Ground BeefSpaghetti with Meat Sauce
A good meat sauce is mostly patience. Brown the beef until it takes real color, cook the tomato paste for a minute so it turns brick red and sweet, then let everything simmer. The result is deep and tomatoey rather than thin and sharp, and it freezes beautifully, so make the full batch.
- for the sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 carrot, finely grated (optional)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp salt, plus black pepper to taste
- to serve
- 1 lb spaghetti
- grated Parmesan, for the table
makes about 6 servings with a little sauce left over.
- Warm the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the beef and brown it well, breaking it up, until it has deep color, about 8 minutes. Spoon off most of the fat.
- Add the onion and carrot and cook 5 minutes until soft. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook 1 to 2 minutes until the paste darkens.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, oregano, salt and pepper and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook uncovered on low 30 to 40 minutes, stirring now and then, until thick.
- Cook the spaghetti in well-salted boiling water until just tender. Save a cup of the pasta water, then drain.
- Toss the pasta with a few spoonfuls of sauce and a splash of pasta water, then top with more sauce and Parmesan.
No tomato paste? Use an extra half cup of crushed tomatoes and simmer a little longer.
Want more flavor? Brown a few spoonfuls of Italian sausage with the beef, or add a splash of red wine after the paste.
Gluten-free? Use gluten-free spaghetti. The sauce is naturally gluten-free.
Hiding vegetables for picky eaters? Grate in a zucchini or extra carrot with the onion and it melts into the sauce.
Sauce keeps 4 days in the fridge and freezes well in portions. Reheat gently with a splash of water. Store pasta and sauce separately if you can.
Baked spaghetti Mix the pasta with sauce and cheese, top with mozzarella and bake until bubbly.
Meat sauce for lasagna This sauce is the base for the lasagna recipe on this site.
Spicy Add red pepper flakes with the garlic.
Kantan tip — toss the pasta with sauce in the pot before plating. Sauce that clings to each strand tastes better than sauce piled on top.