When you think of Chicago’s iconic foods, deep-dish pizza and Italian beef sandwiches likely spring to mind. But venture into the city’s neighborhood Italian-American restaurants, and you’ll find a beloved staple that has fueled generations of families: Chicago Spaghetti.

This isn’t your delicate, fine-dining pasta. Chicago Spaghetti is a testament to hearty, family-style cooking—a generous tangle of spaghetti noodles smothered in a robust, slow-simmered meat sauce, often served with a juicy, seasoned meatball on top or succulent Italian sausage on the side. It’s a dish built on tradition, flavor, and comfort. In this article, we’ll dive into the history of this iconic meal and provide you with a detailed, authentic recipe to bring the soul of a Chicago Italian kitchen to your dining table.

What Makes Chicago Spaghetti Unique?

While “spaghetti with meat sauce” is universal, the Chicago version has distinct characteristics rooted in the city’s immigrant history.

  • The Sauce is a “Gravy”: In many Italian-American households, the tomato sauce isn’t just a sauce; it’s a “gravy.” This term refers to a long-simmered, complex sauce enriched with various meats. It’s thicker, deeper in color, and packed with more flavor than a quick marinara.
  • A Meat Lover’s Dream: The sauce itself is a meat sauce, often containing a blend of ground beef, pork, and sometimes veal. It’s frequently accompanied by additional, larger pieces of meat—most famously, Italian sausage (sweet or hot) and giant, tender meatballs. The meat cooks slowly in the sauce, infusing it with incredible richness.
  • A Hearty, Family Affair: This dish is designed to feed a crowd. It’s the centerpiece of Sunday dinners, family gatherings, and festive occasions. The portions are generous, and the experience is communal.

This recipe honors that tradition. We’ll be making a from-scratch meat sauce (gravy) and pairing it with homemade meatballs and Italian sausage.

The Ultimate Chicago Spaghetti Recipe

This recipe requires time and love, but the results are absolutely worth it. Plan for about 3 to 4 hours, mostly hands-off simmering time.

Ingredients You’ll Need

For the Hearty Meat Sauce (The “Gravy”):

  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 4-5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 (28-ounce) cans of high-quality crushed tomatoes (San Marzano are ideal)
  • 1 (6-ounce) can of tomato paste
  • 4 cups beef broth (or water)
  • 1 cup dry red wine (like Chianti or Merlot)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1 tablespoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed (optional, but highly recommended)
  • 1 teaspoon sugar (to balance the acidity of the tomatoes)
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • ½ cup grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

For the Meat Mixture (for the sauce):

  • 1 lb ground beef (80/20 blend for best flavor)
  • ½ lb ground pork
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • Salt and pepper

For the Meatballs:

  • 1 lb ground beef (or a mix of beef and pork)
  • ½ cup breadcrumbs (Italian-style)
  • ½ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil (for browning)

For Assembly:

  • 1 lb high-quality spaghetti
  • 4-6 links of sweet or hot Italian sausage (pricked with a fork)
  • Salt for pasta water
  • Fresh basil for garnish

Step-by-Step Cooking Instructions

Step 1: Build the Foundation of Your Sauce

  1. Sauté Aromatics: In a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
  2. Create the Meat Base: Push the onions and garlic to the side. Add the ground beef and pork for the sauce. Break it up with a spoon and cook until well-browned. This step is crucial for building a deep, savory flavor.
  3. Incorporate Tomato Paste: Add the tomato paste to the pot and stir it into the meat and onions. Cook for 2-3 minutes until it darkens slightly. This caramelizes the paste and removes any “tinny” flavor.
  4. Deglaze: Pour in the red wine, scraping the bottom of the pot to release all the browned bits (the fond). Let it simmer for 3-4 minutes until the alcohol smell cooks off.

Step 2: Simmer the Sauce to Perfection

  1. Combine Liquids and Tomatoes: Add the crushed tomatoes, beef broth, bay leaves, oregano, basil, crushed fennel seeds, and sugar. Stir everything together thoroughly.
  2. Season and Simmer: Bring the sauce to a low boil, then immediately reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting. Partially cover the pot and let it simmer gently for at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally. A long, slow simmer is the secret to a rich, developed flavor.

Step 3: Prepare the Meatballs and Sausage

  1. Mix Meatball Ingredients: While the sauce simmers, combine all the meatball ingredients (beef, breadcrumbs, cheese, parsley, egg, garlic, salt, and pepper) in a large bowl. Use your hands to mix gently until just combined—do not overmix, or the meatballs will be tough.
  2. Form and Brown: Shape the mixture into 1.5 to 2-inch balls. In a large skillet, heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs on all sides. You are not cooking them through, just creating a flavorful crust. Set them aside.
  3. Brown the Sausage: In the same skillet, brown the Italian sausage links on all sides.

Step 4: Unite the Meats and Sauce

  1. After the sauce has simmered for its initial 2 hours, carefully add the browned meatballs and sausages to the pot. Submerge them in the sauce.
  2. Continue to simmer, partially covered, for another 1 to 1.5 hours. The meatballs and sausage will finish cooking and become incredibly tender, while their flavors meld beautifully into the sauce.
  3. Final Touch: About 15 minutes before serving, stir in the fresh parsley and the ½ cup of grated cheese. Taste the sauce and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Remove the bay leaves.

Step 5: Cook the Pasta and Assemble the Dish

  1. Cook the Spaghetti: Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to package directions until al dente—it should have a slight bite.
  2. Reserve Pasta Water: Before draining, save about 1 cup of the starchy pasta water.
  3. Drain and Combine: Drain the spaghetti and return it to the pot. Ladle in a generous amount of the meat sauce (without the large meats) and a splash of the pasta water. Toss well until the spaghetti is perfectly coated. The starchy water helps the sauce cling to the pasta.

Serving Your Chicago Spaghetti

Serve the sauced spaghetti in deep bowls. Top with one or two meatballs and a link of Italian sausage. Ladle extra sauce over the top. Garnish with fresh basil and a final sprinkle of grated cheese.

Gather your family, break out some crusty bread for dipping, and enjoy a true taste of Chicago’s Italian-American heritage. This is more than a meal; it’s a celebration of tradition, one delicious, hearty bite at a time.