Are you looking for a quick and easy dinner dish? We’ve got you covered! This is a family recipe that’s been tweaked to perfection. And did I mention it’s quick and easy?!
When I search online for a recipe, I prefer to skip long introductions to get to the main part: the ingredients and preparation. For this family favorite, I’m going to post the ingredients and instructions first, and the history behind this meal (which is really fun!) last.
Ingredients:
- 1-1 1/2 lbs ground beef (I use lean*)
- *1/2 or 1 whole onion (I use half)
- 1 32 oz can Hunt’s tomato sauce (generic works fine)
- *1 package of mushrooms
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp garlic
- 1 package spaghetti noodles
- *Basil (preferably fresh)
*denotes ingredients we have added to the original Hesterberg spaghetti recipe. Serves about 4-6 with some leftovers.
Preparation:
- Prepare noodles according to package directions. When done, pour some olive oil over them (so they don’t stick to the pot), and mix them up with chopped up fresh basil.
- Chop up onion and mushrooms, and brown them with the ground beef and garlic. Finely break them all up over low-medium heat. If you are not using lean ground beef, drain the fat.
- Add the oregano and tomato sauce and heat through.
- Serve over spaghetti noodles. Enjoy!
The Story Behind the Hesterberg Spaghetti Family Recipe
Though I never had the privilege of meeting her, my father-in-law’s mother, Cecilia (Jones) Hesterberg, was the first to make this spaghetti. She passed it on to my mother-in-law, Kathy (Reyna) Hesterberg, who then passed it on to me, Giana (Gallardo) Hesterberg.
It is a favorite that we have made for family and friends here in South Texas as well as in Iowa, Washington State, and most recently, Colorado.
We have added to the recipe over the years. In 2011, when we last visited Iowa, we made it for a dear friend, Amanda, who is a vegetarian. Since we couldn’t use meat, we tried mushrooms. We liked it so much we decided to keep them in our version! A couple of years later, we were having supper at another sweet lady’s house, Lily, and saw that she added basil to her spaghetti noodles. Finally, our gardening mentor, Angela, inspired us to grow our own herbs.
We hope you enjoy Hesterberg Spaghetti Family Recipe, and we would love to hear about how you make it your own!
