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    Meals » Recipes » Main Dishes

    One Pot Spaghetti and Meat Sauce

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please see disclosure for more information. Published: Aug 16, 2022 by Dee

    This One-Pot Spaghetti and Meat Sauce recipe cooks in a large pot or Dutch oven for an easy meal the whole family loves. This one pot pasta is ready in just 30 minutes with easy clean-up too! via @meamel

    This One-Pot Spaghetti and Meat Sauce recipe cooks in a large pot or Dutch oven for an easy meal the whole family loves. This one pot pasta is ready in just 30 minutes with easy clean-up too!

    Jump to Recipe -
    one-pot spaghetti in red Dutch oven with kitchen tongs
    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • How to Make One Pot Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce
    • Cook Time
    • How to Store and Reheat
    • Substitutions and Variations
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Recipe
    • Reviews

    One pot pasta recipes are perfect for quick dinner on busy weeknights because they're quick, easy, kid friendly, and you only have one pan to wash, so fewer dishes to do. I love one pot meals!

    Once you see how easy it is to cook spaghetti in tomato sauce, you'll never want to cook it any other way! You cook the spaghetti in the sauce, not boiling water.

    I came up with this one pot spaghetti recipe after a few of you wrote in asking for a stove top version of my Instant Pot Spaghetti and Meat Sauce.

    Spaghetti snobs (I used to be one) may disagree, but believe me, this one-pot meal is a great recipe that saves you a few steps, and it works!

    And sometimes, we just need easy comfort food. All you need to make this easy spaghetti dinner is a large pot or large Dutch oven -- and a stove!

    Serve spaghetti and meat sauce with a green salad and crusty bread or garlic bread, for a complete meal in minutes!

    Ingredients

    You only need a few simple ingredients for this Dutch oven spaghetti recipe. You can find them in your grocery store:

    • Yellow onion or white onion, chopped
    • Olive oil -- to cook the onion
    • Lean ground beef
    • Spaghetti -- 16 ounces. Break spaghetti noodles in half
    • Spaghetti sauce -- I love Rao's marinara sauce
    • Diced tomatoes -- adds texture and additional liquid
    • Water or beef broth
    • Seasonings -- Italian seasoning, sea salt, garlic powder, ground black pepper and optional red pepper flakes

    Note -- This spaghetti recipe calls for 16 ounces of spaghetti -- a regular package, as opposed to 8 ounces. It makes a lot of pasta, but it's perfect for leftovers, and it freezes well for later -- easy meal prep!

    How to Make One Pot Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce

    First, you cook the onions in some olive oil over medium heat until they're slightly soft, and then, you brown your ground beef.

    There's no need to cook the ground meat all the way because it will finish cooking with the pasta.

    If there's a lot of grease, you can drain it. I use lean ground beef, so I usually skip this step. Next, season the meat, and you're ready for the pasta.

    brown ground beef and onion in red dutch oven

    You'll need to break the uncooked spaghetti in half so that it cooks evenly and doesn't clump together.

    Then, add your uncooked spaghetti to the pot, and pour in spaghetti sauce, diced tomatoes and water. Cook over medium-high heat until sauce starts to boil.

    Then, reduce heat to medium while the pasta cooks.

    If you want even more flavor for your spaghetti, you can use beef broth or chicken broth instead of water. Or, you can add a little red wine to really take this spaghetti dinner to the next level!

    uncooked spaghetti noodles with diced tomatoes, pasta sauce and meat in red dutch oven

    You do need to keep an eye on the pasta and stir frequently so that the spaghetti doesn't clump together or stick to the bottom of the pot.

    Cook Time

    Cook pasta until al dente, which is about 12 to 15 minutes. Total cooking time for this recipe is about 30 minutes, including time to cook the ground meat.

    As soon as the pasta is cooked al dente or to your liking, you're done!

    one pot spaghetti and meat sauce topped with Parmesan cheese and parsley in red dutch oven

    I like to sprinkle a little grated Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley over the top before serving. Doesn't this look gorgeous?!

    one-pot spaghetti and meat sauce with parsley flakes in a red dutch oven

    I use kitchen tongs to lift the spaghetti out of the pot directly to people's plates. Honestly, you guys, this one pot spaghetti is a lifesaver on busy days!

    My kids absolutely love this flavorful spaghetti with meat sauce. It has amazing flavor, and it works so well for feeding them before they head off to football or soccer or dance.

