30 Minute Pasta with Meat Sauce
A lazy weeknight dinner calls for a pot of my easy 30 minute pasta with meat sauce. It’s my go-to meal when I’m feeling too tired to cook something fancy in the kitchen, and it uses very few ingredients. All you need is an onion, brick of ground beef, a can of tomato sauce, and your favorite pasta to make this delicious pasta with meat sauce that comes together in under 30 minutes!
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission if you make a purchase through one of my links – at no cost to you! I appreciate your support that helps me run my blog.
Pasta is a comfort food for me, because I grew up eating it for just about every single meal. That’s not a joke–my family makes homemade pasta for every holiday and purposely makes more than twice the amount we actually need because they know I will eat pasta and meatballs for breakfast, lunch, and dinner as leftovers for the next 4 days.
So when I’m feeling particularly lazy and tired after a long day of work, I don’t really feel like handling pieces of chicken, forming meatballs, chopping a bunch of vegetables, and washing a million dishes. I just want to get dinner on the table quickly with little effort. Pasta with meat sauce is my go-to easy meal. I always keep a brick of ground beef in my freezer (thanks to my monthly ButcherBox subscription), and I always keep my pantry stocked with pasta and canned tomatoes.
Pasta with Meat Sauce: Dinner in 30 Minutes
For busy weeknight dinners, this pasta with meat sauce is my go-to for a satisfying meal that is filling and healthy! Using a high-protein gluten-free pasta and an extra lean ground beef, this is a macro-friendly meal for anyone trying to increase their protein intake using a simple one-pot recipe. This is my “I don’t feel like cooking” dinner or my “I don’t know what to make” meal, because dinner doesn’t always have to be a fancy dish requiring over a dozen ingredients, four different pots, and an hour and a half of your precious time!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- It’s simple. Five ingredients plus some seasonings is really all you need to make a deliciously easy and simple dinner!
- It’s quick. “30 minutes” is in the title of the recipe, and it truly is a quick and easy dinner to make for busy weeknights!
- It’s easy. The sauce is made in a single pan and it requires pretty little effort!
- It’s nostalgic. I don’t know about you, but pasta with meat sauce is a nostalgic recipe because it brings back memories of my younger years. I also remember a time I visited a college friend after graduation for the first time, and the first meal she learned to cook for guests was a simple pasta with meat sauce!
Ingredients for Pasta with Meat Sauce
- Pasta. Obviously! I used a high protein gluten-free chickpea pasta, but use whatever you prefer! I recommend a rotini or shell shape, but since this recipe is meant to be easy, just use whatever you have on hand!
- Canned tomatoes. You’ll want a big 28oz can (you can use a 28oz + 14oz can if you prefer your pasta to be a little saucier). I recommend tomato puree, but you can use any canned tomato (just read my FAQ on which canned tomato to use, and how to prepare the tomatoes to make the perfect sauce).
- Ground beef. I recommend a leaner beef, like 90/10 or 93/7 because you want a sauce that isn’t too fatty or oily.
- Onion. I love adding some diced onion to a sauce for extra flavor.
- Garlic. The more, the merrier!
- Seasonings. Obviously salt and pepper, but I recommend Italian seasoning, or any blend of parsley, oregano, and basil.
- Parmesan. For topping, of course!
How to Make Pasta with Meat Sauce
Keep on scrolling for the full recipe card with step-by-step instructions and measurements. Here is a brief outline of the process with photos!
- Cook the onion. In a large pan or pot over medium heat, heat oil. Add onion and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Increase the heat to medium-high, then make room in the center of the pan and add the ground beef. Use a wooden spoon to break up the beef into small pieces. Cook until browned.
- Season the beef. Season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning, then stir. Add garlic and stir, cooking for another minute.
- Add tomato sauce. Pour the tomato sauce into the pan and stir. Allow the sauce to simmer for 15-20 minutes.
- Cook the pasta. While the sauce simmers, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until almost al dente. If you are using chickpea pasta for a higher-protein pasta dish, keep a close eye on the pasta. Overcooking this pasta can happen quickly and will cause the pasta to become mushy. I recommend a full simmer rather than a raging boil so the pasta cooks a bit slower and you can more easily monitor the doneness of the pasta.
- Combine the pasta with the meat sauce. Add the slightly undercooked pasta to the meat sauce, reserving about 1 cup of pasta water. Fold the pasta into the sauce, then add some pasta water, about 3-4 tbsp at a time. Let the pasta finish cooking in the sauce, only adding more pasta water as needed.
- Serve. Serve with fresh basil and parmesan and enjoy!
Recipe Variations and Substitutions
- Ground meat: You can use ground turkey instead of ground beef!
- Pasta: I used a high-protein gluten-free chickpea pasta to add even more protein to this dish! You can use regular pasta or any other type of gluten-free pasta that you prefer. This sauce is versatile enough to work with just about any pasta shape, but I recommend rotini or shells, which are perfect for holding onto the chunks of meat in the sauce.
