Old School Spaghetti with Ground Beef Recipe (4 Servings)

Key Points:

• Perfect beginner-friendly comfort food recipe
• Rich meat sauce made with quality ground beef and Italian seasonings
• Ready in under 1 hour with simple pantry ingredients
• Makes great leftovers and freezes well

Your New Go-To Pasta Night Recipe

Remember those comforting school cafeteria spaghetti lunches? This recipe brings back those nostalgic flavors but elevates them with fresh ingredients and proper technique. Perfect for busy families, this old school spaghetti with ground beef creates a hearty, satisfying meal that feeds four people generously.

What You’ll Need

Kitchen Equipment

• Large pot for pasta (at least 6-quart capacity)
• Deep skillet or saucepan (12-inch recommended)
• Colander or strainer
• Wooden spoon or silicone spatula
• Measuring cups (both dry and liquid measures)
• Measuring spoons
• Sharp knife
• Cutting board
• Can opener
• Timer (phone timer works great)
• Large spoon for serving
• Heat-safe bowl for draining meat (optional)

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground beef (80/20 recommended for best flavor)
• 1 pound dried spaghetti (any brand works)
• 2 (14.5 oz) cans crushed tomatoes
• 1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
• 1 medium onion (yellow or white)
• 4 cloves fresh garlic
• 2 tablespoons olive oil (regular, not extra virgin)
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon salt (plus more for pasta water)
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (fresh preferred)
• Optional fresh basil for garnish

Timing

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 45 minutes

Extremely Detailed Step-by-Step Instructions for Beginners

Before You Start (5 minutes)

1. Read through the entire recipe once
2. Take out all equipment and place on counter
3. Gather all ingredients in one area
4. Check that you have enough counter space to work
5. Put on an apron if you have one (tomato sauce can stain!)

Preparation Phase (10 minutes)

1. Prepare your workspace:

• Clear and clean your countertop
• Place cutting board in comfortable position
• Have garbage bowl or bin nearby for scraps

1. Prepare the onion:

• Cut off both ends of the onion
• Cut onion in half from top to bottom
• Peel off the papery skin
• Place flat side down on cutting board
• Make lengthwise cuts, about 1/4 inch apart
• Turn and cut across previous cuts to dice
• Should yield about 1 cup diced onion

1. Prepare the garlic:

• Separate 4 cloves from the head
• Using flat of knife, press each clove to crush
• Remove papery skin
• Finely chop garlic (or use garlic press)
• Keep separate from onions

1. Set up remaining ingredients:

• Open all cans (both crushed tomatoes and paste)
• Measure olive oil into small bowl
• Measure all seasonings onto small plate
• Fill pasta pot with 4 quarts (16 cups) water
• Place colander in clean sink

Cooking the Meat Sauce (25-30 minutes)

1. Start the base (7-8 minutes):

• Place large skillet on burner
• Turn heat to medium
• Add measured olive oil
• Wait 1 minute for oil to heat
• Add diced onions
• Stir every minute with wooden spoon
• Cook until onions turn translucent (5-7 minutes)
• Add minced garlic
• Stir constantly for 1 minute (don’t let garlic brown)

1. Cook the meat (8-10 minutes):

• Add ground beef to pan
• Break up meat with wooden spoon into small pieces
• Stir occasionally
• Cook until no pink remains
• Look for brown color throughout meat
• If excess fat pools, tilt pan and spoon it off

1. Season and simmer (15-20 minutes):

• Sprinkle measured Italian seasoning over meat
• Add salt and pepper
• Stir to combine
• Pour in both cans crushed tomatoes
• Add tomato paste
• Stir until paste is fully mixed in
• Reduce heat to low (see tiny bubbles)
• Partially cover with lid
• Set timer for 15 minutes
• Stir occasionally

Cooking the Pasta (12-15 minutes)

1. Boil the water:

• Place pot of water on high heat
• Add 1 tablespoon salt
• Wait for rapid bubbles (10-12 minutes)
• You’ll know it’s ready when bubbles rapidly break surface

1. Cook spaghetti:

• Hold pasta bundle over pot
• Carefully lower into water
• Push down gently with wooden spoon
• Stir immediately to prevent sticking
• Set timer per package directions
• Stir occasionally during cooking
• Test 1 minute before timer
• Pasta should be firm but not hard (al dente)

1. Save water and drain:

• Before draining, scoop out 1 cup pasta water
• Place cup near stove
• Carefully pour pasta into colander
• Shake gently to remove water
• Don’t rinse the pasta

Final Assembly (5 minutes)

1. Combine and serve:

• Return pasta to empty pot
• Add about 2/3 of meat sauce
• Toss gently with tongs
• Add more sauce if needed
• If too dry, add pasta water 1/4 cup at a time
• Taste and add salt if needed

1. Plating:

• Use tongs to portion spaghetti onto plates
• Top each serving with extra sauce
• Sprinkle with parmesan cheese
• Add torn basil leaves if using

Troubleshooting Tips

• Sauce too thick? Add reserved pasta water, 1/4 cup at a time
• Sauce too thin? Simmer uncovered 5-10 minutes more
• Pasta clumping? Next time, stir more frequently during cooking
• Meat sauce grainy? Onions needed more cooking time
• Pasta stuck together? Make sure water is fully boiling before adding pasta
• Garlic burned? Lower heat next time; remove burned pieces if possible
• Sauce tastes bland? Add 1/4 teaspoon salt at a time, tasting between each addition

Variations & Substitutions

• Replace ground beef with ground turkey for a lighter option
• Use gluten-free pasta if needed (cook time may vary)
• Add 8 oz sliced mushrooms or 1 diced bell pepper with onions
• Try different pasta shapes like penne or rigatoni
• Spice it up with 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• Use fresh herbs: 2 tablespoons chopped basil or oregano

Storage & Reheating

• Refrigerator Storage:
• Let cool completely (about 1 hour)
• Store in airtight container
• Keeps up to 4 days
• Store sauce and pasta separately if possible
• Freezer Storage:
• Freeze sauce only (pasta gets mushy)
• Use freezer-safe container
• Leave 1-inch headspace
• Keeps up to 3 months
• Label with date
• Reheating Instructions:
• Microwave: 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway
• Stovetop: Low heat, add splash of water
• From frozen: Thaw overnight in refrigerator

Safety Notes

• Always wash hands with soap before and after handling raw meat
• Use separate cutting boards for meat and vegetables
• Ground beef must reach 160°F (71°C)
• Don’t leave meat sauce at room temperature over 2 hours
• Cool completely before refrigerating
• Clean all surfaces that touched raw meat with hot soapy water

Pro Tips for Beginners

• Buy pre-minced garlic if knife skills are new
• Keep a kitchen timer nearby (phone works great)
• Start heating pasta water before making sauce
• Salt pasta water until it tastes like sea water
• Place a wooden spoon across pot to prevent boiling over
• Save some pasta water even if you think you won’t need it
• Grate parmesan fresh instead of using pre-grated
• Clean as you go to avoid overwhelming cleanup

Remember: Good cooking takes practice. Don’t worry if everything isn’t perfect the first time – each time you make this recipe, you’ll get better at timing and technique. The most important thing is that you’re cooking a homemade meal!