Meat Sauce Pasta
Quick answer
- Total time
- 40 min
- Level
- Easy
- Servings
- 2 servings
- Ingredients
- 11
About this dish
Most of the flavor comes from spreading the ground beef across a hot pan and letting the moisture cook off until brown bits form.
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Left in a heap, the meat steams pale instead. Tomato paste worked in between the meat without lumps, then a low simmer, gives a thick sauce that clings to the beef rather than pooling under the spaghetti. As it thickens it catches on the bottom easily and needs an occasional stir. There is no wine or milk, just beef, tomato, onion and garlic, finished with Parmesan and a few basil leaves.
Ingredients
Instructions
- 1
Finely dice 1/2 onion and mince 3 garlic cloves before heating the pans.
Bring a large pot of water to a strong boil, then salt it generously so the spaghetti seasons while it cooks.
- 2
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a wide pan over medium heat.
Cook the onion for about 3 minutes until translucent, then add the garlic and stir only until fragrant so it does not burn.
- 3
Add 200 g ground beef and raise the heat to high.
Spread it across the pan and cook about 5 minutes, letting moisture evaporate, until browned spots form instead of pale steaming meat.
- 4
Stir in 200 ml tomato sauce and 1 tablespoon tomato paste until the paste dissolves into the meat.
Lower the heat and simmer at least 15 minutes, stirring occasionally so the thick sauce does not scorch.
- 5
Cook 200 g spaghetti 1 minute less than the package time, then reserve a cup of pasta water before draining.
Season the sauce with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, tasting carefully.
- 6
Transfer the spaghetti to the sauce pan and toss over medium low heat for 1 to 2 minutes.
Add reserved pasta water a little at a time if dry, then finish with 20 g Parmesan and 3 basil leaves.
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