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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 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!