Description
Old-Fashioned Spaghetti with Hearty Meat Sauce is a classic comfort meal combining tender spaghetti noodles with a slow-simmered, flavorful meat sauce. It offers a rich, protein-packed, and satisfying dinner that’s simple to prepare with pantry staples and is perfect for family-friendly, cozy evenings.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat Sauce Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (14 oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Pasta
- 12 oz spaghetti noodles
Toppings (optional)
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh parsley or basil, chopped
Instructions
- Sauté Aromatics: In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add finely chopped onions and minced garlic, cooking until softened and fragrant to create the flavorful base for the sauce.
- Brown the Meat: Add ground beef to the skillet and cook until evenly browned, breaking the meat into small pieces to ensure tenderness and flavor throughout.
- Build the Sauce: Stir in tomato paste, canned crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Allow the sauce to simmer gently for at least 20 minutes to meld flavors and thicken.
- Cook the Spaghetti: Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti noodles according to package instructions until al dente. Drain well, reserving some pasta water.
- Combine and Serve: Toss spaghetti noodles with the meat sauce, adding reserved pasta water as needed to get desired sauce consistency. Finish by topping with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh herbs if desired.
Notes
- Brown the meat well to develop deep, caramelized flavor.
- Let the sauce simmer gently for at least 20 minutes to fully develop richness.
- Reserve some pasta water to loosen the sauce if it gets too thick and help it cling to noodles.
- Use good quality canned tomatoes for best sauce taste.
- Adjust seasoning (salt, pepper, herbs) just before serving for perfect balance.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 65 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
Keywords: old-fashioned spaghetti, hearty meat sauce, classic spaghetti recipe, comfort food, family dinner, Italian pasta sauce