Easy One-Pot Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

Make family dinners a breeze with this easy one-pot spaghetti!

A garlicky beef marinara sauce smothers pasta in hearty goodness. It’s an affordable and satisfying meal you can make with minimal effort and cleanup. Hurray!

Easy One-Pot Spaghetti 

Why cook your sauce and pasta separately? Thanks to this easy spaghetti recipe, you can make it all in one pot!

Seriously, Italian food doesn’t get any easier. You simply spruce up a jar of store-bought marinara with ground beef, aromatics, and herbs. Then, toss in the spaghetti. 

It’s completely fuss-free, and so is the cleanup. Better yet, kids absolutely love this dish!

So do yourself a favor and whip up this one-pot spaghetti. It’s a game-changer that makes putting a hot meal on the table easy. 

Ingredients

You can make this one-pot spaghetti recipe with just 10 ingredients. Most of them are pantry staples, too!

Here’s what you need:

• Ground Beef – Use a whole pound to make the sauce extra hearty. For a lower fat pasta, use lean ground beef.

• Onion – Yellow onions will have the best flavor. 

• Garlic – Fresh garlic gives the sauce a more homemade flavor. 

• Marinara Sauce – Any store-bought brand will do. You can also use homemade if you prefer.

• Chicken Broth – For cooking the pasta and adding more flavor. 

• Dried Basil, Oregano, Salt, and Pepper – To enhance the marinara sauce and make it extra delicious.

• Spaghetti – Spaghetti is what I use. But you can try other types of pasta noodles like capellini or linguine. 

• Parmesan Cheese (Optional) – For the topping! It’s optional, but I recommend it for a more classic Italian taste. I prefer fresh, but shelf-stable parmesan works, too.

How to Make One-Pot Spaghetti 

The best part about this kid-friendly pasta is you make it in one pot! So it’s super easy and doesn’t require messing up the entire kitchen. 

Here’s how to make it:

1. Cook the ground beef. Brown the ground beef over medium-high heat until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Drain the excess fat.

2. Add the onion and garlic. Continue to cook until the onions are soft and the garlic is aromatic. It should take about 5 minutes.

3. Add the marinara and other ingredients. Add the marinara, chicken broth, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Bring it to a boil.

4. Add the spaghetti. Add the spaghetti to the sauce. Cover the pot and simmer until the spaghetti is tender, about 10-15 minutes. 

5. Garnish and serve. Sprinkle the parmesan cheese over the spaghetti if desired. Serve and enjoy!

Tips and Variations

This one-pot pasta is so simple to make, and there’s nothing to it! But for a dish that would make Nonna proud, follow these tips:

• Customize your sauce. If the sauce is too thin, let it simmer uncovered to let some liquid evaporate. If it’s too thick, add more chicken broth.

• Let it sit. Allow the pasta to sit for a few minutes after cooking. Doing so will thicken the dish while letting the flavors meld together.

• Switch up the meat. Italian sausage, ground turkey, or ground chicken are all great substitutes. 

• Use beef broth. For more depth, swap out the chicken broth for beef broth. It makes the pasta extra savory and delicious.

• Give it a lean twist. Use lean ground beef to reduce the fat content. Also, avoid draining too much after browning.

• Go meat-free. Make it a vegetarian meal by using vegetable broth instead of chicken. Also, skip the ground beef. Instead, try veggies like mushrooms, bell peppers, or spinach. 

• Dial down the acidity. Is your marinara sauce too acidic? Add a little bit of sugar. It will help reduce the acidity and balance out the sauce.

What to Serve with One-Pot Spaghetti 

Want to turn your one-pot spaghetti into a big Italian feast? No problem!

There are so many yummy dishes that taste great with this pasta. Here are a few of my favorites to make the family happy:

• Salad – I love making a refreshing salad with this cozy dinner. Olive Garden’s salad is my favorite. But a classic Caesar, mixed green, or antipasto salad are all delicious, too.

• Bread – You can’t have spaghetti without the garlic bread! It’s a classic pairing that always hits the spot. Freshly baked dinner rolls are also great for sopping up the sauce.

• Soup – For a super hearty dinner, serve this one-pot spaghetti with soup. Old-fashioned vegetable beef, minestrone, or Zuppa Toscana soup are a few scrumptious ideas.

How to Store 

I love it when I have leftover spaghetti. It means lunch for tomorrow is already done! 

If there’s a lot, I’ll also freeze a portion. That way, I have a backup plan for when I’m too tired to cook. 

To Store: Transfer the spaghetti to an air-tight container. Refrigerate it for up to 3 to 5 days.

To Freeze: Portion the spaghetti into air-tight containers, label, and freeze them. Frozen spaghetti will keep for up to 3 months.