Spaghetti Meat Sauce Recipe
Spaghetti Meat Sauce is beefy, juicy and so satisfying. It comes together fast so it is perfect for busy weeknights, and it’s freezer friendly. Meat sauce has all of the comforting flavors of Spaghetti and Meatballs, or traditional Bolognese but is much easier!
Serve this meat sauce over spaghetti with a generous amount of parmesan cheese, paired with asparagus and crusty French bread. P.S. You can also use this meat sauce to make the Best Lasagna.
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Spaghetti Meat Sauce
This is my sister Svetlana’s ground beef meat sauce recipe. She uses an original Prego sauce and makes it for camping every year. You can use a homemade marinara sauce or your favorite store-bought marinara. I’ve gotten so many requests for her famous meat sauce recipe so here it is! This one rivals Olive Garden’s spaghetti and meat sauce.
Which Pasta for Meat Sauce?
Here’s the beauty of this recipe – you can pair it with your favorite pasta! Meat Sauce for pasta is traditionally made with spaghetti, but it goes really well with any of these:
- String Pastas – Spaghetti, Linguine, Fettuccine
- Ribbon Pastas – Pappardelle or Tagliatelle
- Tubular Pastas – Penne, Cannelloni, Rigatoni, Ziti
- Corkscrew Pastas – Cavatappi
How to Make Spaghetti Meat Sauce:
The ingredients for this meat sauce recipe are pantry staples and we always keep a stash of ground beef in the freezer for the days we don’t have a lot of time to get dinner on the table. It comes together in 1 pot or dutch oven and really doesn’t get any easier than this. Seriously the best meat sauce!
- Sautee ground beef until no longer pink.
- Add chopped onion, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/4 tsp pepper, cook until soft then add garlic and sautee until fragrant.
- Add marinara sauce, 1/4 cup water and 1 tsp sugar. Partially cover and simmer meat sauce 20 minutes. Done!
How to Freeze Meat Sauce:
Meat sauce will last in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To store it longer, transfer meat sauce to a freezer-safe container, leaving just a slight amount of headroom at the top. We prefer freezing meat sauce in freezer ziploc bags because it lays flat in the freezer and can be quick-thawed under running water.
How to Defrost Meat Sauce?
There are a few ways to defrost meat sauce. Once it is fully thawed, reheat over medium heat just until hot and simmering.
- Quick-thaw method: Place the sealed bag of meat sauce in a bowl under cold water until thawed.
- Slow-thaw method: Place the frozen meat sauce in the refrigerator overnight.
- For a camping trip: place packaged frozen meat sauce in a cooler with ice and let it thaw as in a refrigerator overnight.
Family Friendly Pasta Dinners:
- Chicken Pesto Pasta – add pesto to Alfredo and see what happens!
- Chicken Tetrazzini – creamy, cheesy and always a hit!
- Creamy Mac and Cheese – easy stove-top version
- Creamy Shrimp Pasta – with the best Alfredo sauce
- Mom’s Chicken Aflredo – always a classic!
This Spaghetti Meat Sauce makes for an irresistibly good pasta dinner loved by all ages! It makes a big batch but you can easily freeze meat sauce for another night. I hope this ground beef meat sauce becomes a new favorite in your home!
Spaghetti Meat Sauce
Homemade Spaghetti Meat Sauce is beefy, juicy and so satisfying. This Meat Sauce recipe comes together fast so it is perfect for busy weeknights, and it's freezer friendly.
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef 15% fat
- 1 medium onion finely diced
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 24 oz marinara sauce
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 12 oz spaghetti to serve
Instructions
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Place a pot or dutch oven over medium heat, add 1 lb ground beef and sautee, breaking it up with a spatula until no longer pink (5 minutes).
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Add chopped onion, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp ground cumin 1/4 tsp pepper and sautee until onions are soft.
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Add garlic and sautee another 1-2 minutes until fragrant then pour in 1 jar of marinara sauce, 1/4 cup water and 1 tsp sugar. Cover and simmer over low heat 20 minutes.
