A basic spaghetti sauce recipe made more Weight Watcher friendly by just changing a few simple ingredients around and lightening it up a bit. Serve over one cup of pasta for a satisfying meal!
This recipe is hands down my favorite Spaghetti meat sauce. My Mom used to make this for my brother and me all the time when we were kids and we just loved it. I wanted to still be able to eat this while following WW and there weren't too many ingredients that needed to be changed. The only ingredient that I did change was to use 93% lean ground beef instead of 80% ground beef.
If you like pasta dishes try Baked Spaghetti Cream Cheese Casserole or Low Sodium Spaghetti Sauce.
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Tips for Spaghetti Sauce
The ground beef already has quite a bit of protein in it per serving. Add in some protein pasta such as Barilla. 2 oz of pasta is 7 grams of protein. Ground beef is also one of those foods that are basic and easy to learn. Check out How to Cook Ground Beef
Mix in some cottage cheese for even more protein!
Can you freeze this recipe? Yes, you can. Use gallon size freezer bags and put the leftovers in there. It does make a lot too. When you are ready to use it again, take the bag out of the freezer and let it defrost. Then heat it up in a saucepan.
You can add this sauce to the of some garlic bread and have Italian Sloppy Joes, make lasagna with it, or just serve it over some spaghetti noodles.
96% lean ground beef can be substituted for 93% ground beef. I find it at Wal-Mart or Aldis.
This recipe can also be adapted for the Instant Pot.
Instant Pot Spaghetti and Meat Sauce
Ingredients Needed
- Ground Beef 93% - Is considered better than higher fat options for several reasons. First, it has less saturated fat, which can contribute to heart disease and other health issues. Additionally, it tends to have fewer calories per serving, making it a good option for those watching their weight. The 96% lean ground beef from Aldi is my favorite.
- Chopped onion - yellow or white
- Can tomato sauce - When purchasing canned diced tomatoes, it is important to read the label and choose a product with no added salt or sugar if you are looking for a healthier option.
- Can tomato paste - is a thick paste made by cooking tomatoes for several hours to reduce the water content and intensify their flavor.
- Italian Mushroom spaghetti sauce mix or Italian Seasoning Mix
- Sugar - Gives the sauce a little sweetness
- Oregano leaves - is a common herb used in cooking, particularly in Mediterranean and Mexican cuisine. It has a pungent, slightly bitter taste and a strong aroma
- Garlic crushed - Chopped fresh garlic can take some time to chop so I often always use the freshly minced garlic that comes already made in a jar.
- See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
How to Make Spaghetti and Meat Sauce
For the full recipe see the recipe card below
Step 1: Chop onion and cook it in a skillet over medium-high heat until the onion is cooked through. About 5-7 minutes.
Step 2: Add the ground beef to the skillet and cook until the beef is no longer pink in the middle. Drain any extra fat. Check out this post for a full tutorial on How to Cook Ground Beef
Step 3: Continue adding the tomato sauce, tomato paste, sauce mix, water, and seasonings to the skillet. Stir really well and let the spaghetti sauce simmer over low heat for 30 minutes. When the cooking is done remove the bay leaf out.
What to serve with spaghetti sauce?
Spaghetti sauce is a classic Italian tomato dish that can be served with a wide variety of dishes. Here are some great options to consider:
- Pasta: Choose your favorite type of pasta and cook it according to the package instructions. Then, toss the pasta with the marinara sauce and serve it hot. Tip: use one of those microwave ready pastas that are ready in under 2 min.
- Meatballs: Instead of adding ground beef throw in some cooked frozen meatballs to this sauce. It's a game changer! These Low Point Meatballs are great homemade.
- Bread: Spaghetti sauce is also great for dipping bread. Simply warm up the sauce and serve it alongside some crusty bread. Make some Air Fryer Garlic Bread to serve on the side.
Make sure to top it with some parmesan cheese!
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Spaghetti and Meat Sauce
- Prep Time: 10min
- Cook Time: 30min
- Total Time: 40min
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Easy
- Method: Stovetoop
- Cuisine: American
Description
A basic spaghetti sauce recipe made more Weight Watcher friendly by just changing a few simple ingredients around and lightening it up a bit. Serve over one cup of pasta for a satisfying meal!
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean Ground Beef 93%
- ¼ cup chopped onion
- 1 15 oz can tomato sauce
- 1 12 oz can tomato paste
- 1 envelope Italian Mushroom spaghetti sauce mix
- 1 ½ cups water
- ½ tablespoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon oregano leaves
- 1 clove garlic crushed
- 1 bay leave crumbled.
Instructions
- Chop onion and cook it in a skillet over medium-high heat until the onion is cooked through. About 5-7 minutes.
- Add the ground beef to the skillet and cook until the beef is no longer pink in the middle. Drain any extra fat.
- Continue adding the tomato sauce, tomato paste, sauce mix, water, and seasonings to the skillet. Stir really well and let the spaghetti sauce simmer over low heat for 30 minutes. When the cooking is done remove the bay leaf out.
- Makes 6 servings:
- Serving size: ¾ cup
Notes
WW Points: 3
For extra protein boost add in some protein pasta such as Barilla. to make it 26 g of protein per serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ¾ cup
- Calories: 209
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 496
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 19g
Joel says
Looks really delicious.