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Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

Olive Garden Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

$46.99 2,840 cal | w/Meatballs 4, 550 cal | w/Italian Sausage 4, 830 cal Classic EntréesFamily-Style MealsBuy One Take OneCatering

Includes: A pan of spaghetti with our traditional homemade meat sauce*. **Our meat sauces are made with pan-seared beef and Italian sausage. Add Salad Or Soup And Breadsticks To Your Catering Pan To Complete Your Meal
Olive Garden Menu View on OliveGarden.com

About This Dish

Olive Garden Spaghetti with Meat Sauce is one of the most straightforward and reliable items on the catering menu, priced at $46.99 for a pan serving 4 to 6 guests. The base version delivers 2,840 calories with 88 grams of fat and 3,950 milligrams of sodium, making it the lightest catering pasta option in the Classic Entrées lineup. The meat sauce is Olive Garden's traditional homemade recipe made with pan-seared beef and Italian sausage, providing a deeply flavored tomato base that avoids the thin, watery consistency of lesser meat sauces. For guests who want more protein, the meatball addition brings the total to 4,550 calories, and the Italian sausage addition reaches 4,830 calories.

Olive Garden Spaghetti with Meat Sauce works as the foundation of any catering order because its lower calorie count and familiar flavor profile appeal to the widest range of guests. At $46.99 it is also the most budget-friendly pasta option among the catering entrées. The spaghetti is served with the meat sauce already combined in the pan, and the order pairs with Olive Garden's Famous House Salad and breadsticks for a complete group meal.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving

2840 Calories
88g Total Fat
3950mg Sodium

* Nutritional values are approximate and may vary. Last updated March 2026.

How to Copycat Olive Garden Spaghetti with Meat Sauce at Home?

Prep: 10 min Cook: 40 min Total: 50 min Easy

Olive Garden's meat sauce is not a simple marinara with ground beef stirred in. The restaurant uses a combination of pan-seared beef and Italian sausage cooked at high heat before the tomato base is added, which creates a caramelized, deeply savory foundation. This technique is the most commonly missed step in copycat recipes, which often produce a pale, loose sauce instead of the thick, rich version the restaurant serves.

The copycat Olive Garden Spaghetti with Meat Sauce recipe works because it replicates two key elements: the dual-protein base and the long simmer time. Ground beef adds body, while Italian sausage brings fennel and herbs that define the sauce's distinct Italian-American character. Simmering for 30 minutes concentrates the tomato and allows the fats from the meat to fully incorporate into the sauce.

Ingredients

6 servings

Meat Sauce

Pasta

Instructions

0 / 6

  1. Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven over high heat. Add ground beef and Italian sausage. Break into small pieces and cook for 8 to 10 minutes until deeply browned with caramelized edges. Drain excess fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pan.

    10 min

    High heat and patience are essential here. Stirring too often prevents the caramelization that gives the meat sauce its deep, rich flavor.

  2. Reduce heat to medium. Add diced onion and cook for 3 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and stir for 60 seconds until fragrant.

    5 min

  3. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, letting it darken slightly. This step removes the raw tomato paste flavor and adds depth.

    2 min

  4. Pour in crushed tomatoes. Add Italian seasoning, dried basil, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer.

    3 min

  5. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and the fat rises slightly to the surface.

    30 min

    If the sauce looks too thick after 20 minutes, add a splash of pasta water. If it looks too thin, increase heat slightly and cook uncovered for 5 more minutes.

  6. Cook spaghetti in heavily salted boiling water until al dente. Drain and serve topped with meat sauce and extra Parmesan.

    10 min

Pro Tips

  • Use 80/20 ground beef, not lean. The fat renders into the sauce during cooking and carries flavor you lose with leaner beef.
  • Italian sausage is not optional for the authentic Olive Garden flavor. It provides the fennel and herb notes that separate this from a basic meat sauce.
  • Make a double batch of the sauce and freeze in portions. The sauce improves significantly after freezing and reheating as the flavors fully meld.

Variations

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Form 1-inch meatballs from a mix of ground beef, breadcrumbs, egg, Parmesan, and herbs. Brown in olive oil, then finish cooking in the simmering meat sauce.

Spicy Arrabbiata Meat Sauce

Add 1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes with the garlic for a spicy version that works well with the sausage's natural heat.

Serving Ideas

  • Top with freshly grated Parmesan and torn basil leaves
  • Serve alongside garlic breadsticks for dipping in the extra sauce
  • A classic Caesar salad pairs well with the heartiness of the meat sauce
  • A glass of Chianti Classico is the traditional Italian pairing for meat-based pasta sauces
  • Leftover meat sauce works on pizza, stuffed peppers, or baked ziti

More from Classic Entrées

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Bring home our Family-Style Lasagna Bundle for dinner tonight, serving 4-6 people. Your bundle features Lasagna Classico**, our Famous House Salad, and a dozen breadsticks. Please allow 2 hours when ordering this combination. **Our meat sauce is made with pan-seared beef and Italian sausage. *Prices vary in NY, AK, CA

$63.99 6,700 cal
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Chicken Parmigiana

Includes: A pan of Chicken Parmigiana and Spaghetti with our homemade marinara. Add Salad Or Soup And Breadsticks To Your Catering Pan To Complete Your Meal

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Includes: A pan of fettuccine with our homemade alfredo sauce. Add Salad Or Soup And Breadsticks To Your Catering Pan To Complete Your Meal

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Find Spaghetti with Meat Sauce Near You

Visit one of Olive Garden's 900+ locations to enjoy the Spaghetti with Meat Sauce at $46.99.

Olive Garden Near Me

Frequently Asked Questions

Olive Garden Spaghetti with Meat Sauce costs $46.99 for a catering pan serving 4 to 6 people. Adding meatballs increases the price slightly. Individual dine-in portions are available at a lower price point, and prices vary slightly in New York, Alaska, and California.
The base catering pan of Olive Garden Spaghetti with Meat Sauce contains 2,840 calories with 88 grams of fat and 3,950 milligrams of sodium. Adding meatballs brings the total to 4,550 calories, and adding Italian sausage brings it to 4,830 calories per pan.
Olive Garden's traditional meat sauce is made with pan-seared beef and Italian sausage cooked in a tomato base. The combination of two proteins creates a richer, more complex flavor than single-meat sauces. The sauce is the same recipe used across the restaurant's Classic Entrées menu.
Brown equal parts ground beef and Italian sausage in a large skillet over high heat until deeply caramelized. Add minced garlic and onion, then pour in crushed tomatoes, a spoonful of tomato paste, and Italian seasoning. Simmer on low heat for 25 to 30 minutes to develop a rich, thick sauce. Serve over cooked spaghetti.
No, Olive Garden Spaghetti with Meat Sauce is not gluten free. The spaghetti pasta contains wheat flour. Olive Garden offers a gluten-sensitive menu at select locations with alternative pasta options for guests with gluten sensitivity.