The Bear Spaghetti Rustic Tomato (Printable Format)

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
06 - 1 tsp dried oregano
07 - 1 tsp dried basil
08 - 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
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

# How-To Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook 4-5 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute more.
03 - Add ground beef to skillet. Cook, breaking up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through, 6-8 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed.
04 - Stir in oregano, basil, and red pepper flakes. Add tomato paste and cook 1 minute to deepen flavor.
05 - Pour in crushed tomatoes and sugar. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, 20 minutes until sauce thickens.
06 - Toss drained spaghetti with sauce, adding reserved pasta water as needed for consistency. Serve hot topped with grated Parmesan, fresh basil, and olive oil drizzle.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The sauce develops incredible depth in just 20 minutes of simmering
  • Its forgiving enough for weeknight cooking but impressive enough for company
  • Leftovers actually taste better the next day
02 -
  • Reserve pasta water before draining or you'll miss the secret to silky sauce
  • The sauce thickens as it cools so keep it slightly looser than you think
03 -
  • Crush canned tomatoes by hand for the best texture
  • Don't rinse the pasta or the sauce won't cling properly

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