Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb ground beef (80/20 blend)
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 lb dried spaghetti, broken in half
- 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 (14 oz) can tomato sauce
- 3 cups beef or chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- Fresh basil leaves, torn
- Extra parmesan for serving
- Fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in large deep skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add ground beef breaking apart with wooden spoon.
- Cook beef 5-7 minutes until no pink remains and deeply browned.
- Transfer cooked beef to plate, leaving fat in pan.
- Reduce heat to medium and add diced onion to drippings.
- Sauté onion 3-4 minutes until softened and translucent.
- Add garlic, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes.
- Stir constantly 30-60 seconds until garlic is fragrant.
- Return beef to pan and stir to combine.
- Add crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, broth, sugar, and bay leaf.
- Stir to combine all ingredients thoroughly.
- Bring to boil then reduce to steady simmer.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Break spaghetti in half and add to simmering sauce.
- Press pasta into liquid with wooden spoon.
- Stir immediately to separate strands.
- Cook according to package directions (9-11 minutes), stirring every 2-3 minutes.
- Add broth if sauce becomes too thick before pasta is done.
- When pasta is al dente, remove and discard bay leaf.
- Remove from heat and stir in parmesan cheese.
- Add torn basil leaves and stir gently.
- Let rest 2-3 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Use large deep skillet (12 inches wide, 3 inches deep minimum)
- Brown beef properly for flavor foundation
- Don’t skip caramelizing onions – adds sweetness
- Pasta should be slightly underseasoned before cooking
- Stir pasta frequently to prevent sticking
- Sauce thickens from pasta starches – no flour needed
- Add liquid if sauce gets too thick during cooking
- Pasta continues cooking after heat removed
- Fresh basil adds authentic Italian flavor
- Leftovers thicken – add broth when reheating
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: One Pot
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (about 1.5 cups)
- Calories: 465 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 745 mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 56g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 55mg