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Nick's Authentic Italian Spaghetti on a plate with fresh basil leaves.
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4.95 from 69 votes

Authentic Italian Spaghetti

This Authentic Italian Spaghetti recipe comes straight from Italy. Tomatoes, basil, onions, and carrots flavor the two kinds of meat to make the perfect sauce.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Simmer Time3 hours
Total Time3 hours 20 minutes
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: Spaghetti
Servings: 6
Calories: 635kcal
Author: Erica Walker

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 small onion finely chopped
  • 3 carrots peeled, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic (crushed or minced)
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1/2 pound ground pork
  • 1 1/2 pounds tomatoes (fresh peeled and diced tomatoes or canned San Marzano tomatoes)
  • 6 fresh basil leaves chopped (or 1-2 teaspoons dried basil)
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • beef broth (if need to thin sauce while simmering, you can also use pasta water or a splash of red wine)
  • 1 pound spaghetti noodles

Instructions

  • Heat oil on medium heat in a large, deep skillet. Add onion, carrots, and garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add ground beef and pork and continue to cook.
    Cooked ground beef and vegetables in a skillet for Italian spaghetti sauce
  • When meat is browned and onions are soft, add tomatoes.
    Canned San Marzano tomatoes added to meat mixture to make spaghetti sauce.
  • When tomatoes have softened and have started to release their juices (about 4-5 min) add basil, sugar, salt and pepper. If you are using whole tomatoes, mash them with a potato masher or spatula to release all their juices.
    Fresh chopped basil added to a rich spaghetti sauce in a large skillet.
  • Simmer for at least 3 hours, or up to 6 hours, stirring occasionally. The longer you simmer, the better. Important: Tomatoes burn easily, so keep an eye on them and add beef broth a little at a time to thin sauce if needed.
    Rich and meaty pasta sauce for Italian spaghetti in a skillet garnished with fresh basil.
  • In a large pot, cook spaghetti in salted water to al dente, drain completely and return to pot. Add sauce to the spaghetti noodles and toss until noodles are covered.
    Tossing spaghetti pasta with Italian spaghetti meat sauce with tongs.

Video

Notes

Your spaghetti will last in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-4 days. 

Nutrition

Calories: 635kcal | Carbohydrates: 66g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 491mg | Potassium: 874mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 6061IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 3mg