10 Minute Spaghetti Recipe with tomato sauce, garlic and Parmesan. I call it “a million dollar spaghetti” because it is quick and easy but tastes like a fancy Italian restaurant dinner.
Ground turkey pasta, chicken alfredo and Tuscan chicken pasta are other 30 minute meals in our dinner rotation.
Table of contents
Easy Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce
My husband Alex called me “talented” last Friday. I created this amazing spaghetti recipe “with nothing” in 10 minutes for a quick dinner. We all couldn’t stop eating it.
If you have Instant Pot, you should also check out my Instant Pot spaghetti with any meat. I am slightly obsessed with Instant Pot recipes!
If you think of going to an Italian restaurant to pay $20 for spaghetti with tomato sauce please stop immediately. Take off your shoes and make this yummy spaghetti with tomato sauce and serve with salad. You can do it! At home with canned sauce. Because there is no such thing as fresh tomatoes for tomato sauce October – July anywhere.
Or because there is a place for canned tomato sauce on a Friday night after you have been working your butt off all week. It still can be amazing, fresh and delicious! For like $5 instead of 4 x $20 plus tax and tips at a nearby Italian restaurant. With like a $10 glass of wine and turkey meatballs from the freezer or turkey breast roast on Sunday. And by the way, who stops at one glass?!
Yes! It is the best spaghetti ever! The ingredients are equivalent easy to mac and cheese. You will be blown away!
Ingredients You Will Need
- Spaghetti. Any pasta will work. I prefer to use whole wheat or whole grain because it contains fiber and nutrients. If you use regular white pasta, please note nutritional information of this delicious spaghetti recipe will change. Gluten free spaghetti like brown rice, quinoa etc. will work. Please note it cooks much faster than wheat. So watch to avoid a mushy mess.
- Tomato sauce. There are so many tomato products on supermarket shelves these days. In cans and jars. I get lost myself. That is why partially I just buy a 12 case of organic low sodium canned tomato sauce at Costco and use in all my recipes. Another reason is that other tomato products are expensive. Often for no reason. To make good spaghetti, you need a can of cheap tomato sauce that reads “tomato sauce”. Preferably low sodium. Not “spaghetti sauce”, not “pizza sauce”, not “pasta sauce”, not “marinara sauce”. Just “tomato sauce”.
- Parmesan cheese. Pre-grated Parmesan cheese in a shaker contains cellulose as a filler. It is ground up wood chips. It is not pure Parmesan cheese. Plus it doesn’t taste nearly as fresh. I highly recommend to use fresh and real Parmesan. I usually buy a hunk, grate as much as I need and refrigerate in a container for up to 2-3 months. Then freeze remainder in a Ziploc bag. When needed, thaw, grate and use for pasta salad, lentil soup and baked cauliflower. And place remainder of the hunk back in the freezer.
- Extra virgin olive oil and fresh garlic.
- Dried oregano, salt and pepper.
How to Make Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce
Everything cooks in one pot. That’s why I love my 6 quart Dutch oven so much!
Why so much salt? Don’t worry. You will not eat 2.5 teaspoons salt. It is important to cook spaghetti with salt to prevent pasta from sticking. And to add flavor during cooking.
- Cook spaghetti. Fill large Dutch oven or pot with cold water 3/4 full and bring to a boil. Add 2 tsp salt and spaghetti. Separate pasta with tongs a few times during first 2 minutes of cooking to ensure it does not stick. Keep cooking uncovered for 5 more minutes or until al dente, stirring occasionally.
- Drain pasta. Taste spaghetti for doneness towards the end by grabbing one strand onto a plate with tongs. Do not overcook until too soft. The key to tasty pasta is firm cooked pasta. Drain in a colander.
- Cook garlic. Return pot to medium heat and add olive oil, 4 garlic cloves and oregano. Cook for 20 seconds, stirring constantly. Garlic cooks fast, so don’t walk away and not burn. Turn off the heat.
- Add drained pasta, tomato sauce, remaining 1/2 tsp salt, pepper and 1 more fresh garlic clove. Stir gently until warmed through. That 1 clove of fresh garlic at the end is a must!
Variations, Serving and Storage
Serve with Parmesan cheese and chopped salad on the side. This is the best cheap and quite healthy spaghetti I have ever had anywhere!
