Kid-Friendly Spaghetti

5 from 365 votes

Kid-Friendly Spaghetti

Our favorite spaghetti is kid-friendly and simple with a delicious homemade sauce making it the perfect family dinner recipe!

Prep Time5

Cook Time45

Total Time50

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Servings:

Author: Lil' Luna

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

Recipe Tips:

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.

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 freeze 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. You can also make meatballs on the side if some people want the option to add meat.

Low-carb version. Try using zucchini noodles, rice noodles or spaghetti squash in lieu of traditional spaghetti noodles.

Nutrition