Spaghetti with Meat Sauce
Make this easy spaghetti with meat sauce for a one-pot recipe that comes together in 30 minutes! It’s bursting with rich, savory, and aromatic flavors, making one of those healthy and easy high-protein dinners for a family on busy days.
- Prep time
- 15 min
- Cook time
- 15 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (- This can be replaced with any neutral-tasting oil such as canola or vegetable oil.)
- 1 pound ground beef (90% lean - Alternatively, try ground turkey, chicken, or pork.)
- 1/2 small onion (small diced - Yellow or white onion work best.)
- 1 small carrot (small diced - Or, use additional celery and onion.)
- 1 stalk celery (small diced - You can try leeks for a similar effect.)
- 1/4 cup dry white wine (optional - If you don’t consume alcohol, replace the wine with chicken, vegetable, or beef broth.)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (- Or an Italian seasoning blend.)
- 28 ounce can San Marzano Crushed Tomatoes
- 2 cups water (or low-sodium beef broth for extra flavor)
- Salt and black pepper (to taste (about 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper if using water, or less salt if using broth))
- 8 ounce spaghetti
- Fresh basil leaves (or chopped parsley to garnish (optional))
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (shaved or grated - Or, Pecorino.)
Instructions
- 1
Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the oil, and cook the ground meat, stirring occasionally, until browned (about 5 minutes). TIP: Use a wooden spoon or spatula to break the beef up into smaller crumbles.
- 2
Reduce the heat to medium, add the onion, carrot, and celery, and cook, stirring once and a while, until the onion has softened, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the wine and let it almost evaporate.
- 3
Then, stir the tomato paste and oregano and let it cook for about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, water (or broth), season with salt and pepper to taste, and stir well. Lastly, add the pasta, making sure to submerge it completely in the liquids but without stirring.
- 4
Cover the pot and cook over medium heat until the water (or broth) is absorbed and the pasta is cooked, about 12 to 15 minutes depending on the type of spaghetti you use.
- 5
Serve topped with shaved or grated cheese! If you want, you can garnish it with some fresh basil leaves.