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Meanwhile, cook 12 oz of spaghetti in salted water to desired doneness according to package instructions then drain. Serve sauce with cooked pasta.
Recipe Notes
There are 2 ways to serve spaghetti and meat sauce: Add drained spaghetti to the finished sauce and toss to coat. Or, Add pasta to warm pasta bowls and top with meat sauce.
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
natashaskitchen
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Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
Gave this a whirl and it came as advertised. Simple, easy, tasty and filling. It’s a keeper.
Followed it verbatim but added a little veggie to it – peppers. I also used the Victoria White Linen Collection Marinara sauce sold at Costco which is my favourite. Well worth the money!
Thanks to Svetlana!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
We just finished dinner with this spaghetti sauce recipe. My husband is very picky with sauces because he finds them too acidic for his stomach. He gave it a thumbs up tonight. I think it was the addition of a small amount of added sugar. I remembered my Mom telling me that sugar takes away the acidity. I will look forward to future spaghetti dinners!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Hi Natasha, what is the difference between marinara and pasta sauce? I have a large pack of the Kirkland pasta sauces, and trying to figure out if there is something I should add that would make it a proper substitute, I read something about oregano, but that’s as far as I’ve gotten. Maybe they are interchangeable in this context? Thank you!
Hi Martha, Marinara and Pasta sauce are used interchangeably and they can vary by the seasonings added. The Kirkland Pasta sauce will work for this recipe. The only time it isn’t the same is if it says “Tomato Sauce” as that would be just tomato sauce and not a pre-made pasta sauce. The Kirkland Pasta Sauce that I have also says “marinara sauce” on the label.
It is not review for the Recipe, rather how I mismanaged producing it.
Natasha, I didn’t have onion on hand and also used cheap canned low quality tomato pasta sauce. One good thing is I didn’t combine pasta and the meat sauce. My Meat Sauce turned out sooo Sour, that I do not know how to remedy it. Can you please help me with your advice or shall I just throw my meat away ?! Thank you very much in advance.
Hi Elaine, the onion does help balance the flavors and adds a subtle sweetness. Thank you for sharing your experience using a poor quality sauce – I try to find the best quality one that I can if I am not using homemade. You would probably love our sauce form Spaghetti and meatballs which is homemade. At this point, probably the best course of action would be to add a little water and a little sugar to balance out the sour notes.
Is it too late to add separately caramelized onions to that meat sauce ?
Thank you very much, Natasha.
You are welcome to add it by preference but it may not infuse as much flavor as cooking into the sauce form the start.
First time I have ever left a review. It’s that good.
Awww that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me. I’m all smiles!
Made this recipe for dinner and it was great. I added some chopped celery to it and it turned out awesome. So cheap and easy to make! Next time I will double the recipe!!
That’s so great, Sarah! Thank you for that awesome feedback!
I can’t imagine why the 1/2 tsp. of cumin…Italians do not use cumin, especially in their spaghetti sauce….now, if this was chili mac!
Hi Patricia, it’s my sister’s own little twist on the meat sauce and I hope you give it a try. It’s quite good!
This looks amazing. I woukd like to start using a Dutch Oven to make sauce as shown in your photos. Do You recommend heating olive oil in the Dutch Oven before putting in the meat? Can’t wait to make it! I really enjoy your recipes and videos. Keep up the great work to helping moms look like super stars in the kitchen! Vicki
Hi Vicki, the meat has enough fat that it releases and doesn’t require extra but you can add it if you prefer to add a little more or if you are using very lean ground beef.
I’ve made this and I usually add a step using an immersion blender for a few minutes after it is cooked. That turns it into a very smooth meat sauce that can be used on pizzas and lasagne. I also use it with fresh made pork/beef meatballs, often with sliced mushrooms.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! & thank you for sharing that with us!
