This is a delicious, simple pasta dinner that is easy to pull together on a weeknight. This recipe makes quite a bit of sauce that can serve for a second meal later in the week or freeze it to have for another time.
This is a very classic meal for me. When I think of meals that I loved most from my childhood, it was this spaghetti. Maybe not the typical spaghetti, like one would picture with meatballs in a marinara sauce on top of spaghetti noodles, but this version, which is how my mom always made it. I can remember being so excited every time she told me this was for dinner. What’s great is seeing how my own kids get excited for it now too!
One of my absolute favourite meals is a pasta dish, especially on a cold and wintery day like it is right now. If I could eat pasta every day (and the amount that I want, not the recommended serving size), then I would be one happy camper. While I have to admit that a big bowl of pasta is a treat, I just make sure that I don’t have it daily. This allows me to eat the amount I really want, and not regret it!
The only reason I call this lazy spaghetti is because I simply brown the ground beef instead of making meatballs. I often make meatballs for all other sorts of meals, but I tend to skip this step for this meal. I like to add a variety of veggies to this recipe as well, any way to up the veggie uptake for my kids I will take. In the end, this recipe makes for a tasty pasta dish. As a parent, watching your kids devour a hearty meal that you’ve just prepared brings some sometimes rare peace of mind!
This recipe is fairly straight forward, though there is certainly room for substitutions and variations. Use this recipe as a starting off point, and think about what best meets the needs of your family and your grocery budget. You can add more veggies, less veggies, swap for ground Italian sausage or ground chicken, serve over different types of noodles or even spaghetti squash. So many options!
So let’s get to it!
Lazy Spaghetti Ingredients
Olive Oil – I always have a large bottle of extra virgin olive oil in my pantry. Find one that is reasonably priced for your budget. You certainly don’t need the high-end stuff for this recipe, though quality is important. When picking out a bottle of olive oil, look for one that is stored in a dark bottle. Also, store it in a part of your kitchen where it is not exposed to additional heat, as that can quickly deteriorate the quality of it. To help with savings, I always check the unit price and keep an eye for sales, as it’s an item that I know I use a lot.
Onion, Carrots & Celery – known as a soffritto in Italian cooking. They are used to provide aromatic flavor, by slowly cooking these vegetables together in either butter or olive oil. The result of this cooking process results in sweetening these veggies, then building the flavors on top of it. It is definitely worth the effort!
I use equal parts of these three ingredients. For this recipe, I like to chop each into ¼ to ½ inch in size. I typically use a yellow onion, 2-3 carrots (depending on size) and 3-4 celery stalks (depending on size). Cook them in a tablespoon of butter or olive oil over medium-low heat for about 10-12 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent over browning. Feel free to adjust the temperature as needed. Burnt veggies is not the flavor base we want here!
Garlic – I tend to use fresh garlic when I make this recipe, though you can certainly replace it with ½ teaspoon of garlic powder. If you are using fresh garlic, you will want to mince the garlic with a knife. Personally, I prefer to use a rasp, as I find it works much faster.
Dried Italian Seasoning – Italian seasoning is an herb blend of dried basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, and marjoram. Depending on the brand, there could be some variations that may include, garlic powder, fennel, or red pepper flakes. It’s also super simple to make your own that’s to your personal taste. You don’t need a lot for this recipe, though it’s great to have on hand to add to pasta sauces and salad dressings.
Sweet Peppers – Sweet peppers include red, yellow, or orange peppers. I always have a large bag in the fridge, as they are very adaptable and included in most of our dinner meals. Feel free to use any combination here. You can also add sweet green peppers if you have those on hand.
Zucchini – Zucchini tastes great in this recipe and cooks nicely into the sauce. I recommend cubing it into similar sizes as the other vegetables for consistent texture.
Cremini Mushrooms – I love cremini mushrooms in this. I respect that not everyone likes mushrooms, but I do recommend trying them in this pasta dish. It provides a nice balance of flavour with the other vegetables. If you prefer white or button mushrooms, feel free to substitute.
Jarred Pasta Sauce – There are so many varieties of pasta sauce on the market. They can certainly range in price, sodium content, flavour, and quality. Choose one that you know you and your family will like and that fits your budget.
Sugar – regular, white, refined sugar is used here. Sugar is typically added to cut the acidity in tomato sauce. You do not need to use a lot, and it will result in a more balanced sauce.
Lean Ground Beef – I use lean ground beef for this recipe, though it could easily be substituted for another ground meat or Italian sausage, or even a ground vegetarian option. I brown it in a separate pan while the veggies are cooking. It should be seasoned with salt and pepper while it cooks, then placed on a plate covered by a paper towel to absorb and excess fat. It can be added to the veggies with the sauce.