You can also add:
- Olives: I love adding pitted Kalamata olives to garlicky pasta like in this chicken and whole wheat spaghetti. So easy as they come from a jar and add a zest and flavour. I don’t even chop them.
- Chicken: Shredded or cubed cooked chicken breast or flavorful leftovers of honey garlic chicken or lemon chicken for extra protein.
- Ground turkey: Pre-cooked ground turkey with salt and pepper is good enough. And ups the protein content.
- Anchovies or sardines: OK, don’t call me “weird” but I love salty canned fish with pasta. So good! It’s an European in me.:)
Store: Refrigerate spaghetti leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days. To reheat, add to a pot with a splash of water and simmer on low.
More Healthy Pasta Recipes
- Ground turkey pasta bake
- Mushroom stroganoff
- Homemade meat sauce
- Healthy pasta with sun dried tomatoes
- Crockpot chicken spaghetti
Need more help with dinner? Check out iFOODreal meal plans.
10 Minute Spaghetti Recipe {One Pot}
Ingredients
- 12 oz any spaghetti uncooked
- 15 oz can tomato sauce low sodium
- 2 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- 5 large garlic cloves minced
- 2 1/2 tsp salt
- Ground black pepper to taste
- 2 tsp oregano dried
- Parmesan cheese grated
Instructions
- Fill large Dutch oven or pot with cold water 3/4 full and bring to a boil.
- Add 2 tsp salt and spaghetti. Separate pasta with tongs a few times during first 2 minutes of cooking. This will ensure spaghetti do not stick together.
- Cook pasta uncovered for 5 more minutes or until al dente, stirring occasionally. Taste for doneness while cooking. Do not overcook until too soft. The key to tasty pasta is firm cooked pasta. Drain in a colander.
- Return pot to medium heat and add olive oil, 4 garlic cloves and oregano. Cook for 20 seconds, stirring constantly.
- Turn off the heat. Add drained pasta, tomato sauce, remaining 1/2 tsp salt, pepper and 1 garlic clove. Stir gently until warmed through.
- Serve immediately with Parmesan cheese. This is the best cheap and quite healthy spaghetti I have ever had anywhere!
Store: Refrigerate spaghetti leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days. To reheat, add to a pot with a splash of water and simmer on low.
Video
Notes
- Spaghetti. Any pasta will work. I prefer to use whole wheat or whole grain because it contains fiber and nutrients. If you use regular white pasta, please note nutritional information of this delicious spaghetti recipe will change. Gluten free spaghetti like brown rice, quinoa etc. will work. Please note it cooks much faster than wheat. So watch to avoid a mushy mess.
- Tomato sauce. To make good spaghetti, you need a can of cheap tomato sauce that reads “tomato sauce”. Preferably low sodium. Not “spaghetti sauce”, not “pizza sauce”, not “pasta sauce”, not “marinara sauce”. Just “tomato sauce”.
- Parmesan cheese. Pre-grated Parmesan cheese in a shaker contains cellulose as a filler. It is ground up wood chips. It is not pure Parmesan cheese. Plus it doesn’t taste nearly as fresh. I highly recommend to use fresh and real Parmesan.
- Why so much salt? Don’t worry. You will not eat 2.5 teaspoons salt. It is important to cook spaghetti with salt to prevent pasta from sticking. And to add flavor during cooking.
- Olives: I love adding pitted Kalamata olives to garlicky pasta. So easy as they come from a jar and add a zest and flavour. I don’t even chop them.
- Chicken: Shredded or cubed cooked chicken for extra protein. Check out my Instant Pot chicken breast – so easy!
- Ground turkey: Pre-cooked ground turkey with salt and pepper is good enough. And ups the protein content.
- Anchovies or sardines: OK, don’t call me “weird” but I love salty canned fish with pasta. So good!
Nutrition
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Hello and welcome to iFOODreal.
My name is Olena Osipov. I'm a mom to 2 boys, a wife to Alex and we reside on magical Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. This is our healthy family recipes blog. Originally from Ukraine, I grew up on real food. As an adult, I struggled with diets for years because none worked long-term. Now for over 10 years, I cook easy healthy meals for my family. I can help you with “What’s for dinner?” too.