My Grandma’s Weeknight Spaghetti
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My Grandma’s Weeknight Spaghetti
Get ready for a comforting trip down memory lane with my Grandma's Weeknight Spaghetti recipe! This timeless recipe is a cherished family favorite, promising a bowlful of delicious nostalgia in every bite, complete with rich tomato + herby flavors that will warm your heart. Topped with a generous sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. It’s a simple, classic, and easy-to-love dish that the whole family will love. Completely Vegetarian. Gluten-free + Vegan Option.
When simplicity is the aim, My Grandma’s Weeknight Spaghetti always comes through. It's meatless but packed with flavor + satisfyingly filling—earning it a permanent spot as a family favorite when I'm craving an effortless meal. Plus, it's a heartfelt tribute to my granny, the ultimate chef in our family. You know what I mean—grannies just have that special touch when it comes to flavor! Haha
If you're craving more cozy, grandma-inspired dishes, don't miss out on my Grandma's Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies, My Grandma's Baked Southern Banana Pudding, Dutch Apple Pie, Grandma’s Cheese Sheet Pan Pizza, and of course, Grandma’s Vanilla Birthday Cake. Y'all they're all like a taste of home—each bite is packed with love.
But let's circle back to this Weeknight Spaghetti. It's wonderfully simple, taking just 30 minutes to whip up, brimming with rich tomatoey flavors, and easily adaptable to be gluten-free. It's a win-win for everyone at the table! Passed-down recipes like these are truly a blessing.
Jump to:
- Why You Will Fall IN LOVE With My Grandma’s Weeknight Spaghetti
- How To Make My Grandma’s Weeknight Spaghetti
- Ingredients
- Choosing Your Perfect Pasta
- Delicious Additions to Grandma’s Weeknight Spaghetti
- Can I Add Some Greens?
- Topping Ideas for Grandma’s Weeknight Spaghetti
- What Are Delicious Foods to Pair This Weeknight Spaghetti?
- What White Wine is Best in Pasta?
- Common Q + A's For My Grandma’s Weeknight Spaghetti
- More Mouthwatering Pasta Recipes
- MADE OUR RECIPE(S)?
- My Grandma’s Weeknight Spaghetti
Why You Will Fall IN LOVE With My Grandma’s Weeknight Spaghetti
- Easy weeknight meal--Simple preparation + minimal ingredients
- Versatile and customizable
- A crowd-pleasing combination that will have everyone coming back for seconds.
- It’s absolutely delicious---- Loaded with bold + rich flavors.
- Family-friendly (Well, everyone in my family seems to love it, Haha.)
- It’s meatless--but still works for any eater.
How To Make My Grandma’s Weeknight Spaghetti
Making Grandma’s Weeknight Spaghetti is a breeze—just boil your pasta, whip up your spaghetti sauce, and combine everything once cooked. I like to finish it off with a sprinkle of Parmesan and parsley for a fresh touch. Grandma really had it all figured out, didn't she? Haha
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you need for Grandma’s Weeknight Spaghetti :
- Spaghetti or bucatini. Use your favorite shape of pasta. You can also substitute gluten-free if necessary.
SAUCE:
- Extra virgin olive oil. Feel free to use your favorite high-quality EVOO. My fave tried and trusted brand is California Olive Ranch.
- Butter. Use unsalted butter to add additional flavor + fat to the sauce. For vegan/dairy-free option, use vegan butter.
- Red onion. Substitute with yellow or white if that’s what you have.
- Garlic cloves. You can never have too much! I recommend using 4 cloves to infuse this tomato sauce with flavor.
- Bell pepper. Medium size, chopped (You can use red or green)
- Herbs + seasonings. Fresh thyme sprigs, sea salt, black pepper, dried oregano, dried basil, garlic powder, smoked paprika + dried parsley. These herbs add to the savory Italian flavor of this sauce.
- Red pepper flakes. For a bit of heat that doesn’t overwhelm.
- Red tomato paste. This is my secret flavor enhancer and the thing that gives this dish some color.
- Can diced tomatoes. Adds another level of tomatoey goodness.
- Organic brown sugar. For a touch of sweetness to balance out the savory notes.
- White cooking wine. Choose dry wine for the best flavor. This adds a bit of acidity to the sauce. Optional (You can sub with vegetable stock)
GARNISH:
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese. This really takes it to the next level.
- Chopped fresh parsley. For some herby freshness.
SHOP MY FAVORITE TOOLS FOR COOKING, ESPECIALLY FOR THIS PASTA DISH!
Here, I've curated a list of cooking + baking essentials that I use to achieve my favorite baked goods or cooked meals, especially with Grandma’s Weeknight Spaghetti recipe. Everything from my fave baking sheet, dutch ovens, immersion hand-blender, mixing bowls, and more. SEE THEM HERE!
Choosing Your Perfect Pasta
I love using classic spaghetti pasta because it does a beautiful job of embracing and holding onto the spaghetti sauce and the texture is just fun to eat! But any of these pasta varieties would work for this dish -
- Bucatini
- Perciatelli
- Fettucini
- Rigatoni
- Shells
- Penne
- Paccheri
- Orecchiette
- Spirals
- Ravioli + gnocchi would also go wonderfully with this sauce combo!
Delicious Additions to Grandma’s Weeknight Spaghetti
Although this Vegetarian Weeknight Spaghetti pasta recipe is amazing on its own, if you feel like adding a little extra flare, here are some ideas -
VEGGIE
- Roasted chickpeas for added crunch and protein
- Soy chorizo
- Sautéed mushrooms
- Grilled eggplant or zucchini slices
- Marinated artichokes
- Kale or other greens!
