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Five Family Friendly Spaghetti Dinners for Busy Weeks

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A collection of five easy spaghetti recipes, ranging from classic meat sauce to vegetarian and creamy options, perfect for quick weeknight family meals.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 lb ground beef or turkey
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
  • 1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1 lb spaghetti noodles
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream (for creamy option)
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (for creamy option)
  • 1 cup chopped mushrooms (for vegetarian option)
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (for spicy option)

Instructions

  1. For Classic Meat Sauce: Brown ground meat in a large pot over medium heat. Drain excess fat.
  2. Add onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
  3. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for at least 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  4. For One Pot Spaghetti: Cook spaghetti noodles according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
  5. Combine the cooked meat sauce with the drained spaghetti and reserved pasta water. Stir well to coat.
  6. For Creamy Spaghetti: Stir heavy cream and Parmesan cheese into the meat sauce during the last 5 minutes of simmering.
  7. For Vegetarian Spaghetti: Sauté mushrooms with the onion until browned before adding garlic. Omit the meat.
  8. For Spicy Spaghetti: Add red pepper flakes with the dried herbs when making the sauce.
  9. Serve the chosen variation immediately.

Notes

  • You can substitute ground turkey or Italian sausage for ground beef in the meat sauce.
  • For a budget friendly pasta meal, stretch the meat sauce by adding one can of drained lentils or beans.
  • If you do not have fresh garlic, use 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder in place of minced fresh garlic.
  • Make a double batch of the sauce on the weekend for quick reheating later in the week.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://delishcraze.com/spaghetti-recipes-family-friendly-dinners/