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    Home » Recipes » Entrees

    One Pot Meaty Marinara Pasta

    Published: Jul 25, 2019 · Updated: Sep 13, 2022 by Mindy Boyd

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    One Pot Meaty Marinara Pasta has ground beef and your favorite jar sauce. It is kid-friendly and can be on the table in under 30 minutes! via @mindyscookingobsession

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    One Pot Meaty Marinara Pasta is the perfect comfort food. Pasta dishes are a family favorite at our house and I love coming up with new one-pot pasta dishes. The cooking method is similar to the boxed dinners you can buy in stores. Brown ground beef, add spices, liquids and dry pasta and cook covered, stirring occasionally until the pasta is tender and the right consistency is achieved. All in one skillet and in about 30 minutes.

    When I was a new cook I would occasionally make the boxed dinners. The kids seemed to love them. Lee and I? Not so much.

    I have learned to make similar versions of several of these type of dishes. Once you have the cooking method down then changing the dish up is easy, you just swap like ingredients and voila! a different dish is born.

    I also slipped some extra nutrition into this One Pot Meaty Marinara Pasta by adding 2 cups of fresh spinach. According to the Vegetarian Times when you eat spinach that has been heated, you will absorb higher levels of vitamins A and E, protein, fiber, zinc, thiamin, calcium, and iron. Important carotenoids, such as beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin, also become more absorbable.

    This is one of the only vegetables that has the best nutritional value when cooked. I love the taste of the spinach so eating it is easy for me. My daughter liked it in this dish and that is awesome.

    Very close up shot of rotini with beef on a white plate.

    Ingredient Notes:

    Exact measurements can be found in the recipe card below.

    Marinara Sauce – we have a favorite jar sauce we use. You can use your favorite or homemade spaghetti sauce.

    Ground Beef – I buy lean ground beef, usually 93/7 or 94/6.

    Garlic – we use the kind in a jar because it is so convenient. You can certainly use fresh garlic cloves.

    Rotini Pasta – our favorite type for this dish. Use your favorite pasta but you may need to adjust the cooking time.

    Fresh Spinach – adds nutrition to this dish but can be left out.

    Parmesan Cheese – we use the type that can be found in the refrigerated section of the grocery store.

    How to Make This Meaty Marinara Pasta Recipe:

    1. In a very large skillet or Dutch oven cook ground beef in olive oil over medium-high heat until brown, about 7-10 minutes. Drain fat if not using lean meat.
    2. Add garlic and cook about 1 minute.
    3. Pour in marinara sauce, water, and Italian seasoning. Bring to boil then reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 12-15 minutes or until the pasta is tender, stirring often to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pot as the water is absorbed.
    4. Stir in fresh spinach and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Continue stirring gently until spinach wilts and cheese melts.
    5. Top with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.

    close up view of half a pan of one pot meaty marinara pasta topped with cheese.

     

    Substitutions & Additions:

    Swap the marinara sauce for Alfredo sauce and use a different ground meat such as ground turkey or chicken for a completely different dish.

    Use whole wheat pasta, other short-cut pasta or even spaghetti noodles. You will still need one pound of pasta.

    Add in some red pepper flakes to give this dish a little kick.

    Swap some of the water for beef stock to give this dish more flavor. Chicken broth if using Alfredo sauce and chicken or turkey. For some reason I prefer to use a tomato sauce with beef and pork and a white sauce with poultry. Are you the same way? Leave me a comment and let me know if you have any rules like this.

    Add a little fresh basil in when you add the spinach.

    Recipe Note: I have not tried this recipe with gluten free pasta yet.

    overhead view of a plate of one pot pasta topped with parmesan cheese.

    Tips & Tricks:

    • Cooking with different pans and on different stoves can make a huge difference in how fast a dish cooks. You want the pasta to simmer in the sauce long enough that the pasta gets done and the right amount of liquid is absorbed. This can be a little tricky and may take trial and error to get exactly right. Try to keep the simmer where it is bubbling slightly, this is usually medium-low heat. When cooking the pasta this way it takes a longer to cook than the package indicates. Try to be mindful of that and if the liquid is being absorbed too fast then turn down the heat. If it is too soupy when the pasta gets done then turn up the heat and cook the liquid out.
    • Stir this dish frequently as it cooks so the pasta doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
    • If you are not using lean ground beef then you will need to drain the fat off of it after it browns. Then proceed with the rest of the recipe.

    Side close up view of one pot meaty marinara pasta on a white plate.

    Storage & Reheating:

    Store leftover pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

    We reheat our pasta in the microwave. I have a plastic cover that I use to cover the dish. This helps steam to form so the pasta doesn’t get too dry while reheating. I also stir my plate of food at least once about midway through the reheating process. You can also use a damp paper towel to cover the plate of pasta to help it retain some of its moisture.

