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This easy one pot spaghetti recipe couldn’t be simpler! The meat, sauce, and pasta all cook together in one pot for the perfect spaghetti dinner!
Growing up, spaghetti was always a go to recipe for my parents.
It was actually never one of my favorites, probably because we ate it fairly often.
My parents went with the route of a box of spaghetti noodles, a bit of ground beef, and a jar of spaghetti sauce.
That’s fine. It tastes okay. I’m not needing anyone to spend 30 hours slaving over a pot of simmering tomato sauce, but I just don’t get super excited about that recipe, you know?
My kids, however, LOVE spaghetti and would happily eat it all the time.
Between my baked spaghetti, chicken spaghetti, and our taco spaghetti recipe, we do a fair amount of spaghetti in this house. 😉
This one pot spaghetti is perfect for busy nights – you brown the beef, dump in the sauce ingredients, and add the dry noodles right to the sauce! As they cook in the sauce, they soak up all the flavors and the mixture thickens up and turns into the perfect one pot spaghetti dinner!
Ingredient Notes:
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Noodles – We’re using spaghetti noodles, but you could switch things up and use fettucine or linguine, if that’s what you have on hand.
Spaghetti Sauce – We’re using a mixture of tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and water to make our sauce.
Seasoning – Add flavor by stirring in onion, garlic, and Italian seasoning.
Ground Beef – I always use ground beef in my spaghetti, but you can use a mix of beef, veal, sausage – whatever you like!
Topping – To finish this one pot spaghetti recipe you’ll top it of with some Parmesan cheese and freshly chopped parsley!
Why should you add sugar to spaghetti sauce?
A pinch or two of sugar helps cut the acidity of the tomatoes and balances out the flavors of the sauce. We’re just using a small amount, so not too worry – your spaghetti sauce won’t taste like dessert!
What Readers are Saying!
“This recipe is awesome! I used to just boil noodles and add ground beef to some jarred spaghetti sauce and call it a day – this is MUCH tastier and even easier because it’s all done in one pot. Even my Italian boyfriend gave it a thumbs up.” – Alison
How to Make One Pot Spaghetti:
Beef: Brown the beef, onions, and garlic until cooked through.
Spaghetti Sauce: Stir in the tomato sauce, undrained canned tomatoes, and some water.
Season: Stir in the Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and sugar and bring the sauce to a boil.
Spaghetti Noodles: Add the noodles directly to the boiling sauce. We break them in half to make sure they fit nicely. Cook until al dente.
Serve: Stir the spaghetti to make sure everything is all mixed up and then stir in some shredded Parmesan and minced parsley before serving.
Helpful Tip!
Spice up your sauce by stirring in some red pepper flakes!
FAQs:
Store your leftover spaghetti in the fridge, tightly covered, for 3-5 days. Reheat in the microwave when ready to enjoy.
Be sure to use fresh ingredients, like onion and garlic. Stir in a splash of red wine. Add fresh herbs to taste. Drop a pat of butter into the finished spaghetti before serving – the richness of the butter is delicious!
Serving Suggestions:
Nothing beats a pile of spaghetti served alongside our cream cheese garlic bread.
Serve next to our fresh vegetable salad or make a green salad topped with our keto ranch dressing or this homemade Italian dressing.
MORE PASTA RECIPES!
- Homemade Alfredo Sauce
- Garlic Parmesan Spaghetti Squash (Low Carb)
- Air Fryer Pasta Chips
- Amish Egg Noodles
- Feta Pasta
- Creamy Garlic Pasta
- Monterey Chicken Spaghetti
One Pot Spaghetti
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 sweet onion diced
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 15 ounces canned tomato sauce
- 15 ounces canned diced tomatoes
- 2 3/4 cup water
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 12 ounces dried spaghetti noodles
- 3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
Instructions
- Add the ground beef and onion to a large dutch oven over medium heat and cook until browned. Drain the grease.
- Add the garlic to the pan and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
- Stir in the tomato sauce, undrained canned tomatoes, and water. Add the Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
- Once boiling, break the spaghetti in half and add to the pot. Stir to submerge the noodles in the liquid.
- Return to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cover.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10-12 minutes or until noodles are cooked through.
- Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese and parsley over the top and stir to combine.
