This hearty skillet spaghetti is loaded with tender noodles, seasoned ground beef, tomatoes, garlic, onion, and Italian herbs. Everything comes together in one skillet for a comforting, flavorful dinner that’s perfect for a family meal.
🛒 Ingredients
- 1 lb (450 g) ground beef
- 12 oz (340 g) spaghetti
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (14–15 oz) diced tomatoes
- 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2½ cups beef broth or water
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon sugar, optional
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
👩🍳 Instructions
1. Brown the beef.
Heat a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and ground beef. Cook for 6–8 minutes, breaking the meat apart with a wooden spoon until browned and no longer pink.
2. Add the onion and garlic.
Add the chopped onion and cook for 3–4 minutes until softened. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another 30–60 seconds, just until fragrant.
3. Build the sauce.
Stir in the tomato paste and cook for about 1 minute. Add the diced tomatoes and tomato sauce, followed by the Italian seasoning, oregano, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes.
4. Add the spaghetti.
Pour in the beef broth and bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Break the spaghetti in half if necessary and place it directly into the skillet. Press the noodles down gently as they soften.
5. Simmer.
Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for approximately 12–15 minutes, stirring every few minutes so the spaghetti doesn’t stick together. Add a small splash of water or broth if the sauce becomes too thick before the pasta is tender.
6. Finish the sauce.
Once the spaghetti is cooked al dente and the sauce has thickened, taste and adjust the seasoning. If the tomatoes taste particularly acidic, add the optional ½ teaspoon sugar.
7. Add Parmesan.
Turn off the heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese. Let the skillet rest for 2–3 minutes so the sauce can thicken and cling to the spaghetti.
8. Garnish and serve.
Sprinkle generously with fresh parsley and additional Parmesan. Serve hot with garlic bread, a green salad, or steamed vegetables.
⭐ Tips for the Best Spaghetti
- Use 80–90% lean ground beef for a flavorful sauce without excessive grease.
- Don’t rinse the spaghetti after cooking—the starch helps the sauce cling to the noodles.
- Stir the pasta several times while it cooks to prevent sticking.
- For extra richness, stir in 1 tablespoon butter at the end.
- Add shredded mozzarella during the final few minutes for a cheesy version.
- For more vegetables, add diced bell pepper, mushrooms, zucchini, or grated carrot with the onion.
🍽️ Serving
Top each portion with Parmesan and fresh parsley. A little freshly ground black pepper and red pepper flakes give the finished dish an extra kick.
Serves: 4–6
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30–35 minutes
Total time: About 45 minutes
🍝 One-Pan Spaghetti with Rich Beef & Tomato Sauce
This hearty skillet spaghetti is loaded with tender noodles, seasoned ground beef, tomatoes, garlic, onion, and Italian herbs. Everything comes together in one skillet for a comforting, flavorful dinner that’s perfect for a family meal.
🛒 Ingredients
- 1 lb (450 g) ground beef
- 12 oz (340 g) spaghetti
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (14–15 oz) diced tomatoes
- 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2½ cups beef broth or water
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon sugar, optional
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
👩🍳 Instructions
1. Brown the beef.
Heat a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and ground beef. Cook for 6–8 minutes, breaking the meat apart with a wooden spoon until browned and no longer pink.
2. Add the onion and garlic.
Add the chopped onion and cook for 3–4 minutes until softened. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another 30–60 seconds, just until fragrant.
3. Build the sauce.
Stir in the tomato paste and cook for about 1 minute. Add the diced tomatoes and tomato sauce, followed by the Italian seasoning, oregano, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes.
4. Add the spaghetti.
Pour in the beef broth and bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Break the spaghetti in half if necessary and place it directly into the skillet. Press the noodles down gently as they soften.
5. Simmer.
Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for approximately 12–15 minutes, stirring every few minutes so the spaghetti doesn’t stick together. Add a small splash of water or broth if the sauce becomes too thick before the pasta is tender.
6. Finish the sauce.
Once the spaghetti is cooked al dente and the sauce has thickened, taste and adjust the seasoning. If the tomatoes taste particularly acidic, add the optional ½ teaspoon sugar.
7. Add Parmesan.
Turn off the heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese. Let the skillet rest for 2–3 minutes so the sauce can thicken and cling to the spaghetti.
8. Garnish and serve.
Sprinkle generously with fresh parsley and additional Parmesan. Serve hot with garlic bread, a green salad, or steamed vegetables.
⭐ Tips for the Best Spaghetti
- Use 80–90% lean ground beef for a flavorful sauce without excessive grease.
- Don’t rinse the spaghetti after cooking—the starch helps the sauce cling to the noodles.
- Stir the pasta several times while it cooks to prevent sticking.
- For extra richness, stir in 1 tablespoon butter at the end.
- Add shredded mozzarella during the final few minutes for a cheesy version.
- For more vegetables, add diced bell pepper, mushrooms, zucchini, or grated carrot with the onion.
🍽️ Serving
Top each portion with Parmesan and fresh parsley. A little freshly ground black pepper and red pepper flakes give the finished dish an extra kick.
Serves: 4–6
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30–35 minutes
Total time: About 45 minutes