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Spaghetti is one of those meals that doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive to taste good. I like making mine with protein pasta, ground beef or turkey, fresh ingredients, and plenty of seasoning.
This recipe feeds my family of five, and one of the things I like about it is that I can change the sauce depending on who I’m cooking for.
How I Make My Sauce
When I’m cooking for my family, I like using a jar of pasta sauce along with fresh ingredients. My family doesn’t really want everything tasting or looking completely fresh, so adding the jarred sauce gives them the flavor and texture they prefer.
When I’m cooking just for myself, I’m satisfied using only the fresh ingredients.
I start with sliced sweet yellow onions and peeled tomatoes cut into halves or fourths. If I’m using a fresh tomato, I dip it in hot water first to make the skin easier to remove.
I put my onions and tomatoes in a pot over medium heat with a little olive oil. Once the tomatoes start to simmer and soften, I mash them down and let everything continue cooking.
After the tomatoes have cooked down, I add my other fresh ingredients along with my seasonings and spices. I add a little water if I need it. If I’m making the family version, this is also when I add the jar of pasta sauce.
I let everything simmer together so all those flavors can come together.
Ingredients
- 1 box Barilla protein pasta — $2.72
- 1 pound ground beef — $4.98
- 1 sweet yellow onion — about $0.39
- Fresh tomato — about $0.89, or tomato paste
- Garlic paste
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Ground cumin
- Italian seasoning
- Black pepper
- Parsley flakes or fresh parsley — about $0.99
- A pinch of salt
- Olive oil
- A little water as needed
- 1 jar of your preferred pasta sauce — about $2.39, optional
Serves: 5
Known ingredient cost: about $12.36
Cost per serving: about $2.47
How I Prepare My Meat
I prepare my ground beef or turkey separately from my sauce, but I season it with many of the same flavors.
I add chopped onions, ground cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, tomato paste, and just a pinch of salt to elevate the flavor.
I cook the meat until it is completely browned, drain the excess oil or grease, and then add the meat to my sauce.
Once the meat is added, I let it simmer with the sauce so all those flavors have time to come together.
How I Cook My Protein Pasta
While my sauce is simmering, I bring a large pot of water to a boil.
I don’t cook my pasta in plain water. I add a splash of oil and season the water with garlic powder, black pepper, and a little salt.
Once the water is boiling, I add my protein pasta and cook it according to the package directions. When it’s done, I drain the pasta and get everything ready to serve.
I Season As I Go
One thing you will notice about my cooking is that I season as I go. I season my sauce, my meat, and even my pasta water.
I don’t use a lot of salt. I use just enough, along with my other seasonings and fresh ingredients, to bring out the flavors that are already there.
That’s one of the things I enjoy about cooking at home. You can take a simple meal like spaghetti and make it your own. If I’m cooking just for myself, I can keep my sauce fresh and simple. If I’m feeding my family, I can add the jarred sauce they like without giving up the fresh ingredients I enjoy using.
Photos Coming Soon
I made this meal for my family last night, and it disappeared before I thought to take pictures. I’ll be making it again soon and adding photos, but I still wanted to share the recipe because it was too good not to post.
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Have leftovers? These food storage containers are an option for storing extra spaghetti and making meal prep easier.
