Spaghetti with Meat Sauce is a staple at our house. It is a kid friendly dinner that I know everyone will eat. Follow this recipe to turn your favorite jarred marinara sauce into delicious spaghetti with meat sauce.
If you would rather use your Instant Pot for spaghetti night, check out this recipe for Instant Pot Spaghetti! Or if your family loves meatballs, pop over to this Amazing Baked Italian Meatball Recipe!
If you like to have a weekly pasta dinner, but like to keep it simple, also check out this Easy Tomato Cream Sauce recipe and Instant Pot Turkey Meatballs!
Homemade Sauce
In this recipe we will not be going to the lengths of making your own sauce… that is reserved for this recipe for Homemade Marinara.
This is more of an easy, weeknight dinner when you have a pound of ground beef and want something delicious that everyone will eat.
Just take the help from the store and use your favorite marinara sauce.
Ingredients
Here is what you will need for this Spaghetti and Meat Sauce Recipe:
- spaghetti noodles or your favorite pasta shape
- 24 oz favorite jarred marinara
- 1 lb ground beef
- onion
- garlic
- dried oregano, dried basil, onion powder, garlic powder
Ground Beef – I recommend using an 85/15 ground beef for your spaghetti. It has enough fat to be flavorful, but not so much that your beef is greasy.
You could also use ground turkey (I recommend using 93/7, not the 99% lean!) or Ground Italian Sausage.
Freezing Your Meat Sauce
If you like to batch cook or prep meals ahead, or if you have leftover meat sauce, this is the perfect recipe. You can make this meat sauce completely, cool it and then freeze it in a freezer safe baggie or container. Just make sure you leave room for a little expansion during freezing.
When you are ready to use it just thaw it in the fridge overnight or take it straight from the freezer and place it in a warm sauce pot and simmer over medium low until it is warmed through. Serve it up with your favorite pasta noodle.
Troubleshooting your Sauce
Here are a few tips to make sure this recipe is exactly what you want it to be!
- Don’t have ground beef? You can use ground turkey, ground Italian sausage or ground chicken.
- Sauce is too thin? Keep the lid off of the pot and simmer over low for 10 minutes to concentrate. In a pinch you can also add 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon cool water while the sauce is simmering. This should thicken it immediately.
- Sauce is too thick? Add a small 8oz can of tomato sauce. Then taste for additional seasoning.
- Sauce is too tangy? Add a couple teaspoons of sugar.
- Sauce is too sweet? Add acid, which can be in the form of balsamic vinegar, white wine vinegar or tomato sauce. Add the vinegar sparingly, it can quickly take over the sauce!
- Sauce is too salty? Add cream or half and half at the end.
- Want more depth of flavor? Instead of water add red wine
More Pasta Dishes to Love
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Spaghetti with Meat Sauce
Ingredients
- ½ lb spaghetti
- 1 lb ground beef can use ground turkey or Italian sausage
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ yellow onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon each: onion powder, garlic powder, salt
- 24 oz favorite jarred marinara sauce
- ⅓ cup water
Optional Garnish
- shredded or grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- In a large saute pan with high sides or a sauce pot, over medium heat, add olive oil.
- Add the ground beef and cook through while crumbling. If there is excess grease drain it off before moving on.
- Next add the onions and garlic and saute until they are softening, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the oregano, basil, onion powder, and garlic powder. Warm the spices through for 1 minute.
- Pour in the marinara, then add ⅓ cup water the empty marinara jar and give it a shake to get all the flavor out of the jar. Pour that into the sauce. (could also use red wine in place of water in this step)
- Let this simmer for 10 minutes. Cook the pasta in a separate pot at this time, following box instructions : )
- Drain the pasta, and mix it in the sauce. Serve with parmesan cheese on the side
Notes:
- Don’t have ground beef? You can use ground turkey, ground Italian sausage or ground chicken.
- Sauce is too thin? Keep the lid off of the pot and simmer over low for 10 minutes to concentrate. In a pinch you can also add 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon cool water while the sauce is simmering. This should thicken it immediately.
- Sauce is too thick? Add a small 8oz can of tomato sauce. Then taste for additional seasoning.
- Sauce is too tangy? Add a couple teaspoons of sugar.
- Sauce is too sweet? Add acid, which can be in the form of balsamic vinegar, white wine vinegar or tomato sauce. Add the vinegar sparingly, it can quickly take over the sauce!
- Sauce is too salty? Add cream or half and half at the end.
- Want more depth of flavor? Instead of water add red wine
- Rather have meatballs? Pop over to this Baked Italian Meatball recipe!
If nutrition facts are provided they are calculated as an estimate to the best of our knowledge.
Lauren
I always keep a jar of marinara on hand for this recipe! love how flavorful and satisfying this is and how quickly it comes together. a weeknight staple for us!
MJ
I use Rao sauce with this and its excellent!