- Serve immediately.
Tips & Notes:
Nutrition Information:
This recipe was originally published in February 2018. It was updated with new photos in February 2022.
Carla Skidmore says
That recipe sounds super and super easy, too, which is a big plus. I have been cooking for 62 years and like easy recipes. My question is that if I want to make this delicious recipe even easier could I use the prepared sauces, such as Prego? I love the Prego with Meat Sauce. I doctor it with garlic, yes, it keeps people at a distance and “LOL, repels vampires.” Hey, some relatives can be similar to vampires. I, also, add Italian Seasoning, and minced or powdered onion, salt and pepper to taste. I sometimes add extra hamburger and I have a friend who uses ground chicken to add to the sauce.
Love checking in to see what is easy to make.
I loved that Spaghetti Pie recipe and it was just like the recipe that I received from a dear friend whose home nation was Canada, she lived in the US for years until she retired, and then returned to Canada, coming back for a month each year so she could receive her well-earned SS and Medicare Supplement. She had dual citizenship. Sadly she passed five years ago, but I was glad to see that recipe on your Blog/
Karly says
Hi Carla! I’m sure you could use prepared sauce, so long as you’re using 15 ounces of sauce plus the tomatoes and water called for. I haven’t tested it, but I see no reason it wouldn’t work. 🙂
Glad you enjoyed the spaghetti pie and that it brought back some memories. 🙂
Alison says
This recipe is awesome! I used to just boil noodles and add ground beef to some jarred spaghetti sauce and call it a day – this is MUCH tastier and even easier because it’s all done in one pot. Even my Italian boyfriend gave it a thumbs up.
Karly says
That’s awesome to hear! Thanks Alison!
Laura says
Could I do this in the instant pot?
Karly says
I’ve never tried, so I can’t say. I think it’d work though.
Sally says
This was very tasty!!! I had some frozen tomato sauce from this years’ tomatoes I used. I also used thin spaghetti and it was fine. I weighed it out on my food scale at home to get 12 ounces. My mom always made spaghetti similar to this when I was growing up. So much easier not to have to boil the pasta.
vex 3 online says
This spaghetti recipe is extremely easy and delicious. I will save the recipe. The food is very delicious. thank !
Rosie H. Hinshaw says
Love a one pot dish anytime. Only problem I had with this recipe was it was too spicy. My little couldn’t enjoy it. I’ll either cut back the pepper or eliminate it all together. Gonna try it again tonight. We’ll see.
Karly says
Hi Rosie! Sorry you found this spicy…there really isn’t anything in the ingredients list that should make it spicy though. Are you sure you used plain diced tomatoes and not something like Rotel?
Natalie Has A Messy Kitchen says
It was delicious. A little less water for me since I used a jar of sauce instead of the canned ones. My favourite part? I had ONE pot to clean and the rest of my kitchen was spotless!
Susan says
Second time making this for dinner. Turned out good the first time so…
Easy and quick, which is what I like because I hate cooking, and a hate recipes with a lot of ingredients and prep work even more.
This recipe is easy, and tastes good!
Thanks
Vickie says
I always fix either angel hair or thin spaghetti. If I used one of those in this dish, how much less water would I add?
Karly says
I’m not sure…I’ve only used regular spaghetti. I’m not sure that it would change the amount though.
Lisa Sammann says
I have been trying to figure this out as well. I use angel hair and I am not sure if it is to much. Have you experimented with it yet?
Crystal says
This turned out super yummy!
Karly says
Thanks for sharing!
Jen Rafacz says
Do you have to use a dutch oven or can you use a regular large pot?
Karly says
Any deep pot should be fine.
Shay smith says
Looks Delicous
Deb says
Tasty, but I had to add a couple tsp tomato paste to get it to my expectations.
Marcella says
MA COME TI PERMETTI DI DETURPARE UNA RICETTA ITALIANA! MA NON TI VERGOGNI? NEANCHE IL MIO CANE MANGEREBBE UNA COSA DEL GENERE
Christine Sullivan says
I made this dish today and will definitely be making it again, husband, grandson no 3 loved it, I liked it as a first meal but I’m not into eating leftovers so it’s for anyone who wants leftovers.
Karly says
Glad it was a hit!