    How to Store and Reheat

    Store leftover spaghetti in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It should last for 3 to 4 days. Reheat cold spaghetti in the microwave or on the stove until hot and steaming.

    The leftovers heat up well, and you can freeze larger amounts for later. Just place pasta in freezer safe containers or zip top bags, and use within 3 months for best taste.

    tongs holding spaghetti and meat sauce in red dutch oven

    Substitutions and Variations

    Use Italian sausage in place of ground beef or use half sausage half beef. You can use your favorite pasta shape in place of spaghetti noodles. Gluten free pasta works here.

    Use homemade sauce (try my homemade spaghetti sauce)or your favorite brand of jar sauce and your favorite spices. Fresh herbs like basil add wonderful flavor. You can also add more marinara sauce or tomato sauce and omit the diced tomatoes.

    Sub ½ cup red wine for ½ cup water or broth for extra flavor.

    Add fresh veggies like fresh spinach, bell pepper, kale, zucchini or broccoli. This is a great way to sneak more veggies into your kids' meals.

    For a low fat option, use ground turkey. You can also leave the meat out for vegetarian pasta.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Can you cook spaghetti noodles in spaghetti sauce?

    Yes, you can. As long as you add thin liquid like broth or water along with the raw spaghetti, the sauce will have the perfect consistency.

    Do I have to break spaghetti in half?

    You really should break spaghetti in half when you cook it in the sauce. This will help the pasta cook evenly and not stick together.

    Can you add beef broth to spaghetti sauce?

    Yes. Adding beef broth in place of water will enhance the flavor. You can use vegetable broth for meatless spaghetti or chicken broth for chicken spaghetti.

    Recipe

    one-pot spaghetti and meat sauce with parsley in red Le Creuset Dutch oven

    One Pot Spaghetti and Meat Sauce

    Published by Dee
    This One-Pot Spaghetti and Meat Sauce recipe cooks in a large pot or Dutch oven for an easy meal the whole family loves. This one pot pasta is ready in just 30 minutes with easy clean-up too!
    5 from 17 votes
    Print Recipe Share by Email
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time 20 minutes mins
    Total Time 25 minutes mins
    Course Main
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 10
    Calories 111 kcal

    Equipment

    • dutch oven

    Ingredients
      

    • ½ yellow onion chopped
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1½ pounds lean ground beef
    • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
    • 1 ½ teaspoons sea salt
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
    • pinch red pepper flakes optional
    • 1 16-ounce package spaghetti uncooked and broken in half
    • 1 24-ounce jar marinara sauce
    • 1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes undrained
    • 3 cups water or beef broth

    Instructions
     

    • In a large Dutch oven or heavy bottom bot, heat olive oil over medium heat, add the onion, and cook until slightly soft
    • Add the ground beef, and cook until no longer pink. Drain beef if necessary, then add Italian seasoning blend, sea salt, garlic powder, black pepper, red pepper flakes (optional), and stir
    • Add the spaghetti noodles, marinara sauce, diced tomatoes and water, and stir well, pushing the noodles under the liquid and separating them so they don't stick
    • Cover, and bring to low boil over medium high heat, then remove cover, and stir frequently to make sure pasta doesn't stick and noodles aren't clumping together. Reduce heat to medium, if necessary
    • When pasta is al dente or done to your liking, remove from heat, add some grated Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley, if desired, and enjoy!

    Notes

    Make sure to break the spaghetti noodles in half before adding to the pot. 
    You can use more marinara sauce or tomato sauce in place of diced tomatoes.

    Nutrition information is estimated. Please do your own calculation to fit special diets.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 111kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 15gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 42mgSodium: 398mgPotassium: 255mgFiber: 0.4gSugar: 0.3gVitamin A: 10IUVitamin C: 0.4mgCalcium: 18mgIron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe? Please comment and rate it! Show me your dish on Instagram!Mention @meatloafandmelodrama or tag #meatloafandmelodrama!

    For more easy one pot pasta recipes and Dutch oven recipes, try One Pot Creamy Chicken Pasta, One Pot Creamy Shells and Beef or One Pot Creamy Kielbasa Tortellini. And, check out more easy recipes from the archives.

    I hope you enjoy our family favorite spaghetti recipe as much as we do. My kids say this delicious dinner is the best one pot spaghetti recipe ever! If you love this delicious recipe as much as we do, please leave a star rating and comment.

