Easy Weeknight Spaghetti

Easy weeknight-friendly spaghetti and meat sauce made from scratch in under 40 minutes. You can use ground beef, turkey, pork, chicken, or lamb to make this simple spaghetti recipe.

Watch the Video

Spaghetti with Meat Sauce Recipe Video

For this spaghetti, we turn to our favorite quick and easy meat sauce. This spaghetti recipe is:

  • Super flavorful with ground meat, garlic, tomatoes, and oregano.
  • Quick! You can make it in under 45 minutes.
  • Easy to make ahead!

Our spaghetti sauce is perfect for making ahead — you can refrigerate it for up to 3 days or store it in your freezer for 3 months. If you love meatballs, take a look at our Homemade Spaghetti and Meatballs!

A pot filled with the Best Spaghetti

How to Make the Best Spaghetti

Check the package directions for the spaghetti you plan to cook. The box should have an approximate cooking time for “al-dente,” meaning the pasta will be tender but not mushy. It will still have a bit of a bite, which is perfect.

Set your timer for 1 to 2 minutes less than the suggested cooking time. For example, if the package says 10 minutes, set your timer for 8 minutes. Checking the spaghetti early prevents overcooking. Your pasta might be perfectly al dente before the package time.

⭐️ The box directions are helpful, but checking the pasta before the suggested cooking time is always a good idea!

Cook your spaghetti in salted water. Pasta water should taste salty. This seasons the pasta as it cooks and is necessary for the best-tasting pasta.

Toss your cooked spaghetti with your favorite sauce. Try our homemade spaghetti sauce (shared below), this veggie-packed version, or a simple red sauce. Don’t just spoon the sauce on the pasta. Tossing the pasta coats it in the sauce, ensuring every bite is bursting with flavor.

A plate of Spaghetti and Meat Sauce

Frequently Asked Questions

How much salt should I add to pasta water? We add a lot of salt to our pasta water (it makes the pasta taste delicious). We add about one tablespoon of salt for every 4 quarts (16 cups) of water — perfect for cooking 1 pound of pasta.

How long should I cook spaghetti? If you still have it, check your package instructions. If you’ve tossed the package already, spaghetti takes 8 to 12 minutes. We recommend setting a timer for 8 minutes and then checking your spaghetti to see if it needs longer.

Should I rinse spaghetti after cooking? No, there’s no need to rinse pasta after cooking, especially if you plan to toss it with a sauce. Rinsing removes the starch, which is what helps sauces cling to noodles. My only caveat to this is when I’m making cold pasta dishes, like pasta salad or macaroni salad.

What can I serve with spaghetti? This recipe is on regular rotation in our house. Our family loves serving it with garlic bread, salads (especially this Caesar salad). If we’re looking for meatballs instead of a meat sauce, we cook spaghetti and make this Italian Meatball recipe with its delicious sauce.

Twirling Spaghetti with Meat Sauce onto a fork

Lower Carb Variations

If you want to reduce the carbohydrates in your dish, swap half or all of the pasta with zucchini noodles. Here’s our recipe for Zucchini Noodles, which includes a tutorial for turning zucchini into pasta. You can also swap the pasta for spaghetti squash. Here’s our tutorial for How to Cook Spaghetti Squash.

More Easy Pasta Recipes

Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

Easy Weeknight Spaghetti

  • PREP
  • COOK
  • TOTAL

Our favorite weeknight friendly spaghetti recipe with a meat sauce that is made completely from scratch. Use ground beef, turkey, pork, chicken or lamb to make this simple spaghetti.

