Super Simple Meat Sauce Spaghetti with Jarred Sauce
Delicious Meat Sauce Spaghetti Made with Store-Bought Sauce
No worries on busy days! Using a store-bought meat sauce and fresh ingredients, you can easily enjoy restaurant-quality meat sauce spaghetti at home. Rich vegetables and tender meat come together to create a wonderful meal that the whole family will love. We’ve included detailed tips to make it easy for even beginner cooks to succeed.
Essential Ingredients- Spaghetti noodles 200g
- Jarred meat sauce (or tomato pasta sauce) 2/3 bottle (approx. 300-350g)
- Ground beef 50g
- 1/4 onion (small size, approx. 50g)
- 3 cloves garlic (or 3 minced garlic cloves)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare to cook the spaghetti. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil over high heat. Once boiling, add 1/2 Tbsp coarse salt and 1 tsp olive oil. (The salt seasons the pasta, and the oil helps prevent the noodles from sticking together.) Add 200g of spaghetti and cook for about 1 minute less than the package directions, aiming for ‘al dente’. This is usually around 7 minutes. (After boiling for 7 minutes, drain the pasta but do not rinse it. Toss it with 1 Tbsp of olive oil. This step prevents the pasta from becoming mushy when you stir-fry it with the sauce later.)
Step 2
Prepare the vegetables and meat that will give the meat sauce its flavor. Peel the onion and mince it very finely. (Mince the 3 cloves of garlic, draining any excess water.) If using ground beef, thaw it and gently pat it dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
Step 3
Heat 2 Tbsp of olive oil in a wide pan over medium-low heat. Add the minced garlic and minced onion, and sauté gently until the onion becomes translucent and the garlic is fragrant. (Be careful not to burn the garlic, as this can result in a bitter taste.)
Step 4
Once the onion and garlic are nicely sautéed, add the ground beef and increase the heat to medium-high. Stir with a spatula to break up any clumps as you cook. Once the beef is browned, season with a pinch of salt and a pinch of black pepper. (Salt and pepper help to remove any gamey smell from the meat and enhance its flavor.)
Step 5
When the beef is fully cooked, stir in 2/3 of a bottle of jarred meat sauce (or tomato pasta sauce) and mix well. If the sauce seems too thick, add 2-3 Tbsp of the pasta cooking water to adjust the consistency. Once the sauce comes to a simmer, reduce the heat to low and let it cook gently.
Step 6
While the sauce is simmering, add the dried herbs to enhance the flavor. Stir in 1/2 tsp of dried oregano and 1/2 tsp of dried basil. (If you have fresh herbs, you can mince and add them.)
Step 7
For extra freshness and color, you can halve 3-4 cherry tomatoes and add them to the sauce. They will cook slightly and add a wonderful depth of flavor. (This step is optional.)
Step 8
Now, add the pre-cooked spaghetti noodles to the sauce. Tilt the pan slightly to ensure the sauce coats the noodles evenly as you stir-fry. If the sauce seems dry, gradually add more pasta water, continuing to cook until the sauce is well absorbed by the pasta and has a glossy sheen. (Stir-fry for about 1-2 minutes.)
Step 9
Transfer the finished meat sauce spaghetti to a serving plate. For a final touch, grate Grana Padano cheese (or Parmesan cheese) over the top to your liking, and sprinkle with parsley flakes for an extra boost of flavor and visual appeal. Enjoy your delicious meat sauce spaghetti!