- Tomato: I used crushed tomato for a chunkier sauce, but tomato puree is my recommendation for a smooth sauce! In a pinch, you can truly use any jar of your favorite pasta sauce.
- Make it vegan: Replace ground beef with ground plant-based meat alternative!
Storing and Reheating
Store leftovers in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. You can also freeze pasta with meat sauce in an air-tight container in the freezer for 1-2 months. Reheat refrigerated pasta with meat sauce in the microwave or on the stovetop over medium low heat with 1-2 tbsp water to help rehydrate and loosen up the sauce if it has dried out. Let frozen pasta thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
FAQs
Does the kind of canned tomato I use matter?
Tomato puree vs tomato sauce vs crushed tomatoes vs whole peeled tomatoes? It does make a bit of a difference, but it’s not major!
Tomato puree is what I recommend using, because it’s just pureed tomatoes that are unseasoned, so you will get a smooth tomato base that you can add seasonings to.
Canned tomato sauce typically comes with some added seasoning already (like oregano, basil, etc). This is also perfectly fine to use, and it will likely mean you don’t need to add much more to it!
A can of crushed tomatoes is going to lead to a chunkier sauce (if you look closely at my photos, you can tell I used crushed tomatoes because you can see some tomato skins and chunkier pieces of tomato). I don’t mind this, but if you prefer a smoother, silkier sauce, you can pour the crushed tomatoes into a blender to puree before adding to the pan.
Whole peeled tomatoes can also be used here. You can either crush up the tomatoes by hand before adding to the pan, or pour the can into the pan and use a wooden spoon to bread up the tomatoes. Or you can pour the can of whole peeled tomatoes into a blender to puree before adding to the sauce.
So in short, there is no right or wrong canned tomato to use, but each canned tomato product will yield a slightly different sauce texture or taste, or require an added step while prepping ingredients!
What beef is best for this pasta with meat sauce?
I developed this dish to be an easy, higher-protein, healthier pasta dish. I recommend using ground beef that is 90/10 or leaner. Save the beef with a higher fat content for smash burgers! The lower fat content of a 90/10, 92/8, 93/7 or even leaner beef will lead to a less greasy pasta sauce. You likely won’t need to drain any fat from the pan if you’re cooking with a leaner beef, too!
Why does chickpea pasta get mushy when cooked?
Chickpea pasta cooks faster than regular pasta, so it needs to be carefully monitored to prevent it from completely falling apart. Often times, I will ignore the cook time suggested on the box of chickpea pasta. Use a full simmer instead of a raging boil to cook the pasta, and make sure you use a pot that is large enough to add a lot of water, as an insufficient amount of water can also lead to the pasta sticking together and cooking unevenly.
Other Easy Dinner Ideas You’ll Love
- Shakshuka
- Low-fat chicken salad
- Sheet Pan Sausage and Gnocchi with Burrata
- Spicy Caesar Salad with Chicken Nuggets
Equipment
Print
30 Minute Pasta with Meat Sauce
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 25
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Pasta
- Method: One-Pot
- Cuisine: Italian
Description
This simple 30 minute pasta with meat sauce is the perfect meal to make for a busy weeknight! It requires little effort, very few ingredients (including pantry staples), and it comes together in under 30 minutes!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 lb lean ground beef (90/10 or 93/7)
- 2–4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp salt, more to taste
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning (or dried oregano + dried basil + dried parsley)
- 1 28oz can tomato puree
- 8 oz pasta
- Fresh basil for garnish (optional)
- Parmigiano Reggiano
Instructions
- Cook the onion. Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 3-4 minutes.
- Cook the ground beef. Add ground beef and use a wooden spoon to break up the meat into small pieces. Cook until browned, then season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasonings. Stir in garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Add the tomato sauce. Pour in the can of tomato sauce and stir. Bring to a low boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes.
- Cook the pasta. While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until it is almost al dente (see notes if you are using a gluten-free high-protein chickpea pasta).
- Mix the pasta into the sauce. When the pasta is almost done cooking, reserve about 1 cup of pasta water, then strain the pasta and add it to the sauce. Fold the pasta into the sauce, then add about 1/4 cup pasta water. Allow the pasta to finish cooking for 1-2 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy! Serve the pasta with fresh basil (optional) and as much freshly grated parmesan as your heart desires!
Notes
If you are using a chickpea pasta for this recipe, be mindful of cook time. You will want to use a large pot of salted water (using too little liquid can cause the pasta to stick together, overcook, and become mushy quickly). I tend to ignore the cook time listed on the chickpea pasta packaging. Bring the water to a low boil, then add the pasta and do not let the water boil aggressively. You’ll want to closely monitor the pasta to ensure it does not overcook, as it takes only about 5-6 minutes to become al dente. Reserve some pasta water and drain before adding to the sauce.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 477
- Sugar: 11.9 g
- Sodium: 806.7 mg
- Fat: 8.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 64 g
- Protein: 37.4 g
- Cholesterol: 72.1 mg
