Spaghetti Meat Sauce

This rich, hearty spaghetti meat sauce is packed with flavor and perfect for a comforting family dinner. It’s meaty, savory, and tastes even better the next day!

Ingredients

• 2 lbs ground chuck
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 can crushed tomatoes
• 2 cans tomato sauce
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 5 cloves fresh garlic, minced
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 tablespoon sugar (optional, to balance acidity)
• 1/4 cup tomato paste (optional for a thicker sauce)
• 1 package spaghetti
• Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
• Fresh parsley, chopped (optional garnish)

Instructions

1. Cook the meat

In a large pot or deep skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the ground chuck and cook until browned, breaking it apart with a spoon as it cooks. Drain excess grease if needed.

2. Add onion and garlic

Add the chopped onion and cook for 3–4 minutes until softened. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant.

3. Build the sauce

Add the diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste if using. Stir well to combine.

4. Season

Add salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, and sugar if desired. Mix everything together.

5. Simmer

Reduce the heat to low and let the sauce simmer for 30–45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thick, rich, and full of flavor. If the sauce gets too thick, add a splash of water.

6. Cook the spaghetti

While the sauce simmers, cook the spaghetti in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package directions until al dente. Drain well.

7. Serve

Plate the spaghetti and spoon the meat sauce generously over the top. Garnish with grated Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley if desired.

Tips

• For even deeper flavor, let the sauce simmer for up to 1 hour.
• You can make it ahead — it tastes even better the next day.
• Serve with garlic bread and a side salad for a full meal.