Here’s a classic spaghetti with meat sauce—simple, comforting, and easy to build on. 🍝
Classic Spaghetti
Ingredients (serves 4)
Pasta
- 12 oz spaghetti
- Salted water (should taste like the sea)
Meat Sauce
- 1 lb ground beef (or half beef, half Italian sausage)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp sugar (optional)
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
- Salt & black pepper to taste
- Pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
To Serve
- Grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh basil or parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Boil pasta
- Cook spaghetti in well-salted water until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain.
- Make sauce
- Heat oil over medium heat.
- Brown meat; drain excess fat.
- Add onion, cook 3–4 minutes.
- Add garlic, cook 30 seconds.
- Stir in tomato paste.
- Add crushed tomatoes, herbs, sugar, salt, and pepper.
- Simmer 15–30 minutes.
- Combine
- Toss spaghetti with sauce, adding pasta water if needed.
- Serve
- Top with Parmesan and herbs.
Easy Variations
- Spaghetti marinara: Skip meat, add extra garlic and olive oil.
- Meatballs: Use meatballs instead of ground meat.
- Creamy tomato: Stir in a splash of cream.
- Aglio e olio: Olive oil, garlic, chili flakes, parsley.
Want a 5-ingredient version, authentic Italian style, or slow-simmered Sunday sauce?
