The Bear Spaghetti with Tomato Meat Sauce (Printable)

Rustic spaghetti with savory tomato meat sauce, aromatic herbs, and perfectly cooked pasta for a comforting Italian-American classic.

# What You'll 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 ground turkey/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 Make It:

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 Hacks:

01 -
  • The sauce comes together in about 30 minutes but tastes like it simmered all afternoon thanks to that tomato paste trick
  • Its incredibly forgiving and you probably have everything in your pantry right now
02 -
  • The first time I made this I forgot the sugar and the sauce was so acidic it made my mouth pucker that tiny amount completely changes everything
  • Tomato paste needs that minute of cooking to lose its raw metallic taste and become something deep and savory
03 -
  • Let the meat get properly browned in spots rather than just gray, those brown bits are where the flavor lives
  • If the sauce feels too thick before adding the pasta, thin it with a splash more pasta water rather than plain water

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