Easy One Pot Spaghetti

This Easy One Pot Spaghetti is the kind of simple dinner that makes life feel a little easier on busy nights. Everything cooks together in one pot, even the noodles, which gives the sauce extra flavor and makes the whole meal taste even better. It’s a cozy, comforting recipe that comes together with less mess and hardly any fuss.

If you are new here, I’ve kept it no secret that I used to hate cooking. As a high-achiever and someone that always had one million balls in the air, I think cooking always overwhelmed me. It was just one more thing to add to the list and I could just never seem to find enough time in the day to cook. So it was often the first thing I skipped most days.

I also don’t love cleaning, and cooking can make such a mess… and what do you mean I have to spend all this time hovering over a stove or the oven and now once I’ve eaten I have to spend all this time cleaning up the kitchen and doing dishes?!

That is why I LOVE one pan and one pot recipes. The less dishes I have to dirty means I can spend more time doing the things I actually want to do.

So that is why I adapted my classic spaghetti recipe into a one pot dish, and let me tell you, I can honestly say it tastes even better than when you cook everything separate. I will never cook the noodles separately again. My husband loves this one.

Make this Easy One Pot Spaghetti when…

• you are craving the classic but want something even easier
• you want something your partner and kids are going to love
• you want something delicious and comforting yet very simple

Ingredient notes…

Here is what you’ll need to make this Easy One Pot Spaghetti recipe. Please be sure to check the recipe card for the exact ingredients and measurements.

• Ground Beef: Adds protein and flavor to the recipe. I have tested it with ground turkey also, which works just as well. You can trade out for another type of protein if you wish such as chicken, bacon, sausage, steak etc. it just wouldn’t be a classic spaghetti.
• Italian sausage: Trust me on this, adding sausage adds so much more flavor. It’s amazing. But if you really don’t want to use it or don’t have any you can just use more ground beef instead. Or you could just skip the sausage and you will just have less meat.
• Spaghetti: I used spaghetti noodles because that is what makes this a spaghetti recipe, but of course you can use any type of pasta you prefer. Just be prepared that it may change the cooking time, or the amount of liquid needed in the recipe depending on what type of pasta it is.
• Onion: Gives the dish a savory depth. You can always omit it if someone is not a fan of onions.
• Garlic: Adds flavor to the dish. Omit it if needed.
• Diced/crushed tomatoes: I added a whole can of diced tomatoes. Adds flavor and helps make the tomato meat sauce for the spaghetti.
• Tomato paste: Adds flavor. (I forgot to get it in the ingredient picture below)
• Beef broth: Used to add flavor and soften the ingredients. I used beef broth but you could always use another kind.
• Worcestershire sauce: Adds flavor. Can omit if you wish, but it really does add a little something something.
• Garlic Powder: To add flavoring. Use any kind of seasoning you prefer.
• Onion Powder: To add flavoring. Use any kind of seasoning you prefer.
• Italian Seasoning: To add flavoring. Use any kind of seasoning you prefer.
• (Optional) Parmesan cheese: To add on top.
• Salt and pepper: To taste.

Equipment I swear by…

• A good large non-stick Skillet
• A ground beef meat masher

While the Easy One Pot Spaghetti simmers…

• Reach out to someone you need to catch up with
• Listen to your favorite podcast
• Clean up the kitchen as you go

How to make it…

See the recipe card below for ingredient quantities and full instructions.

1. Start to brown the ground beef and Italian sausage in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.
2. After about 3 or 4 minutes add the diced onion. Once the meat is browned, add the minced garlic.
3. Stir well, let the garlic cook for about a minute and then add the Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper.
4. Add the diced/crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and beef broth. Stir and then add the spaghetti, making sure it is submerged in the broth.
5. Let simmer for about 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure the pasta is cooking evenly, until the pasta is al dente.
6. Remove from heat and let it thicken for a few minutes before serving warm.

My tips and tricks to make this Easy One Pot Spaghetti recipe…

Healthier/Lighter: Use lean ground beef and remove any excess grease as the meat cooks.

Add veggies: Add any veggies that you like. Green or red peppers and mushrooms would make great additions.

Sauce consistency: If you find there isn’t quite enough sauce at the end add more beef broth. If there is too much sauce and you find it too soupy, you can always add a cornstarch slurry to thicken it up (2 tbsps cold water and 2 tbsps cornstarch mixed well)

Storage notes:

Refrigerate: This dish tastes even better the next day. The pasta will continue to absorb the sauce as it sits, so you can always add some more beef broth while reheating if you feel it has gotten too thick or there is not enough sauce. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy within 3 to 4 days.

Freeze: I find that pasta usually doesn’t freeze and reheat very well. But you could always cook this recipe up until adding in the pasta and then freeze it. And then when you are ready to eat it, just thaw and then add the pasta and continue cooking.

Are you struggling right now?

• Use prechopped or frozen onions and jarred minced garlic
• Use precooked ground beef (if you are making a lot of recipes with ground beef you can cook a big batch of ground beef before you freeze it, and then portion it out so that when you thaw it you just have to reheat instead of cooking it) and skip the sausage

Thank you for stopping by Comfort In a Bowl. If you have any questions, or made any additions/shortcuts that you think other people may love feel free to comment below. If you create this recipe or any other from our site, we would greatly appreciate you taking the time to share, comment and rate the recipe! Take care of yourself.

More Easy One Pot/ One Pan recipes…

• One Pan Beef Stroganoff
• One Pan Chicken Bacon Tortellini
• Easy One Pan Hamburger Mushroom Pasta
• One Pan Cheesy Creamy Herb Sausage Bowtie Pasta

My burnout situation…

One thing I know about myself without a doubt is that I love to travel. I would love to travel every single day if I could and I would love to see the entire world. That would be my dream honestly.

So I don’t know why I keep forgetting about how much traveling has an impact on my mental health.

When I don’t travel for a long time I don’t think it’s any coincidence that my mental health is usually at it’s worst. And when I am on a trip or traveling somewhere it’s no coincidence that my mental health is usually at it’s best.

I’ve also found it is the same for my husband as well, and also the same for our marriage. Our marriage is never better than when it is when we can travel and get away and spend quality time together.

So I think it’s important for me to make traveling or at least getting away every so often a priority for my mental health and for my marriage.

And it doesn’t have to be any huge extravagant trips to other countries. Even just getting away somewhere for the weekend helps a lot too.

The hard part about that is I love my dogs, and because they are getting so much older I find it hard to be away from them for long periods of time.

I need to find a balance.

Conclusion…

I don’t have a whole lot to say or really a way to tie this recipe together with my burnout.. I will just say seriously this recipe is amazing and you need to try it!

Take care of yourself.

-Caitlin