Easy Weeknight Spaghetti

Make this quick spaghetti dinner in just 45 minutes. Pick your favorite meat - beef, turkey, or chicken all work great. Perfect for busy nights when you need something fast and tasty that everyone will eat.

Why You'll Love This Spaghetti

This spaghetti fits any night of the week. Use whatever meat you have, and watch it turn into a rich sauce with onions, garlic, tomatoes, and spices. Ready in under an hour, just add garlic bread and salad for a full meal.

What You Need

• Spaghetti: Regular pasta works best. Try zucchini noodles if you want fewer carbs.
• Ground Meat: Beef, turkey, or chicken - pick your favorite.
• Olive Oil: For cooking. Regular cooking oil works too.
• Onion: Chopped up. Yellow onions are perfect.
• Garlic: Fresh tastes best, but garlic powder works in a pinch.
• Tomato Paste: Makes the sauce rich and thick.
• Oregano: Dried oregano or Italian seasoning both work.
• Red Pepper Flakes: Skip these if you don't like heat.
• Liquid: Water, broth, or red wine all work.
• Crushed Tomatoes: The base of your sauce.
• Salt and Pepper: Add to taste.
• Fresh Basil: Adds fresh flavor at the end.
• Parmesan Cheese: For topping your pasta.

How to Make It

Start the Oil:

Pour olive oil into a big pot and let it warm up over medium-high heat. You want it hot but not smoking - if you drop a tiny bit of onion in, it should sizzle gently.

Cook the Meat:

Drop in your ground beef and break it into small pieces with a wooden spoon. Let it cook for about 8 minutes, stirring often, until it's nicely browned. This browning gives lots of flavor to your sauce.

Add Onions:

Toss in your chopped onions with the meat. Cook them for about 5 minutes, stirring now and then, until they turn soft and transparent. They'll smell sweet when they're ready.

Spice it Up:

Now add minced garlic, tomato paste, dried oregano, and red pepper flakes. Stir everything around for about a minute - this wakes up all the flavors and makes the kitchen smell amazing.

Add Liquid:

Pour in your liquid of choice - water, broth, or wine all work great. Use your spoon to scrape all the brown bits off the bottom of the pot. These bits are pure flavor!

Make the Sauce:

Add your crushed tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Give everything a good stir to mix it all together. The sauce should look rich and smell fantastic.

Let it Cook:

Turn the heat down to low and let your sauce bubble gently for about 25 minutes. Stir it every now and then so it doesn't stick. Watch it thicken and turn a deeper red.

Cook Pasta:

Fill another big pot with water, add a good handful of salt, and bring it to a boil. Drop in your spaghetti and cook it until it's just tender but still has a little bite.

Finish Up:

Tear up fresh basil and stir it into your sauce. Fresh herbs at the end make everything taste brighter and fresher.

Mix Together:

Save a cup of pasta water, then drain your spaghetti. Add it to the sauce and toss everything together. If it seems dry, splash in some of that saved pasta water.

Serve:

Put it in warm bowls, grate some fresh parmesan over top, and add extra basil if you like. Serve it right away while it's hot and the cheese starts to melt.

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Pick Your Ingredients

Use any pasta shape you like - spaghetti, penne, or whatever's in your pantry. Pick your meat based on what you want - turkey or chicken for lighter meals, beef or pork for richer flavor. Don't skip the tomatoes and paste - they make the sauce taste great. Keep garlic, onion, and basic spices handy.

Making the Sauce

Heat oil, brown the meat well. Add soft onions, then garlic and spices. Drop in tomato paste and crushed tomatoes. Let it bubble while you make the pasta. The sauce gets thick and rich, perfect for coating every bite.

Getting Perfect Pasta

Salt your water well and bring to a boil. Add pasta and stir so it doesn't stick. Check it a minute before the box says - you want it firm but not hard. Don't rinse after draining - the sauce sticks better that way.

Final Steps

Drain the pasta but save some water just in case. Mix pasta and sauce until every strand is coated. Add a splash of pasta water if it's too thick. Top with fresh parmesan and dig in while it's hot.

What to Serve With It

Make some garlic bread to go with your pasta. Add a simple salad - try Caesar or greens with balsamic dressing. These sides turn a simple pasta dinner into a real meal.

Frequently Asked Questions

→ Can you save sauce?

Freezes real nice. Good three months cold. Cool first though. Box it up tight. Makes quick meals later.

→ Want no meat?

Mushrooms work great. Mixed veggies too. Lentils add bulk. Season it good. Still tastes rich.

→ Sauce too sharp?

Touch sugar helps. More oil works too. Cook bit longer. Maybe cream splash. Salt balances taste.

→ Pasta sticking lots?

Water needs boil good. Stir while cooking. Oil don't help much. Salt water well. Keep it moving.

→ What wine goes good?

Light red works best. Nothing too strong. Italian kinds nice. Even cheap stuff fine. Skip it if you want.

→ Getting too dry?

Save pasta water. Add bit by bit. Don't drain good. Keep sauce loose. Easy fix quick.

→ Taking it places?

Pack parts separate. Mix there maybe. Take extra sauce. Bring fresh cheese. Heat up there.

→ Need it faster?

Buy ready sauce. Quick cook meat. Have stuff chopped. One pot works. Still tastes good.

→ Making big batch?

Double works fine. Need bigger pot. Watch sauce thick. More time maybe. Freezes nice too.

→ Want more flavor?

Add fresh herbs. More garlic helps. Splash red wine. Let sauce cook. Even anchovy works.

→ Sauce not thick?

Cook longer time. Lid off helps. Tomato paste good. Mash some tomatoes. Let it reduce down.

→ Kids being picky?

Blend sauce smooth. Less herbs maybe. More cheese helps. Cut stuff tiny. Still tastes right.

Conclusion

Like this? Try slow meat sauce next. Or make pasta layer bake. Both use same good stuff.