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    Home » Recipes » Traditional Greek Food Recipes

    Makaronia Me Kima (Greek Spaghetti With a Meat Sauce)

    Published: Oct 6, 2022 · Updated: Nov 27, 2022 by Peter G · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

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    a Pinterest graphic showing 2 hands holding a bowl of Greek spaghetti.

    Filled with fragrant, aromatic spices - "makaronia me kima" (Greek spaghetti with meat sauce) is a delicious and traditional Greek recipe that you can whip up in under an hour. Favoured by adults and children, this Greek pasta dish is a taste sensation.

    2 hands holding a plate of makaronia me kima.
    CONTENTS
    • What is makaronia me kima?
    • Why this recipe works
    • Ingredients to make this recipe
    • Optional Recipe Ingredients
    • How To Make Greek Style Meat Sauce
    • Serving Suggestions
    • Storing - Reheating - Freezing
    • Expert Tips
    • Recipe FAQ's
    • Video
    • Related recipes
    • 📋 Recipe

    What is makaronia me kima?

    The direct translation of "makaronia me kima" is spaghetti with ground meat.  "Makaronia" means spaghetti, "kima" means ground meat and is often compared to spaghetti Bolognese. However, the Greek-style meat sauce made for this traditional Greek dish is much thicker - similar to chilli. In addition, it has a distinct aroma of cinnamon and other spices.

    Why this recipe works

    • It's easy to make and is perfect for a weeknight meal.
    • It's traditional - this recipe I learnt from my mother and similar to her homemade spanakopita - is a guaranteed winner!
    • It freezes well.  Make a big batch, freeze the meat sauce in portions and dinner is served on those nights you don't have time to make anything from scratch!
    • It's child friendly - kids will especially love this Greek spaghetti dish!

    Ingredients to make this recipe

    ingredients for makaronia me kima (greek spaghetti)on a grey table.
    • Olive Oil - As always, I'm using extra virgin olive oil for Greek recipes.
    • Onion - I'm using a medium brown onion in this recipe. Red or white onions will work too.
    • Garlic - A few garlic cloves are necessary!  
    • Ground Beef - I'm using lean ground beef; however, feel free to use an equal portion of ground pork and beef for a little extra fat and flavour.
    • Red Wine - Red wine provides an added bump of flavour. Substituting with white wine is perfectly acceptable too.
    • Tomatoes - I'm using a can of tomatoes for the tomato sauce. You can also use passata or fresh tomatoes if you prefer. (grate the fresh tomatoes for best results and discard the skin).
    • Tomato Paste - provides added richness.
    • Cinnamon - This is a must! Don't omit the ground cinnamon - this dish's signature spice. Feel free to use a cinnamon stick instead for a more pronounced flavour.
    • Cloves & Allspice - (optional) Use a pinch of ground cloves and ground allspice - this complements the cinnamon beautifully.  
    • Stock (not pictured)- Add a little chicken stock or beef stock for added richness. Plain water or vegetable stock works fine as well.
    • Spaghetti - Use spaghetti for the Greek version of this dish. However, feel free to use your favourite pasta such as fettuccine, penne or rigatoni.  
    • Seasonings - Use ground black pepper and salt as desired.

    Optional Recipe Ingredients

    Consider adding the following to enhance this dish - the options are additional and entirely optional.

    • Top with freshly chopped parsley.
    • Add a bay leaf to the sauce for extra flavour.
    • A tablespoon of dried oregano will amplify the sauce.
    • Add a chopped carrot and celery along with the onions and garlic.

    How To Make Greek Style Meat Sauce

    chopped onions and garlic being fried in a pan.

    Heat the olive oil in a medium-sized pan on medium-high heat and sauté the onion and garlic until translucent.

    ground beef being browned in a hot pan.

    Add the ground meat and cook until browned.

    pouring red wine into a pot with ground beef.

    Add the red wine and cook until it is absorbed.

    pouring beef stock into a pan filled with ground beef.

    Add the stock or water and stir well.

    tomatoes being added to a pan with a meat sauce.

    Add the tomatoes and tomato paste and stir until well incorporated.

    2 hands adding spices to a greek meat sauce being cooked in a pan.

    Add the ground cinnamon and cloves if using and stir and allow the meat sauce to simmer on low heat for 45 minutes.

    pasta water being added to cooked spaghetti in a pot.

    Toss the spaghetti through the melted butter and add a little of the pasta water.

    a bowl of makaronia me kima - greek spaghetti with a meat sauce.

    Serve the spaghetti with the meat sauce and plenty of grated cheese.

    Serving Suggestions

    Serve the Greek spaghetti with a Greek lettuce salad and some crusty bread on the side.