    Sign up for the weekly newsletter to get easy dinner recipes and more sent to your email address.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Justin-Time says

      October 15, 2023 at 8:26 pm

      I made this tonight and used thin spaghetti. Next time I will cut the noodles in half. They soaked up way too much sauce for my liking.

      Reply
      • Dee says

        October 19, 2023 at 2:51 pm

        You can always add more sauce if needed.

    2. Angelia Waters says

      September 14, 2023 at 7:08 am

      I am planning this recipe for camping, and am wondering what size your dutch oven is. I want to double the recipe but not sure if it will fit. Thank you

      Reply
      • Dee says

        September 14, 2023 at 12:15 pm

        I have a 5 1/2 quart Le Creuset Dutch oven. I can easily cook 1 pound pasta and sauce in it.

    3. Krit says

      February 08, 2023 at 8:36 pm

      This was a very simple but satisfying meal. I loved it. For some reason, I can get the print version to come up when I click the print recipe. It takes me back to the top of the page. I've tried my pc and my phone with all the same results. Is there a way to simplify the page for printing? Thanks.5 stars

      Reply
      • Dee says

        February 08, 2023 at 9:01 pm

        Hmm. I am able to print the recipe without any problems, but I will look into it and see if I can find out why this is happening. So sorry. 🙂

    4. Patrick says

      August 18, 2022 at 5:04 pm

      Tasty and pretty easy! Even for me! Will make this often!5 stars

      Reply
      • Dee says

        August 18, 2022 at 8:07 pm

        Thank you so much. I'm glad you liked the meatballs!

    5. Heather says

      April 29, 2021 at 3:32 pm

      Have made this several times. Easy & delicious! My family and I enjoy this on a busy weeknight and as our weekend comfy comfort food.5 stars

      Reply
      • Dee says

        May 01, 2021 at 10:22 pm

        I'm so glad you like the spaghetti, Heather! Thank you!

    6. Jmes says

      October 10, 2019 at 6:40 am

      Made this last night. Another winner. Simple too. Kids already ordered again for next week!5 stars

      Reply
      • Dee says

        October 11, 2019 at 7:32 am

        I'm so happy to hear this! Thanks so much!

    7. Catalina says

      October 09, 2019 at 12:13 pm

      Yum! This spaghetti looks amazingly delicious! A must try!5 stars

      Reply
      • Dee says

        October 11, 2019 at 7:36 am

        Thanks, Catalina. My family just loves it!

    8. Katerina @ diethood .com says

      October 09, 2019 at 7:59 am

      I LOVE how easy and delicious this is!! Perfect for weeknights!5 stars

      Reply
      • Dee says

        October 11, 2019 at 7:36 am

        It fits with our busy schedule -- Thank you so much!

    9. Taylor says

      October 09, 2019 at 6:13 am

      One of my go-to weeknight dinners! So easy and delicious!5 stars

      Reply
      • Dee says

        October 11, 2019 at 7:35 am

        I'm glad you like the recipe -- Thanks so much!

    10. Lora says

      October 09, 2019 at 3:57 am

      An easy and convenient way to have a homemade pasta dish ready in no time!!5 stars

      Reply
    11. Erin | Dinners,Dishes and Dessert says

      October 08, 2019 at 11:59 pm

      This is a great recipe! I have to put this One Pot Spaghetti and Meat Sauce recipe on my menu!

      Reply
      • Dee says

        October 11, 2019 at 7:35 am

        Thanks, Erin. I hope you enjoy it!

    12. Amanda says

      October 08, 2019 at 5:44 pm

      This looks amazing I cannot wait to try it !!!5 stars

      Reply
      • Dee says

        October 09, 2019 at 8:26 am

        Thanks so much, Amanda! Hope you like it!

    13. Sara Welch says

      October 08, 2019 at 2:53 pm

      Such a delicious and hearty meal! Easily, this has become a new family favorite!5 stars

      Reply
      • Dee says

        October 09, 2019 at 8:20 am

        So glad to hear this, Sara. Thanks!

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    I’m the blogger, cookbook author, chief cook, recipe developer and photographer behind Meatloaf and Melodrama. I absolutely love to create easy, budget-friendly, homemade meals and treats for my family. I also love to think of new ways to repurpose leftovers so that my family will actually eat them!

    More about me →

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