Kid-Friendly Spaghetti Recipe

Spaghetti Ingredients

• Ground beef (1 pound ): Gives savory richness and meaty texture. 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.
• Tomato sauce (8-ounce can): Provides the bulk of your tomato base, smooth and saucy.
• Tomato pasta (6-ounce can): Thickens the sauce and intensifies the tomato flavor.
• Salt + black pepper (to taste): Helps all the other flavors to pop.
• Hot water (2 cups): Water dissolves the bouillon and helps thin the sauce to a nice consistency. You can use 2 cups of beef broth instead of the bouillon and water
• Beef bouillon (2 cubes): Infuses the sauce with depth. Omit if using beef broth.
• Sugar (2 teaspoons): Balances the acidity in the tomato sauce. Adding shredded carrots or sautéed mushrooms can also help with the acidity.
• Dried basil (½ teaspoon): Adds a subtle herby layer, or use ½ tablespoon fresh basil during the last 10 minutes.
• Dried oregano (½ teaspoon): Complements the basil and gives that classic Italian note, or you may add ½ tablespoon of fresh oregano during the last 10 minutes.
• Garlic salt (dash): Gives a small aromatic boost without overpowering, or use freshly minced garlic and/or red pepper flakes for a little heat.
• Spaghetti noodles (16 ounces): Carries the sauce and bring it all together. You can usezucchini noodles, rice noodles, or Spaghetti Squash instead.

How to Make Spaghetti

GROUND BEEF. Brown ground beef in a large pan over medium-high heat. Drain excess grease.

SAUCE. Heat water with bouillon cubes in the microwave. Sprinkle salt and pepper to taste into the browned meat, tomato sauce, tomato paste, water with the bouillon cubes, sugar, basil, oregano, and a dash of garlic salt.

SIMMER. Cook on low for 40-60 minutes.

NOODLES. A few minutes before the hour is up, cook 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

• If using dry herbs, add them at the beginning; add fresh herbs toward the end.
• You can add 1 tablespoon of salt to the water before adding the pasta; this infuses flavor directly to the noodles. 
• To help balance the acidity in the sauce, add sugar or shredded carrots.
• If you’re watching your carbs, cook up Spaghetti Squash and use that instead of noodles. Gluten-free noodles are also a delicious option.

5 from 368 votes

Easy Spaghetti Recipe

By: Kristyn Merkley

This easy spaghetti recipe features a rich homemade sauce and tender noodles, perfect for family dinners everyone will love!

Servings: 8

Prep: 5 minutes mins

Cook: 45 minutes mins

Total: 50 minutes mins

Video

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 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.

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Notes

Recipe Tips:

• If using dry herbs, add them at the beginning; add fesh herbs toward the end.
• You can add 1 tablespoon of salt to the water before adding the pasta; this infuses flavor directly to the noodles. 
• To help balance the acidity in the sauce, add sugar or shredded carrots.
• If you’re watching your carbs, cook up Spaghetti Squash, zucchini noodles. Gluten-free noodles are also a delicious option.

Make ahead sauce. 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 freezer Ziploc and freeze for up to 3 months.

Make it meatless. For a vegetarian version, skip the ground beef and add a tablespoon of olive oil to the pan before adding the other ingredients. Use vegetable broth instead of the water and bouillon. Another idea is to serve meatballs on the side to add as desired. 

For more substitutions and tips, check out the full recipe post

Nutrition

Calories: 200kcal, Carbohydrates: 38g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 2g, Sodium: 959mg, Potassium: 568mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 10g, Vitamin A: 690IU, Vitamin C: 11.3mg, Calcium: 119mg, Iron: 3.5mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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This recipe was originally published July 2014.