One Pot Spaghetti with a Secret Frugal Ingredient!

You’ll love the blend of herbs and spices in this one, as well as my meaty money-saving tip. 

 Since the beginning of my marriage, a hearty pot of spaghetti has always been my go-to frugal family recipe. As my family has grown, I’ve found ways to adapt favorite meals to accommodate our budget while keeping them filling and delicious. One way I make the money stretch with this meal is by substituting a large portion of the meat with mushrooms. 

Mushrooms are just as filling as meat, have a very similar texture after being cooked, and usually cost a fraction of the price as meat for the same volume. My mom likes to look for Morels in the mountains of Eastern Oregon. Free mushrooms that you found yourself would make this meal even cheaper and more rewarding! 

One Pot Spaghetti 

2 lbs. ground meat (or 1/2-1 lb. meat + 2-3 c. mushrooms) 

2  29 oz. cans tomato sauce 

1 lb. dry spaghetti noodles 

1-2 tsp. each: basil and oregano 

1/2-1 tsp. each: garlic powder, salt, pepper 

Brown your meat in a large skillet or dutch oven. Drain any fat (I use a turkey baster to remove the juices) and add tomato sauce. Fill each sauce can with water and add to the skillet as well. (So two cans of water, two cans of sauce). Break noodles in half and add to the skillet. Season with all or some of the listed seasonings, to taste. Cover and let cook, stirring occasionally, until noodles are soft and sauce is the right consistency. Do make sure to stir, though, so your noodles don’t stick to the bottom. This is our favorite way to make a big batch of spaghetti fast. We serve it with garlic bread and/or salad for a delicious and filling dinner. Let me know if you give it a try!