Makes 5 cups of sauce and approximately 6 servings

Watch Us Make the Recipe

You Will Need

Spaghetti and Meat Sauce

1 pound lean ground meat like beef, turkey, chicken or lamb

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup (130g) chopped onion

3 garlic cloves, minced (1 tablespoon)

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

Pinch crushed red pepper flakes

1 cup water, broth or dry red wine

1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

Salt and fresh ground black pepper

Handful fresh basil leaves, plus more for serving

12 ounces dried spaghetti or favorite pasta shape

1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Optional Ingredients, See Notes

2 to 3 teaspoons fish sauce

3 to 4 anchovy fillets, minced with some of their oil or use anchovy paste

Mushroom powder

Pinch sugar

1 leftover rind from a wedge of parmesan

Directions

  • Make Sauce
  • 1Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat (we use a Dutch oven). Add the meat and cook until browned, about 8 minutes. As the meat cooks, use a wooden spoon to break it into smaller crumbles.

    2Add the onions and cook, stirring every once in a while, until softened, about 5 minutes.

    3Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, oregano, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring continuously for about 1 minute.

    4Pour in the water and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any bits of meat or onion stuck to the bottom of the pot. Stir in the tomatoes, 3/4 teaspoon of salt, and a generous pinch of black pepper. Bring the sauce to a low simmer. Cook, uncovered, at a low simmer for 25 minutes. As it cooks, stir and taste the sauce a few times so you can adjust the seasoning accordingly (see notes for suggestions).

  • Cook Spaghetti
  • 1About 15 minutes before the sauce finishes cooking, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and then cook pasta according to package directions, but check for doneness a minute or two before the suggested cooking time.

  • To Finish
  • 1Take the sauce off of the heat, and then stir in the basil. Toss in the cooked pasta, and then leave for a minute so that the pasta absorbs some of the sauce. Toss again, and then serve with parmesan sprinkled on top.

Adam and Joanne's Tips

  • Storing/Make-ahead: The meat sauce can be made in advance and should last in your refrigerator for up to 3 days and in your freezer for about three months.
  • If the flavor of the sauce doesn’t pop, you probably need a bit more salt.
  • If the sauce is too acidic, a pinch of sugar will do the trick.
  • If the sauce tastes light on flavor, think about adding a few dashes of fish sauce, mushroom powder, or a few minced anchovies or anchovy paste (both add a rich, savory flavor).
  • Adding a leftover rind of a parmesan wedge to the sauce at the same time as adding the tomatoes adds richness and extra flavor. It won’t melt all the way, just remove what’s left before serving.
  • Nutrition facts: The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. We have used the USDA database to calculate approximate values.
Nutrition Per Serving Serving Size 1/6 of the recipe / Calories 486 / Total Fat 16.7g / Saturated Fat 4g / Cholesterol 58.1mg / Sodium 977.4mg / Carbohydrate 58.2g / Dietary Fiber 4.7g / Total Sugars 10.3g / Protein 27.3g
AUTHOR:  Adam and Joanne Gallagher
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64 comments… Leave a Review
  • Mary Cooper January 30, 2024, 12:44 pm

    Haven’t made it yet. Spaghetti sauce

    Reply
    • Joanne February 14, 2024, 7:56 pm

      I hope you enjoy it! If you have any questions while making it, just let me know.

      Reply
  • Charneil Stroebel December 15, 2023, 7:57 am

    I say experiment away do what you heart desires when it come to cooking. Taste it feel it and best of all make it your own.

    Reply
    • Joanne February 14, 2024, 7:56 pm

      You’re absolutely right! The best recipes come from fearless experimentation. Don’t be afraid to put your own twist on things.

      Reply
  • Jenica July 24, 2023, 8:49 am

    This is my go to spaghetti recipe. I’ve made it several times now and I love it. I really appreciate the additional tips on how to adjust the flavor. You can really make it to suit your taste. Personally, I make mine a bit sweeter than most since that’s what I grew up with as a typical Filipino.

    Reply
    • Joanne February 14, 2024, 7:57 pm

      I’m so glad you enjoy the recipe! It’s always wonderful to hear from people who have made it and loved it. Thank you for sharing your tip about making it a bit sweeter – that’s a great way to personalize it to your taste. I love that you mentioned your Filipino heritage and how it influences your preferences.

      Reply

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