A Favorite Meal: My Spaghetti & Meat Sauce

There’s something timeless about a big bowl of spaghetti—especially when it’s made with love and a rich, savory meat sauce. For us, this isn’t just dinner. It’s tradition. It’s comfort. It’s one of our all-time favorite meals.


Spaghetti with meat sauce has been my go-to for as long as I can remember. Over the years, I’ve tweaked and tasted and experimented until it became my recipe. It’s not exactly authentic Italian—I won’t pretend it is—and I honestly couldn’t tell you where it started. But one thing I can tell you? We haven’t found a jarred sauce that comes close.


David always says he’s never had one better. (He’s biased, but I’ll take it.)


So I thought I’d share it with you.


Here’s how I make it:


Start with a large, heavy skillet and a good splash of extra virgin olive oil.


Toss in:
• 1 full head of fresh garlic, crushed
(I measure garlic with love—and I truly believe more is always better.)
• 1 small white onion, finely chopped


Sauté it all until the kitchen smells amazing.


Then, brown a mixture of ground beef and Italian sausage. Once it’s cooked through, set it aside.


Back in the skillet, add:
• 3 cans of reduced sodium tomato paste
• 6 cans of water (I just fill the empty tomato paste can six times)
Stir it together until it starts to look like a sauce.


Then I add:
• A teaspoon (or so) of balsamic vinegar
• A tablespoon of Chianti
• A few good grinds of cracked black pepper


I’ve always preferred cracked pepper. My Grandma Maxine had a pepper grinder she used every time she cooked, and I always thought it added something extra to her food—like love you could taste. I used to jump up from the table to grab it and pepper everything from macaroni and cheese to chicken and dumplings. That same pepper mill now lives in my kitchen, and I use it every time I cook. Somehow, it still feels like a little bit of her is with me in every meal.


At this point, I usually pour myself a glass of wine, too. Cooking’s better with a drink in hand.


Next:
• 3 tablespoons of Italian seasoning—I like the blend from Penzeys, but use what you love.

• 3 bay leaves whole (plan to fish these out before serving)

Stir. Simmer. Stir again.


Let it bubble gently on low heat. Taste it. Adjust it. I never measure precisely—I just go by instinct, and it somehow works every time.


Add the meat back in, give it another good stir, and let everything hang out together while you get the pasta going.


We like to use a grain-free, veggie-based pasta—it makes the dish feel a little lighter and healthier without sacrificing that comfort-food vibe.

Just before I drain the pasta I add a cup of the pasta water to the sauce.

Now for the Great Cheese Debate…


Parmesan is essential. But here’s where things get controversial.


David and I? We’re team grated cheese in a can. Yep. That old-school, shelf-stable classic. My dad? He can’t stand it—he insists on freshly grated only.


And me? I pile it on so thick, you can barely see the sauce underneath. (No regrets.)


Right before we serve, I finish everything off with a little more cracked black pepper over the top. It’s a small touch, but it always reminds me of Grandma—and it just brings the whole thing together.


⸻


So there it is—our favorite meal, just the way we like it.


If you try it, let me know how it turns out. Or better yet, make it your own. That’s the best part of a recipe like this—it’s meant to evolve and be shared.


And yes, don’t forget the wine.