    A pan of one pot meaty marinara pasta topped with grated parmesan cheese.

    These One Pot Meals Use A Jar of Sauce:

    Alfredo Chicken Pasta & Broccoli – this is one of my most popular recipes.

    Stovetop Italian Pork Ziti – we use seasoned pork tenderloin for this dish.

    These One Pot Pasta Meals Have Homemade Sauce:

    Cheesy Chicken & Broccoli Orzo – this is such an easy recipe and can be on the table in less than 20 minutes.

    Tortellini alla Panna – this is a rich and delicious recipe that can be on the table in about 15 minutes!

    Beef Stroganoff – this dish is sophisticated enough to make for company but easy enough for a weeknight meal.

    Helper Type of One Pot Dinners:

    These dishes were inspired by the popular boxed one pot meal. We happen to think our versions taste better and actually take little effort.

    Chili Mac

    Cheesy Italian Shells

    Tuna Creamy Pasta

    We like to serve our One Pot Meaty Marinara Pasta with a salad and garlic bread for a complete meal.

    A plate of pasta, bread on a plate and a glass of water on a table.

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    One Pot Beefy Pasta features ground beef, jar sauce and fresh spinach. It is as fast and easy as the popular boxed dinners and better for you!

    One Pot Meaty Marinara Pasta

    Mindy Boyd
    One Pot Meaty Marinara Pasta features ground beef, jar sauce and fresh spinach. It is a fast and easy one pot pasta recipe the whole family will love!
    5 from 7 votes
    Print Recipe Facebook Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 25 mins
    Total Time 30 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Servings 8

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 pound lean ground beef
    • 1 teaspoon garlic
    • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
    • 1 jar marinara sauce 24 ounces
    • 1 jar water
    • 1 pound rotini or other short cut pasta
    • 2 cups fresh spinach
    • 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese divided
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    Instructions
     

    • Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high, add ground beef and cook until browned, about 7-10 minutes.
    • Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
    • Add Italian seasoning and marinara sauce, fill sauce jar with water put the lid back on it and shake it, pour in pot. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to simmer and cook, covered for 12-15 minutes or until pasta is tender, stirring often to prevent the pasta from sticking.
    • Gently stir in spinach and 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese. Stir until spinach is wilted and cheese is melted. Top with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.

    Notes

    • I use 93/7 lean ground beef so I don't have to drain the ground beef (I use it because it is better for us, not having to drain it is definitely a plus). If you use ground beef that isn't lean I suggest draining it before you add the pasta sauce and water then proceed with the rest of the recipe. 
    • See in post notes above for valuable information that may help you make this recipe successfully.

    Nutrition Facts

    Calories: 365kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 600mg | Potassium: 635mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1155IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 158mg | Iron: 3mg
    Keyword one pot pasta
    Tried this recipe?Mention @mindyscookingobsession or tag #mindyscookingobsession!

     

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    One Pot Beefy Pasta features ground beef, jar sauce and fresh spinach. It is as fast and easy as the popular boxed dinners and better for you!

     

    Some other one pot recipes you might like:

     

    Chicken Spinach Tortellini Alfredo

    Chicken Spinach Tortellini Alfredo is chicken, jar sauce, milk, cheese tortellini, spinach and Parmesan cheese and is on the table in about 30 minutes!

     

    Homemade Hamburger Helper Chili Mac

    Homemade Hamburger Helper Chili Mac is healthier and only requires ground beef, macaroni, tomatoes, tomato sauce, chili seasoning, milk, and water.

     

    Homemade Hamburger Helper Cheesy Italian Shells

    This Homemade Hamburger Helper Cheesy Italian Shells combines ground beef, pasta, tomatoes, tomato sauce and spices to make a healthier version.

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    Filed Under: 30 Minutes Or Less, Entrees, One Pot Meals, Pasta Tagged With: 30 minute meal, dinner, ground beef, one pot meal, pasta

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Daphne D Lewis says

      June 04, 2021 at 7:33 pm

      These all look so delicious! Hope to try them soon.

      Reply
    2. angiesrecipes says

      July 26, 2019 at 3:29 am

      One pot meals for the win! Save a lot of washing and very tasty and comforting too.

      Reply
      • Mindy Boyd says

        July 26, 2019 at 7:49 pm

        Exactly, you get me! Thanks, Angie

        Reply

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    My name is Mindy and this is my husband, and biggest fan, Lee. I love cooking for my family. The purpose of this blog is to share my recipes and experiences in the kitchen. Most of the recipes that I make use ingredients that can be found in any grocery store. No special equipment or skills required.

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