This 20-minute spaghetti and meat sauce uses simple freezer shortcuts and pantry staples to get a hearty, homemade meal on the table even on your busiest school nights.
What makes this recipe great
We’ve all seen those “quick 30-minute meals” that actually take 45 minutes of chopping and another 20 of cleanup. Well, not this recipe right here. This Shortcut Spaghetti is my absolute “secret weapon.” It is the one meal in my rotation that actually goes from pantry to table in 20 minutes flat!
- ⚡️Truly 20 Minutes: If you can boil water, you can make this in the time it takes the pasta to cook.
- 🧼 Minimal Cleanup: One pot for pasta, one skillet for sauce. That’s it.
- 🍝 Zero Chopping: We are leaning on the freezer aisle to do the heavy lifting.
Ingredients we’re going to use
This is about swaps and notes – jump to the ingredient list for the measurements etc.
- Frozen Seasoning Blend: This is the ultimate shortcut. It’s usually a mix of onions, celery, peppers, and parsley. If your store doesn’t have it, frozen mirepoix or just frozen diced onions work perfectly. It means zero chopping and zero crying over onions.
- The Jarred Sauce: Don’t feel guilty about using a jar! We are “doctoring” it up with the beef and seasonings so it tastes like you spent all afternoon simmering it.
- Spaghetti Water: Do not skip this! That starchy water is liquid gold. It helps the sauce actually stick to the noodles instead of just sliding off.
Let’s see how we make this:
This is about tips and hints, and the process photos if you need a visual guide. Jump to the instructions for the precise steps.
Step 1
Cook the spaghetti.
First, get that water going immediately. Salt it like the sea — it’s your only chance to season the pasta itself. Once you drop the noodles, your 10-minute timer starts.
Step 2
Cook the vegetables.
While the pasta is cooking, add your oil and those frozen veggies into a skillet. Since they’re frozen, they’ll sizzle and soften fast.
Step 3
Brown the beef.
Toss in the beef and your spices. I don’t measure the spices — just a good shake of garlic powder, paprika, and Italian seasoning until it “looks right.”
Step 4
Make the sauce.
Once the beef is browned, pour in the jar of sauce. I always put a splash of water in the empty jar, give it a shake, and pour that in too — waste not, want not! Add your reserved pasta water, let it bubble for a few minutes, and you are done.
Step 5
Serve!
I usually toss everything together in the skillet because it’s easier to serve, but if you have a “picky eater” who wants “naked” noodles, keep them separate!
Time to serve!
Throw a bag of pre-washed salad on the table and maybe some garlic bread if you’re feeling fancy. Spaghetti night: done!
Tl; dr: All the important stuff a glance
If you are currently standing in your kitchen with the kids arguing and you only have 30 seconds to read this, here is what matters:
- Reserve the water: Before you drain the pasta, scoop out half a cup of that cloudy water. It’s the difference between “okay” sauce and “restaurant” sauce.
- The butter trick: Stirring a tablespoon of butter into the drained noodles keeps them from sticking together while you finish the sauce.
- High heat is your friend: Sauté those frozen veggies on medium-high to get the moisture out fast so they don’t get mushy.
- Quick recipe rundown: Cook spaghetti. Sauté frozen seasoning blend. Add ground beef, season and brown. Stir in jar of sauce and pasta cooking water, toss with spaghetti and serve.
FAQs
Can I skip the veggies entirely?
Yes! If your kids are in a “nothing green allowed” phase, just brown the beef with the seasonings and add the sauce. Still delicious.
What if I only have a 1lb pack of beef?
That’s fine! The recipe is forgiving. It’ll just be a slightly “saucier” pasta, which no one ever complained about.
Can I make this ahead of time?
Actually, this is a great “reheat” meal. If you have leftovers, they make the perfect quick lunch the next day!
For more super fast meals that’ll save your sanity, check out my Skillet Lasagna, or my quick Creamy Garlic Parmesan Tortellini for those days when even boiling water feels like a chore!
Shortcut Spaghetti
Ingredients
- 1 pound spaghetti
- salt
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1.5 cups (packed) frozen seasoning blend
- 1.5 pounds ground beef
- salt, pepper, ground paprika, garlic powder, Italian seasoning (to taste)
- 1 (24-oz) jar pasta sauce (traditional or tomato basil)
- ½ cup spaghetti cooking water
Instructions
- Cook spaghetti: Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Salt generously, then add the spaghetti and cook according to package directions.Once ready, reserve ½ cup spaghetti cooking water. Drain the rest and stir butter through spaghetti. Set aside.1 pound spaghetti, salt, 1 tablespoon butter
- Cook vegetables: While the water is coming to a boil and the spaghetti are cooking, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil and the seasoning blend, cook until softening – about 4-5 minutes.1 tablespoon oil, 1.5 cups (packed) frozen seasoning blend
- Brown beef: Add the ground beef and season with salt, pepper and seasoning to taste. Cook until browned, breaking up the meat as you go. Drain excess grease if you prefer.1.5 pounds ground beef, salt, pepper, ground paprika, garlic powder, Italian seasoning
- Simmer sauce: Stir the jar of sauce into the ground beef mixture. Rinse the jar with a small splash of water, and add that with the ½ cup of spaghetti cooking water to the skillet as well. Simmer for 3-5 minutes, or for however much time is left until the spaghetti are done.1 (24-oz) jar pasta sauce, ½ cup spaghetti cooking water
- Serve: Either toss the spaghetti with the sauce in the skillet, or serve separately. Add grated cheese on top, if you like.
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