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Delicious Southern Spaghetti garnished with finely grated parmesan cheese and dried green parsley flakes in a white bowl.

Rich and Hearty Southern Spaghetti with a Glossy Meat Sauce

This comforting Southern Spaghetti features long noodles heavily coated in a thick, dark red, glossy meat sauce loaded with heavily browned ground beef crumbles, soft green bell peppers, and translucent onions.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 6 people
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Southern
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Southern Spaghetti Ingredients
  • 16 oz long spaghetti noodles Dried, cooked to al dente
  • 1 lb ground beef 80/20 blend
  • 1 cup green bell peppers Finely diced
  • 1 cup yellow onions Finely diced
  • 3 tbsp tomato paste Concentrated
  • 28 oz crushed tomatoes Canned
  • 1 tbsp granulated sugar White sugar
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic Freshly minced
  • 1 tsp salt Kosher or sea salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper Freshly cracked
  • 1 tbsp Italian seasoning Dried
  • 0.25 cup parmesan cheese Finely grated, for garnish
  • 1 tbsp dried green parsley flakes For garnish

Equipment

  • 1 Large Dutch Oven or Skillet Used for browning beef and simmering the thick meat sauce.
  • 1 Large Stockpot Essential for boiling the long spaghetti noodles.

Method
 

Making the Southern Spaghetti
  1. Place a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, breaking it into large crumbles. Cook for 3-4 minutes to develop a heavily browned crust. Drain excess grease, leaving about 1 tbsp in the pan.
  2. Reduce heat to medium. Add the diced green bell peppers and yellow onions to the beef. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until the peppers are soft cooked and the onions are perfectly translucent.
  3. Stir in the minced garlic and tomato paste, cooking for 1 minute. Pour in the crushed tomatoes, granulated sugar, salt, black pepper, and Italian seasoning.
  4. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and let the mixture simmer gently for 30 minutes to develop a thick, dark red, glossy tomato sauce.
  5. While the sauce simmers, boil the long spaghetti noodles in a large pot of salted water until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, then drain the noodles.
  6. Add the hot noodles directly into the meat sauce, tossing vigorously until heavily coated. Serve in a shallow white ceramic pasta bowl, garnished with a light dusting of finely grated parmesan cheese and dried green parsley flakes.

Notes

Do not rinse your pasta after draining! The natural starches help the thick glossy meat sauce cling to the noodles.
For an even richer flavor, let the sauce simmer on low heat for up to an hour before adding the pasta.