Take Inspiration From Memphis And Spike Your Spaghetti Sauce With Something Smoky

When it comes to classic recipes, few meals can beat a hot plate of spaghetti. Whether you go all out to make your own homemade spaghetti sauce or keep it simple with a jarred version, the combo of sauce and noodles (perhaps topped with grated cheese and bread on the side) seems to hit the spot every time.

Spaghetti sauce is easy to modify and adding a smoky touch inspired by Memphis-style BBQ is the splash in the pan that your sauce needs. Memphis-style 'que is characterized by pulled pork, wet and dry ribs, and a thin BBQ sauce loaded with ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, and lots of spices.

You won't have to smoke your own ribs for hours to enjoy a Memphis-inspired spaghetti dinner. But with a few simple steps, you can turn spaghetti on its head with plenty of flavor infusion. It's as simple as adding BBQ sauce and pulled pork atop your spaghetti or whipping up your own take on a Memphis-style sauce.

Barbecue spaghetti is a Memphis specialty and simple enough, but it can be trickier than it seems. Finding a balance between classic Italian flavors and BBQ smokiness allows you to enjoy the best of both worlds — and it's an easy way to use BBQ leftovers like pulled pork.

If you're making homemade sauce you can gather your regular list of ingredients like you normally would. Only now we're going to add a touch of BBQ sauce and some brown sugar alongside whatever other ingredients you'd like to incorporate for smoky flavor (like liquid smoke). The same idea goes for jarred marinara sauce. You'll also add the meat you're using (such as ribs or pulled pork) right into the sauce so all those flavors are mixed in.

Once it's finished, you'll have a delicious plate of spaghetti that hits all the right notes: The smoky flavor of BBQ, the acidic tang of tomatoes, the hints of whatever spices you choose to add, and, of course, the flavors of the meat. If you really want to drive the BBQ flavor home, you can add a dollop of your favorite sauce on top of your spaghetti plate to mix in. With a new sauce atop your classic dish, you'll never look at a can of jarred sauce or a simple homemade Bolognese sauce ever again. If you're looking for more flavor combos to try, add Alabama White BBQ sauce to chicken or use a can of soda to add more depth to your BBQ sauce.