Spaghetti with meat sauce is the perfect weeknight dinner! My meat sauce recipe packs a punch of flavor and even freezes well for future meals.
Looking for a new dish for your dinner rotation? Spaghetti with meat sauce is one of my family’s favorite weeknight meals!
My recipe comes together in one pot on the stove, and it’s just as easy as making sloppy joes (another family favorite!).
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoonsolive oil
- 1 cup(140 g) finely chopped yellow onion (about 1 medium onion)
- 2 Tablespoonsminced garlic
- 1 lb(453 g) ground beef 85 or 90% (may substitute bulk Italian sausage, sweet or spicy)
- ¾ teaspoonfine sea salt
- ¼ teaspooncracked pepper
- ⅛ teaspooncrushed red pepper
- 2 Tablespoonstomato paste
- 1 Tablespoongranulated sugar
- ⅓ cup(78 ml) dry red wine (or substitute chicken, beef, or vegetable broth or stock)
- ¼ cup(60 ml) water
- 28 oz(794 g) canned whole peeled tomatoes
- 2 teaspoonsdried basil or 10 torn basil leaves
- 1 teaspoondried parsley
- ½ teaspoondried oregano
- 1dried bay leaf
- 8-12 oz(226-340 g) pasta for serving – I like spaghetti
Instructions
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Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat.2 Tablespoons olive oil
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Once shimmering, add onion and cook until softened (about 3 minutes).1 cup (140 g) finely chopped yellow onion
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Add garlic and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds).2 Tablespoons minced garlic
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Add ground beef and sprinkle the salt, black pepper, and crushed pepper overtop. Cook, crumbling, until meat is browned. Drain excess grease if/as needed.1 lb (453 g) ground beef,¾ teaspoon fine sea salt,¼ teaspoon cracked pepper,⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper
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Add tomato paste and sugar to the pan and cook, stirring near-constantly until tomato paste is browned/caramelized (about 1-2 minutes).2 Tablespoons tomato paste,1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
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Drizzle red wine into the pan, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen any browned bits. Cook until the wine is reduced by about half and you can no longer smell the alcohol so strongly (about 3-5 minutes).⅓ cup (78 ml) dry red wine
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Add water and tomatoes, breaking/crushing the tomatoes with a wooden spoon or metal spatula as you cook.¼ cup (60 ml) water,28 oz (794 g) canned whole peeled tomatoes
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Add basil, parsley, and oregano and bay leaf and stir until combined and bay leaf is submerged. Simmer at least 30 minutes with an offset lid, stirring occasionally.2 teaspoons dried basil or 10 torn basil leaves,1 teaspoon dried parsley,½ teaspoon dried oregano,1 dried bay leaf
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If serving with pasta, begin cooking pasta according to package instructions while the sauce is simmering. You can serve the meat sauce over the portioned pasta or combine the two together before serving. If mixing together, reserve ¼ cup pasta water then drain remaining water from the pasta. Add pasta to meat sauce along with a splash of pasta reserved pasta water, stir well, and simmer until sauce clings to noodles (just several minutes).8-12 oz (226-340 g) pasta
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Serve, topped with parmesan cheese if desired.
Notes Storing
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. This dish also freezes well for several months (best to freeze without pasta).
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 435kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 578mg | Potassium: 646mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 256IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 80mg | Iron: 4mg