The Bear Spaghetti with Tomato (Printable)
Rustic spaghetti with rich tomato sauce, ground beef, and aromatic herbs for a comforting Italian-American meal.
# What You Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 14 oz dried spaghetti
→ Sauce
02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
04 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
05 - 1 lb ground beef (or substitute with ground turkey or plant-based meat for vegetarian version)
06 - 1 tsp dried oregano
07 - 1 tsp dried basil
08 - 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
09 - 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
10 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
11 - 1 tsp sugar
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ To Serve
13 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
14 - Fresh basil leaves, for garnish
15 - Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling (optional)
# How-To Steps:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water.
02 - While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 4-5 minutes, until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
03 - Add the ground beef to the skillet. Cook, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 6-8 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed.
04 - Stir in the oregano, basil, and red pepper flakes. Add the tomato paste, cooking for 1 minute to deepen the flavor.
05 - Pour in the crushed tomatoes and sugar. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes until the sauce thickens.
06 - Toss the drained spaghetti with the sauce, adding reserved pasta water as needed to reach desired consistency. Serve hot, topped with grated Parmesan, fresh basil, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The sauce develops layers of flavor that taste like theyve been simmering all day even though it comes together in under an hour
- Everything cooks in one skillet while the pasta boils, making cleanup feel almost suspiciously easy
02 -
- Reserving pasta water is the secret that restaurant kitchens use to make sauce cling perfectly to every strand
- Letting the tomato paste cook for a full minute before adding liquid transforms its flavor from raw to rich
03 -
- Start seasoning your sauce from the beginning rather than just at the end
- Room temperature tomatoes blend better with hot ingredients than cold ones do