Spaghetti Sauce Cooked with Ground Beef
Growing up in the suburbs of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, there was one thing that all kids loved to hear when they asked “what’s for dinner?
And that was – SPAGHETTI WITH MEAT SAUCE!
Don’t get us wrong, jarred sauce has gotten much better in the years, but there still is nothing that beats the taste of a fresh pot of meat sauce.
This was a favorite dish of both kids and moms alike because it’s so delicious and so simple to prepare. It only takes about 5 minutes to cook the onions and ground beef, and maybe another 15 minutes to let the sauce slowly simmer.
This is the best homemade ground beef meat sauce recipe!
The ground beef is lightly seasoned as it browns to bring out the best flavors. Find your favorite brand of tomato products and try to purchase them on sale. Keep your sauces stocked so all you need to grab is some ground beef.
If money was ever tight, then this was and still is the perfect meal to cook. You can easily get a big filling dinner on the table that includes bread and salad for under $10.00!
The best way to get the full deliciousness of this pasta dish is to add some sauce in with the spaghetti as soon as the spaghetti is drained. Want to make it even better? When you drain the hot pasta, swirl in about 1-2 tablespoons of butter.
What Ingredients do I need to Make this Sauce?
- Spaghetti
- Fresh ground beef
- Onion – we use yellow onion
- Garlic
- Can of tomato paste
- Beef broth – or beef stock
- Diced tomatoes
- Tomato sauce
- Dried basil, sugar, garlic salt, dried oregano
- Grated Parmesan Cheese
Spaghetti with ground beef is one of our favorite all-time spaghetti recipes that your family will definitely love!
- 3/4 box thin spaghetti
- 1-1/4 lb. ground beef
- 1 small onion
- 1/2 tablespoon oil
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 (16 oz.) can diced tomatoes
- 1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Parmesan Cheese
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Cook spaghetti according to directions.
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While spaghetti is cooking, start the sauce.
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Using a large skillet, cook onions and garlic in small amount of oil until tender.
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Add the ground beef and saute, breaking up the beef with a spatula as you cook.
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Sprinkle cooking beef lightly with salt, pepper, and garlic salt. Drain most of the grease if necessary.
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When beef has been mostly cooked through, add the tomato paste and beef broth. Stir slowly to combine.
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Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, oregano, basil and sugar.
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Stir again until well combined. Let simmer for about 10 minutes.
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Mix a little bit of the sauce with the hot drained spaghetti.
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Serve the spaghetti on a plate and add a little extra sauce and Parmesan cheese.
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YUM!
Brown the ground beef with onions and garlic! For this sauce, make sure to use a quality brand of diced tomatoes.
We used a (17. 6 oz.) box of Cento Tomatoes. They are delicious and reasonably priced.
How to Make this Super Delicious/Easy Ground Beef Sauce –
- Brown your fresh ground beef along with the chopped onion and garlic. Add a little salt, garlic salt and pepper as it browns to season the beef. Break the beef into small pieces using a spatula as it browns, Make sure you have very little pink left in the beef and it’s finished cooking.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and stir well to combine.
- Bring your sauce to a light boil; reduce heat and let simmer slowly on the stove.
- This is the time to let start those spaghetti noodles and have them ready when the sauce is cooked. Drain the noodles and put them back in their cooking pan. Add a couple pats of butter and a few shakes of salt. Cover to keep warm until the sauce is finished.
** Make a little extra pasta to have a quick & easy dinner later in the week. Read more on how to store cooked pasta so it’s as fresh and tasty as the day it was made.
Want to make your spaghetti and ground beef ever better! Sprinkle with a little Parmesan cheese and then melt some mozzarella cheese on top!
What to Serve with This Scrumptious Ground Beef Spaghetti?
How about some homemade garlic bread or bread sticks and an old fashioned basic tossed salad.
Change it Up with the Tomatoes!
You can definitely play around with this sauce and add some crushed tomatoes instead of the tomato sauce. Pick a brand of tomatoes that you love. Try a few and see what suits your taste.
Find your own signature sauce that works well for you and make it over and over.
We also like to chop up fresh basil leaves to add to the sauce when they are readily available.
What Type of Pasta Is Best?
Well, we love thin spaghetti, but any pasta will work well with this heart made-from-scratch sauce. Just follow the cooking directions on the package. Whole wheat pasta is also a great option so look for that as well.
Thin Spaghetti or Vermicelli
Pappardelle
Farfalle
Angel Hair
Wagon Wheels
Shells
Rigatoni
Macaroni
Browned ground beef, onions, garlic and tomatoes – double yum.
What to Do with Leftover Spaghetti Sauce and Ground Beef
Leftovers are awesome!
Leftovers are easily stored and reheated so don’t be afraid to make extra. Pasta also travels well to be heated up for work lunch.
You can store the sauce separately or with the sauce mixed in with pasta. Both will keep well in an airtight container in the fridge.
You will Love some of our Other Favorite Pasta Recipes:
Ground Turkey Bolognese Recipe
Spaghetti and Frozen Meatballs
Rigatoni al Forno
Pasta Fredda
