just put a tablespoon of olive oil in the pan before adding any other ingredients. You can make Meatballs on the side if some people want the option to add meat!
COMPLETE THE MEAL
- APPETIZERS: Easy Bruschetta, Mozzarella Sticks, Fried Zucchini
- SIDES: Garlic Knots, Cheesy Garlic Bread, Olive Garden Breadsticks, Focaccia
- SALADS: Tomato Mozzarella Salad, Chicken Caesar Salad, Pesto Salad
- DESSERTS: Panna Cotta, Italian Cookies, Easy Chocolate Cake
Other Spaghetti Recipes: Chicken Spaghetti, Crock Pot Spaghetti, Spaghetti Pie, Baked Spaghetti, Spaghetti Casserole
More Collections: Sunday Dinner Ideas, Dinner Ideas for Kids, Italian Dinner Recipes
Spaghetti Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
- 2 cubes beef bouillion
- 2 cups hot water
- 2 teaspoons sugar, white or brown
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- dash of garlic
- salt and pepper to taste
- 16 ounces spaghetti noodles
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium-low heat, brown the ground beef, breaking up and making sure there is no pink (drain excess fat).
- Once cooked, add salt, pepper, tomato sauce and paste, water (with the bouillon cubes in it), sugar, basil, oregano, and garlic. Simmer on low for an 40-60 minutes.
- A few minutes before the hour is done, cook box of spaghetti noodles as directed on package.
- Once the noodles are cooked, drain and add to spaghetti sauce. Toss together and top with grated Parmesan cheese and fresh basil, if desired.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
RECIPE FAQ
Can You Make Spaghetti in the Crock Pot?
- BEEF. Brown the ground beef and add to a crock pot.
- SAUCE. Add all of the other sauce ingredients. Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours.
How to Store Spaghetti?
Leftover homemade spaghetti can last in the fridge for 3-5 days if properly stored in an airtight container. To reheat quickly, microwave in 30-second increments, stirring in between, until hot.
How to Freeze Spaghetti?
- Freeze only the sauce. Cook sauce according to recipe directions, let cool, put into an airtight freezer-safe container, and freeze for up to 6 months.
- To use: thaw in the fridge, place sauce into a saucepan on the stovetop, and heat. Cook pasta according to directions.
- Freeze both sauce and pasta. Make the sauce according to the recipe directions and cook the noodles al dente. Combine the two, cool, and place into an airtight freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 2 months.
- To use: thaw in the fridge. Place into a baking dish, cover with foil, and put in the oven preheated to 350°F. Bake for about 30 minutes or until hot.
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!!