Hey Natasha do you have an easy beef stew recipe served with rice please
Hi Agness, we have this aweomse beef stew recipe here. This stew is more of a stew soup so I think it would go perectly over some rice!
Quick question – do you drain the ground beef after browning it, or does using 15% fat ground beef make that step unnecessary? Can’t wait to make this!
Hi Ellen! We did not need to drain the meat.
Gidday Natasha, I enjoy your cooking blog. Rather than adding a jar of commercial sauce to make the spaghetti sauce’s easy to create your own. After cooking the mince ( i use pork mince) sautee the onion and garlic in olive oil and add some chopped celery and grated carrot. Grated zucchini is good too.Add chopped tomatoes and tomato paste, plus some milk and two anchovies. Let this simmer a while and add seasoningThis is a tasty meat sauce and very healthy.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
I have long made a version of this type sauce and I add some ground or chopped mild Italian sausage for greater flavor.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Here’s the thing; if you can make a great italian style meat sauce, you can use it as a starter for about anything italian you wish to make. Use it to make lasagna, skillet lasagna with bow tie pasta, spaghetti, actually any pasta dish requiring a meat sauce will do. Let’s call it a nice frozen quick supper week-night shortcut. Thanks, Natasha.
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Thomas!
Hi Thomas, this definitely is a shortcut which is always great on busy weeknights :).
Is Sam’s choice sauce you have in the picture better than Prego traditional sauce ?
Hi Leslie, honestly we loved them equally in flavor but the Sam’s choice one does seem to have a better list of ingredients (i.e. olive oil instead of canola oil). If you have a favorite marinara sauce, try that! It works with a variety of different brands. I hope you love the meat sauce! 🙂
I am going to make this, because it sounds so yummy. BUT….I have to ask you: 3 minutes prep time???? In what universe? Prep times in ALL online recipes are noted as crazily short, but 3 minutes is just silly. How about giving a prep time where nothing is already trimmed, washed, or chopped? Now, THAT would be realistic!
Hi Barb, the only thing that needs to be “prepped” here is to chop and onion and mince garlic and 3 minutes seemed reasonable for that. The rest of the recipe is done over the stove and is counted into the cooking time. Hope that helps!
I have made a similar recipe for years and love it. It also calls for browning the meat before adding the onions, which strikes me as odd. Wouldn’t it be better to slightly carmelize the onions first? Maybe you could enlighten me as to why it is done this way.
Hi Russ, it isn’t necessary in this recipe because the sauce simmers for awhile afterwards and the onions pretty much disappear into the sauce.
Did you add small tomatoes to the sauce? I didn’t see them listed in the ingredients, but they are in the sauce.
Hi Susan! Those were actually apart of the marinara pasta sauce!
Love how easy this is and how delicious it is!! Nothing better then a good meat sauce recipe that everyone loves.
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review, Becky!
Best pasta night dinner! I love this sauce!
That’s so awesome, Rachael! I’m so happy you enjoyed that!
Awesome recipe like always. I made it last night but I didn’t have beef so I used ground chicken it was yummy too. My kids loved it. Thanks for ur hard work!
I’m so happy you all enjoyed that! Thank you for that awesome review!
We loved this, it was so easy and tasty and my kids adored this, absolutely a keeper!
Sounds like you found a new family favorite! I’m so happy you all enjoyed that, Alli!
My family would LOVE this!! It looks SO good!!
It is so perfect for a family dinner! Thank you for that great review, Katerina!
Saw this pop up on my Instagram today and made it the same night. So easy and delicious! My husband had seconds, then thirds. Your recipes consistently come out so successfully, I never have to worry about having a backup plan when getting dinner on the table.
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Michelle 🙂
The whole family loved this!
Hi Suzy, I am so happy to hear that!! Thank you for the awesome review!
Looks so amazing! Would u b able to make a freezer friendly category! I’m going back to work would b sooo helpful to know exact which ones I could make ahead! Love your site!
Thank you for that suggestion, Lena!