How Much Ground Beef Do You Need for Spaghetti Sauce for 30 People?

Spaghetti and meat sauce is a classic, crowd-pleasing meal. When cooking spaghetti for a large group, it can be tricky to figure out how much ground beef you need for the sauce. After all, you want to make sure you have enough meaty sauce to go around without ending up with a lot of wasted leftovers. In this article, we’ll walk through how to determine just how much ground beef you need when making spaghetti sauce for around 30 people.

Factors That Determine How Much Ground Beef You Need

When calculating how much ground beef to use for spaghetti sauce for a crowd, there are a few key factors to consider:

• Number of people you are serving – Obviously, the more people you are cooking for the more ground beef you’ll need. Aim for around 4-8 oz of uncooked ground beef per person depending on appetite.

• Type of sauce – Spaghetti sauce can be meat-based with tomatoes or more of a tomato-based sauce with meat. Meat-heavy sauces require more beef.

• Other ingredients – If you are adding other meats like Italian sausage, you may need less ground beef. Vegetables like mushrooms soak up sauce and require more.

• Leftovers – Will you have leftovers or want extra sauce for freezing or repurposing? Adding extra allows for leftovers.

• Personal preferences – Some people prefer more or less meat in their sauce, Know your crowd’s preferences,

Taking these factors into account will help determine how much raw ground beef you should buy and prepare for your spaghetti dinner.

How Much Ground Beef for Sauce for 30 People

For a crowd of around 30 adults, a good estimate is to plan for 1.5-2 pounds of uncooked ground beef per person if making a meat-based sauce. So for 30 people that would equate to 45-60 pounds of ground beef. This allows for generous 8oz portions per person with some extra for repurposing leftovers into dishes like lasagna.

If making more of a tomato-based sauce with just ground beef as an ingredient (rather than the focus), you may need a little less – around 1-1.5 pounds per person. For 30 people that would be 30-45 pounds of ground beef.

Here are some more specific guidelines based on the type of sauce:

• Meat-based sauce: 1.5-2 lbs ground beef per person
• Tomato-based with meat: 1-1.5 lbs ground beef per person
• Light meat sauce: 0.5-1 lb ground beef per person

So for a heavier, meat-focused sauce for 30 people, buying around 60 pounds of ground beef is a safe bet. For a lighter tomato-sauce-based option, 40 pounds may suffice.

Tips for Browning and Cooking the Ground Beef

Browning and cooking such a large amount of ground beef for sauce takes some strategy. Here are some tips:

• Use large pots or pans – You’ll need a very large pot, dutch oven, or frying pan to fit all the beef and prevent overcrowding. Cook it in batches if needed.

• Don’t overcrowd the pan – Cook the beef in small batches to allow the meat to brown properly. Overcrowded beef will steam instead of brown.

• Drain excess fat – Drain off excess grease periodically as the meat cooks using a spoon or ladle. Discard grease to prevent a greasy sauce.

• Cook thoroughly – Use a meat thermometer to ensure the beef reaches 160°F internal temperature. Break up large pieces as it cooks.

• Add spices and herbs – For flavor, sprinkle batches of the cooking beef with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.

• Deglaze the pan – After cooking each batch, deglaze the pan with a bit of wine or broth to scrape up the flavorful browned bits.

• Simmer in the sauce – Once all beef is browned, add it to your simmering sauce. Let it simmer for 1-2 hours to tenderize and blend flavors.

With these tips, your sizable batch of ground beef will transform beautifully into a thick, rich sauce ready to toss with noodles and feed the whole crowd.

Spaghetti Sauce Recipe for 30 People

This versatile recipe makes a substantial batch of meaty spaghetti sauce perfect for feeding around 30 hungry people.

The full ingredient amounts are:

• 60 pounds ground beef
• 3 large onions, diced
• 8 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 (28-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
• 2 (28-ounce) cans tomato puree
• 2 (28-ounce) cans tomato paste
• 1⁄4 cup Italian seasoning
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup red wine (for deglazing)
• 4 bay leaves
• 2 cups water or beef broth

Instructions

1. In large pot or pan, brown ground beef in batches, removing excess fat. Sprinkle with spices as it cooks.
2. Drain excess grease after each batch and deglaze pan with wine to get up browned bits.
3. Meanwhile, sauté onions and garlic until softened.
4. Add browned beef, onions and garlic to a very large stockpot or roasting pan.
5. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato puree, tomato paste and all spices. Add bay leaves.
6. Pour in wine and water or broth and stir well to combine.
7. Bring sauce to a boil then reduce to low simmer for 1-2 hours, until thickened.
8. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
9. Toss with cooked spaghetti and grated parmesan to serve.

This makes a generous amount of rich, meaty sauce perfect for feeding a crowd. The sauce also freezes well for future meals.

Tips for Serving Spaghetti to a Large Group

Serving up heaping plates of pasta and sauce for 30 guests or more takes some strategy. Follow these tips for a seamless serving experience:

• Cook pasta in smaller batches – Don’t cook all the pasta at once or it will overcook. Cook it in smaller batches timed to when you want to eat.

• Keep sauce heated – Keep your large pot of sauce simmering over very low heat to keep it ready to ladle out.

• Set up a serving station – Set up one area with your heated sauce, another with the cooked pasta, and toppings like cheese and garlic bread for easy assembly.

• Use large serving utensils – Use tongs, large spoons, and ladles to quickly dish out portions.

• Have extra pasta cooked – Have a little extra pasta ready in case you run low with a hungry crowd.

• Keep dishes warm – If you don’t have space to serve everyone at once, keep cooked pasta warm in low oven or hot pans.

With plenty of hot sauce and pasta ready, your guests can easily serve themselves generous, satisfying portions of this comforting classic dish. Just be prepared for the crowd to go back for seconds!

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I determine exactly how much sauce I need?

In general, plan for about 1-1.5 cups of sauce per adult serving. So for 30 people you’d need 45-60 cups of sauce. Make extra since people often go back for seconds.

What if I’m also using Italian sausage in my sauce?

If adding Italian sausage, you can decrease the ground beef amount slightly since the sausage also provides meatiness. Aim for 1 lb of ground beef and 8-12 oz of sausage per person.

Can I make the sauce ahead of time?

Absolutely! The sauce can be made up to 3 days in advance. Cool it completely then refrigerate until ready to reheat gently and toss with pasta.

How long should I cook the sauce?

Cook for 1-2 hours for best flavor and tender meat. The longer the simmer, the better it tastes!

What side dishes go well with spaghetti for a crowd?

Great sides include garlic bread, salad, mixed roasted vegetables, or meatballs. Cheesy garlic bread is easy and always satisfies!

The Takeaway

When cooking spaghetti and meat sauce for around 30 people, plan for about 1.5-2 pounds of uncooked ground beef per person for a meat-based sauce, or 1-1.5 pounds per person for a tomato-focused sauce. Cook the beef in batches and let the finished sauce simmer for maximum flavor. Have plenty of hot pasta and sauce at the ready so you can easily serve up saucy, satisfying plates to your hungry crowd.