This Spaghetti with Meat Sauce Recipe is a staple at our house, especially on a weeknight when things are busy and the fridge is bare. It is a kid friendly dinner that everyone will happily eat. Follow this recipe to turn your favorite jarred marinara sauce into delicious and simple pasta dinner.
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!
Jarred Sauce or Homemade Sauce
In this recipe we are using a jarred marinara sauce and doctoring it up with a pound of ground beef and some spices for a super simple dinner. We highly recommend trying Rao’s Marinara or Tomato Basil Sauce. They are a little more expensive at the store but totally worth it!!!
We will not be going to the lengths of making a homemade sauce… that is reserved for this recipe for Homemade Marinara. Which you can absolutely use if you prefer homemade.
This is more of an easy, weeknight dinner when you have a pound of ground beef and want something delicious that everyone will eat.
How Much Pasta Per Person
This is always the issue, right!? You make enough pasta to feed an army, when you only need 2 portions.
If you plan on 1 lb of pasta feeding about 5 hungry people you should be good to go!
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.
Marinara Sauce – We really love and recommend the Rao’s Marinara or Tomato Basil sauce. It is more expensive than other brands but definitely worth it. If you have a Costco membership it is much cheaper there!
Freezing Your Meat Sauce
If you like to batch cook or prep meals ahead for the freezer, 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 Meat Sauce Flavor
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 even 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
Side Dishes
Classic side dishes for a pasta dinner are of course garlic bread and Caesar salad.
You can also pair this spaghetti with sauteed green beans, a big Italian Salad, or breadsticks.
TL;DR Recipe Tips to Make it Perfect!
Too long; didn’t read…. Here are the tips to remember to make your Spaghetti with Meat Sauce perfect:
- Use a high quality jarred marinara sauce. We recommend Rao’s Marinara or Tomato Basil Sauce.
- Trouble shoot the flavor of the sauce by following the instructions above!
- Use your kids favorite pasta shape to make sure you avoid tears at dinner.
- Double the recipe and freeze half for dinner next week.
- Pour â…“ cup water (or red wine) into the empty jar of sauce and shake it up to get every last drop of sauce out of the jar.
More Simple Pasta Recipes
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Spaghetti with Meat Sauce Recipe
Equipment
- meat masher optional but useful!
Ingredients
- 1 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 tsp dried basil
- ½ teaspoon each: onion powder, garlic powder, salt
- 24 oz favorite jarred marinara sauce recommend Rao's Marinara or Tomato Basil Sauce
- â…“ cup water
Optional Garnish
- shredded or grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- In a large pot put water on to boil for your pasta… be sure to salt the water generously. The water should taste like sea water!
- In a separate large sauté pan with high sides or a sauce pot, over medium heat, add olive oil.1 tablespoon olive oil
- Add the ground beef and cook through while crumbling. If there is excess grease drain it off before moving on.1 lb ground beef
- Next add the onions and garlic and saute until they are softening, about 5 minutes.½ yellow onion, diced, 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- Stir in the oregano, basil, onion powder, and garlic powder. Warm the spices through for 1 minute.1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon dried basil, ½ teaspoon each: onion powder, garlic powder, salt
- Pour in the marinara, then add â…“ 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)24 oz favorite jarred marinara sauce, â…“ cup water
- Let the simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cook the pasta in the boiling water at this time, following box instructions : )1 lb spaghetti
- Drain the pasta, and mix it in the sauce or serve it on the side for people to dish themselves. Serve with parmesan cheese on the side.
Storing
- Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Freezing
- This sauce freezes really well!
- Let it cool completely and then place in a freezer safe bag or container. Make sure to leave room for expansion during freezing.
- It will be good in the freezer for about 3 months.
Using from frozen
- Let thaw in the fridge overnight and then warm in a skillet over medium low heat.
- OR … Place the frozen sauce directly into a pan over medium low heat with a couple tablespoon of water. Let simmer until it is warmed through and as thick as you like.
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.
Di
This is excellent! I do use pasta water in jar to get out all the goodness, and I use frozen diced onions and peppers but other than that follow your recipe. Thanks for sharing!
Kim
Hi Susie. I just made this recipe, and I love it. So quick but yummy and full of flavor. Thanks a lot, and thank you for not using my name and email address for anything. 🙂
Susie Weinrich
Absolutely!! Thank you for taking the time to comment and rate the recipe!! XO
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!