- Sliced Kalamata olives for a tangy twist
- Crumbled tofu or tempeh for a meaty texture
- Steamed broccoli florets for added greenery
MEAT
If you aren't restricted to only meatless options, then you can spruce things up by adding -
- Ground beef or turkey
- Grilled or shredded chicken
- Blackened chicken
- Sliced Italian sausage (spicy or mild)
- Chopped bacon, or pancetta
- Shrimp or lobster
- Pan seared steak
Can I Add Some Greens?
Definitely! To add a bit more flavor to this spaghetti sauce, you can always feel free to add in your favorite greens such as kale, spinach, broccolini, collards, or asparagus!
Topping Ideas for Grandma’s Weeknight Spaghetti
For extra flavor, color, and texture for this spaghetti sauce, you can try:
- A dollop of ricotta cheese or creamy burrata
- Herb roasted tomatoes
- Chopped fresh basil
- Crispy pancetta or candied bacon bits
- Homemade croutons
- Toasted panko bread crumbs
- A squeeze of fresh lemon juice for brightness
If you discover a new favorite topping idea, be sure to let me know in the comments section below!
What Are Delicious Foods to Pair This Weeknight Spaghetti?
Here's the thing -- Grandma’s Weeknight Spaghetti recipe is so delicious and flavorful that you can honestly enjoy it all by itself. Seriously, the classic spaghetti is ideal for soaking up the rich jammy tomatoey sauce! So, feel free to dig in and savor every single bite. It's a dish that stands tall on its own!
But if you're anything like me (A huge bread lover.. Haha), then I recommend enjoying some crusty bread on the side. I make my own homemade Cheesy Kale Garlic Bread and Homemade Roasted Garlic Bread -- and they are an amazing vessel for scooping up every last drop of saucy goodness.
If you want a little freshness, serve it with a salad on the side, like this Fall Harvest BBQ Chickpea Kale Salad, Fall Harvest Apple Kale Salad or this Best Buffalo Chickpea Kale Salad. It's like a fresh burst of flavor that complements this easy weeknight dinner beautifully.
What White Wine is Best in Pasta?
I tend to use a lot of white cooking wine, which is easiest for me. However, I do occasionally add quality white wine to my dishes and I recommend using a dry white wine.
A dry white wine will add the right amount of acidity rather than sweetness, which will better compliment your spaghetti sauce. In general, any of the following dry white wines work great in this dish:
Pinot Grigio, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Blanc, and dry sparkling wines.
Common Q + A's For My Grandma’s Weeknight Spaghetti
Any leftovers can be kept in a tightly sealed container and refrigerated for up to 3-4 days.
To reheat, simply microwave for a minute or two or add to a skillet over medium-high heat and stir until heated through.
To make this dish dairy-free + vegan, substitute the butter with vegan butter, and parmesan cheese with dairy-free parmesan or cheese shreds.
You can also use coconut oil, avocado oil, or grapeseed oil, instead of olive oil.
More Mouthwatering Pasta Recipes
If you enjoyed My Grandma’s Weeknight Spaghetti recipe, make sure to add these irresistible pasta dishes to your "must-make next" list!
- Vegan Bolognese Pasta
- Creamy Garlic Butter Pasta w/ Roasted Cauliflower
- Creamy Vegan Sweet Potato Pasta Skillet
- Roasted Butternut Squash Pasta w/ Parmesan Garlic Sauce
- Easy Bruschetta Pasta with Parmesan
- Lemon + Herb Garlic Parmesan Kale Pasta
- Weeknight Tomato Kale Ravioli Bake
MADE OUR RECIPE(S)?
If you tried My Grandma’s Weeknight Spaghetti recipe or any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below. And don't forget to tag @orchidsnsweettea_ on Instagram and hashtag it #orchidsandsweettea! I love hearing from you!
My Grandma’s Weeknight Spaghetti
Ingredients
- 1 (16 oz.) package organic spaghetti or bucatini
SAUCE:
- 1 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 red onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 fresh thyme sprigs
- 1 medium bell pepper, chopped (You can use red or green)
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 4 Tbsps tomato paste, organic
- 1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes, organic
- 2 Tbsps organic brown sugar
- 2 Tbsps white cooking wine, optional (You can sub with vegetable stock)
GARNISH:
- Freshly-grated parmesan cheese
- Chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
BOIL THE PASTA:
- Cook pasta according to packaging. NOTE: spaghetti or bucatini pasta doesn’t take a long time to cook, usually 10-12 minutes. NOTE: I always add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the boiling water to prevent pasta from sticking together.
TO MAKE THE SPAGHETTI SAUCE:
- In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and butter until heated and the butter has melted. Add the onions, minced garlic, and bell peppers, and sauté for 1 minute or so, until fragrant. Add the tomato paste, brown sugar, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, oregano, basil, smoked paprika, parsley, and red pepper flakes, stirring until combined.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and add in the diced tomatoes and white cooking wine, and stock, stirring until combined. Let it slightly bubble for 1-2 minutes and then reduce heat to low and let it simmer a bit, about 4-5 minutes-----until the sauce becomes fragrant. NOTE: If you'd like it to be a bit more "saucy", add ¼ cup or so of vegetable stock.
- When the pasta is done, drain it and add it to the sauce, tossing until sauce fully coats + sticks to pasta. Serve immediately and garnish with fresh chopped parsley and/or parmesan, if desired.
Tips & Tricks
- STORAGE: Any leftovers can be kept in a tightly sealed container and refrigerated for up to 3-4 days.
- OIL: You can also use coconut oil, avocado oil, or grapeseed oil, instead of olive oil.
- GREENS: To add a bit more flavor to this dish, you can always feel free to add in your favorite greens such as kale, spinach, broccolini, collards, or asparagus.
- GLUTEN-FREE: To make this dish GF, simply use Gluten-Free pasta.
Nutrition
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