    Storing - Reheating - Freezing

    • Store - make plenty for leftovers (leftover meat sauce always tastes better the next day), and once the sauce has cooled, place it in the refrigerator. 
    • Reheating - reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop on low-medium heat.
    • Freeze - portion the cooled meat sauce into freezer-safe containers or bags and freeze for up to 3 months. Then, allow to thaw and reheat in the microwave or the stovetop. You may need to add a little extra water if it's too thick.

    Expert Tips

    • Browning the ground meat - make sure to brown your ground beef well, as this will add much-needed extra flavour to the final finished dish.
    • Cook your pasta correctly. I can't emphasise this enough! Cook the spaghetti until "al dente " - firm to the bite. Nobody likes overcooked Greek-style spaghetti!
    • Top with a traditional Greek cheese. You needed grated cheese to finish this dish! If you can get your hands on them, try topping the Greek spaghetti with either grated myzithra, Kefalogaviera or Kefalotyri cheese. Substitute with Parmesan cheese or Pecorino.
    • Toss the spaghetti in butter or olive oil before topping it with the Greek meat sauce. It adds a lovely richness and adds extra flavour to the overall dish.

    Recipe FAQ's

    Is there any way I can reduce the calories/fat content?

    Yes, substitute half or all of the amount of ground beef with ground turkey.

    Can I replace the spaghetti with another type of pasta?

    Of course! Use your favourite kind of pasta to enjoy this dish. The Greek meat sauce is the star of this dish.

    a bowl of makaronia me kima - greek spaghetti with a meat sauce.

    Video

    Related recipes

    • Keftedes - Greek Meatballs
    • Greek Slow Roasted Lamb
    • Giouvarlakia - Greek Meatball Soup
    • Soutzoukakia

    If you've made this recipe or any other recipe on the blog - don't forget to rate it and leave a comment below. You can also follow the blog on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest OR sign up to the Newsletter for the latest delicious recipes.

    📋 Recipe

    a bowl of makaronia me kima - greek spaghetti with a meat sauce.

    Makaronia Me Kima (Greek Spaghetti With a Meat Sauce)

    Author: Peter G
    Filled with fragrant, aromatic spices - "makaronia me kima" (Greek spaghetti with meat sauce) is a delicious and traditional Greek recipe that you can whip up in under an hour. Favoured by adults and children, this Greek pasta is a taste sensation.
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 45 mins
    Total Time 1 hr
    Cuisine Greek
    Servings 4 people

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 onion, finely diced
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 500 grams ground beef , lean preferred (see note 1)
    • 120 ml red wine
    • 250 ml beef stock
    • 400 grams tomatoes, (freshly grated, tinned, passata)
    • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, (see note 2)
    • ½ teaspoon ground cloves
    • 500 grams spaghetti, or your favourite pasta
    • 1 tablespoon butter
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Heat the olive oil in a medium-sized pan on medium-high heat and fry the onion and garlic until translucent.
    • Add the ground meat and cook until browned. (see note 3)
    • Add the red wine and cook until it has evaporated.
    • Add the stock or water and stir well.
    • Add the tomatoes and tomato paste and stir until well incorporated.
    • Add the ground cinnamon and cloves if using, and allow the meat sauce to simmer on low heat for 45 minutes.
    • Cook the pasta per the package directions - drain and save a little of the pasta water. (see note 4)
    • Heat a tablespoon of butter on high heat in the same pot you cooked the pasta. Toss the spaghetti through the melted butter and add a little of the pasta water - toss well to combine. (see note 5)
    • Serve the Greek spaghetti with the meat sauce and plenty of grated cheese. (see note 6)

    Notes

    1. Feel free to use an equal portion of ground pork and beef for a little extra fat and flavour.  For a low calorie version use ground turkey or ground chicken.
    2. Feel free to use a cinnamon stick instead for a more pronounced flavour - make sure to remove it before serving!
    3. Browning the ground meat - make sure to brown your ground beef well, as this will add much-needed extra flavour to the final finished dish.
    4. Cook your pasta correctly. I can't emphasise this enough! Cook the spaghetti until "al dente " - firm to the bite. Nobody likes overcooked Greek-style spaghetti!
    5. Toss the spaghetti in butter or olive oil before topping it with the Greek meat sauce. It adds a lovely richness and adds extra flavour to the overall dish.
    6. Top with a traditional Greek cheese. You needed grated cheese to finish this dish! If you can get your hands on them, try topping the Greek spaghetti with either grated myzithra, Kefalogaviera or Kefalotyri cheese. Substitute with Parmesan cheese or Pecorino.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 908 kcal | Carbohydrates: 103 g | Protein: 41 g | Fat: 34 g | Saturated Fat: 12 g

    This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.

    © Souvlaki For the Soul

    Made this recipe?Let me know how you went and tag @souvlakiman on Instagram!

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    Peter Georgakopoulos owner of Souvlaki For The Soul

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