Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the spaghetti. If desired, use one of the infused cooking liquid options to build even more flavor into the pasta while it cooks. Dice the onion and bell pepper, mince the garlic, and cut the pepperoni into chunky quarter pieces.

Heat a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the ground beef and Italian sausage, breaking the meat apart as it cooks. Continue cooking until fully browned, then carefully drain excess grease if necessary.

Add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic directly into the skillet. Cook for about 5 minutes until the vegetables soften and the garlic becomes fragrant without burning.

Stir the pepperoni into the skillet and allow it to cook for several minutes. This helps release the oils and seasoning into the meat mixture, creating a richer and smokier sauce base.

Pour in the diced tomatoes, emulsified stewed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste. Add the sugar, Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes, then stir everything together until fully combined.

Reduce the heat to low and simmer the sauce uncovered for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally as it thickens and develops flavor.

Cook the spaghetti until al dente, then drain thoroughly. Add the pasta directly into the sauce and toss until every strand is evenly coated.

Serve the spaghetti hot with grated Parmesan cheese and fresh basil on top if desired. The finished dish should be rich, hearty, savory, and packed with bold Southern flavor.