5 / 4 votes

One-Pot Spaghetti and Meat Sauce

Spaghetti, leftover ground beef, and pasta sauce mingle in a single pot to create an easy weeknight meal that everyone will love.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Entree

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 603

In a large stockpot, combine the beef, marinara, stock, salt, and spaghetti and bring to a boil, uncovered, over high heat, being sure the spaghetti is submerged in the liquid.
☞ TESTER TIP: Swirl a little vegetable broth in your marinara sauce jar to help get every last drop out.
Reduce the heat to a very low boil, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has been absorbed and the pasta is al dente 15 to 20 minutes. The pasta will continue to absorb sauce once it is removed from the heat, so don't be concerned if it seems like there is too much liquid.
Season with additional salt as needed and finish with a few tablespoons of good quality extra-virgin olive oil. Garnish with basil and chile flakes, if desired, and serve.

Using uncooked meat--To use raw ground beef instead of leftover cooked beef, heat 2 tablespoons of light olive oil in your large pot or Dutch oven over high heat. Add 1 to 1 1/2 pounds (454 to 681 g) of ground beef, season with a pinch of salt along with garlic and onion powders, and cook, stirring and breaking up the meat as it cooks, until browned. Drain off most of the fat and continue with the recipe as directed.
Make it vegetarian--Make this vegetarian by using Beyond Beef or omit the meat altogether and in its place, sauté some finely diced vegetables such as carrots, parsnips, celery, and mushrooms (or use up leftover veggies you have on hand) to make it more of a one-pot veggie pasta. Just be sure to sauté the vegetables first until tender and then continue as directed.
Adjusting your pasta sauce flavor--If your pasta sauce tastes too acidic, stir in a couple of teaspoons of sugar to balance the flavor.
Storage and reheating--Leftover one-pot spaghetti can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or a saucepan over medium-low heat, adding a splash of broth or water, if needed to loosen the sauce.