Salt & Pepper – the measured amounts for Kosher salt and ground pepper are guidelines. As always, feel free to season as desired!
Fresh Herbs (optional) – Depending on what you have on hand, feel free to garnish with fresh herbs. Fresh basil tastes fantastic!
Parmigiana Reggiano (optional) – Also known as parmesan, is an Italian hardened cheese made from cow’s milk that is known for its rich flavor and granular texture. It is absolutely delicious when grated fresh over this bowl of pasta sauce!
Spaghetti Noodles – spaghetti noodles are long thin noodles that taste delicious when spun onto a fork with this sauce. Feel free to use any type of pasta noodle or shape that you have in the pantry.
Lazy Spaghetti Tools and Tips
Below are some kitchen tools that although they may not be required, are certainly great to have in the kitchen.
Zester/Rasp/Micro plane – this is a staple in my kitchen. I prefer it to be more on the fine side, as I use it almost daily for garlic or zesting citrus fruits. When shopping for one, find one that fits comfortably in your hand. Be sure to use extra caution as they sure are sharp!
Medium Grater (optional) – this is used to grate the parmigiana over the sauce. If you are omitting it or purchased grated parmigiana, then you won’t need this.
Mesh Strainer – You’ll want one readily available for once the noodles are cooked.
Tip: Prior to draining the noodles, I typically reserve about a cup worth of the cooking liquid. Once the noodles are returned to the pot, I stir in some of the cooking liquid so that the noodles don’t stick together and the sauce coats the noodles more evenly.
Heavy-bottomed pot – A number of years ago I splurged on an enameled cast iron Le Crueset pot that I found at Winners. I absolutely love it for dishes like this. It holds the heat well, and because it is wide and shallow, it is great for cooking the food evenly. I also use this dish for curries and stews, and when a dish needs to simmer and reduce, this type of cookware works best. I will say, this pan is filled to the brim by the time all of the ingredients are added.
Heavy-bottomed sauce pan – You will want to use a large sauce pan to cook the spaghetti noodles. Make sure that there is enough water in the pot to fully submerge all of the noodles.
Frying pan – I prefer to use a non-stick frying pan to brown up the lean ground beef. It is easy to clean up afterwards.
Tip: Make sure to drain the lean ground beef onto a paper towel after it has cooked, to remove any excess oil or fat.
Measuring cups and spoons – this recipe uses standard measuring tools.
In addition you will also need a spatula, a chef’s knife and a chopping board.
Lazy Spaghetti
This is a delicious, simple pasta dinner that is easy to pull together on a weeknight. This recipe makes quite a bit of sauce that can serve for a second meal later in the week or freeze it to have for another time.
8
servings10
minutes30
minutes40
minutesIngredients
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 cup onions, diced
1 cup carrots, diced
1 cup celery, diced
6 garlic cloves
2 tsp. dried Italian Seasoning, or combination of dried herbs like basil and oregano
1 cup sweet peppers, diced
1 cup zucchini, diced
1 cup Cremini mushrooms, diced
2 jars pasta sauce
1 1/2 tsp. sugar
1/2 lb. ½ lb. lean ground beef
8 ounces spaghetti noodles
Salt and Pepper to taste
- Garnishes
Fresh Herbs (optional)
Parmigiana Reggiano (optional)
Directions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add the onions, celery, and carrot. Cook for about 5-7 minutes, until softened.
- Meanwhile, cook the ground beef in a separate frying pan. Season with salt and pepper. Continue to break up the meat as it cooks about 7-8 minutes, or until is no longer pink and is beginning to brown. Once it is cooked through, place it on a paper towel to absorb any excessive grease.
- Add the garlic and Italian seasoning to the pot with onions, celery and carrots. Cook for 1 minute, allowing them to become aromatic.
- Add in remaining vegetables. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until become softer.
- Next, add the ground beef, both jars of pasta sauce and sugar. Stir carefully, until it is well incorporated. This is a good time to start to boil the water for the spaghetti noodles.
- Once the sauce begins to bubble, reduce the heat to a low, and simmer, covered for about 10 minutes. Continue to stir occasionally. Season sauce with salt and pepper. Taste, and adjust as needed
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta noodles according to package directions. Reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water once the noodles are done. Drain, and return the noodles pack to the pot. Pour some of the reserved pasta water just to coat the noodles, this prevents them from clumping together..
- Finally, serve noodles into a bowl and top with pasta sauce. Garnish with fresh herbs or parmigiana as desired
- Enjoy!
