Description
One-Pot Spaghetti with Meat Sauce: Simplify dinner tonight! Get rich flavor, tender pasta, and a quick cleanup with this family-favorite recipe.
Ingredients
Scale
- The Foundation:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb lean ground beef (80/20)
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- Flavor Builders:
- 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 4 cups beef broth
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper (or to taste)
- Pasta & Finishing Touches:
- 12 oz spaghetti, broken in half
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- Optional Goodies:
- 1/4 cup red wine (for deeper flavor)
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Brown the Beef & Aromatics:: Grab a large pot or Dutch oven – the wider, the better for this One-Pot Spaghetti with Meat Sauce. Heat a splash of olive oil over medium-high heat. Toss in your ground beef and break it up with a spoon. Let it brown nicely, getting some good color, about 5-7 minutes. Once it’s mostly cooked through, drain off any excess fat. Then, add your diced onion and minced garlic. Stir it all together, letting the onions soften and the garlic become fragrant, which usually takes another 3-4 minutes. Oh, that smell? That’s the start of something good!
- Build the Sauce Base:: Next, pour in your crushed tomatoes and beef broth. Give it a good stir, scraping up any delicious browned bits from the bottom of the pot – that’s flavor gold, my friend! Add your Italian seasoning, a good pinch of salt, and some freshly ground black pepper. Bring the whole mixture to a gentle simmer. This is where the magic starts to happen, and the aromas really fill the kitchen. I always taste it here to see if it needs a little more salt, because seasoning is everything, right?
- Add the Spaghetti:: Now for the spaghetti! Break the dry strands in half – trust me, it makes life so much easier in a one-pot situation. Carefully nestle the spaghetti into the simmering sauce, trying to submerse as much of it as possible. Don’t worry if it’s not all covered immediately; it will soften as it cooks. Keep the heat at a gentle simmer, not a raging boil, so everything cooks evenly. This is the part where you just have to trust the process!
- Simmer Until Al Dente:: Cover the pot and let your One-Pot Spaghetti with Meat Sauce simmer for about 15-20 minutes, or until the spaghetti is al dente. This is crucial: stir frequently, every couple of minutes, especially in the beginning, to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pot. I’ve definitely learned that the hard way, with a layer of glued-on pasta at the bottom. You want the sauce to thicken and the pasta to absorb that delicious flavor, becoming tender but still having a slight bite.
- Check for Doneness & Adjust:: Once the spaghetti is tender, give it a taste test. If it’s still a bit firm for your liking, add another splash of broth or water, cover, and cook for a few more minutes. The sauce should be thick and clinging to the pasta, not watery. If it’s too thick, a little more broth helps; if it’s too thin, let it simmer uncovered for a bit longer. This is your chance to really make it perfect for *you*!
- Finish and Serve:: Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in about half of your grated Parmesan cheese. The residual heat will melt it beautifully into the sauce, making it extra creamy and delicious. Ladle generous portions of your incredible One-Pot Spaghetti with Meat Sauce into bowls. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and a handful of fresh chopped parsley. That pop of green really makes it sing! Serve it up immediately, because honestly, this dish is best fresh off the stove.