Spaghetti with Quick Meat Sauce

Instead of opening a jar of sauce, try this easy spaghetti with meat sauce on a weeknight. Serve with steamed broccoli, garlic bread, and roasted pears for dessert. The recipe makes enough for 8 servings. If you’re serving only four for dinner, cook 8 ounces of spaghetti and freeze the leftover sauce.

Makes

8 Servings

Ingredients

• 1 pound whole wheat spaghetti
• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 large carrot, finely chopped
• 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 1 pound lean ground beef (90% or leaner)
• 1 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Wash hands with soap and water.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain.
3. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
4. Add onion, carrot, and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is beginning to brown, 5 to 8 minutes.
5. Stir in garlic and Italian seasoning; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
6. Add beef and cook, stirring and breaking up with a spoon, until no longer pink, 3 to 5 minutes.
7. Increase heat to high. Stir in tomatoes and cook until thickened, 4 to 6 minutes.
8. Stir in parsley and salt. Serve the sauce over the pasta, sprinkled with cheese.

Notes

Learn more about: Onions Carrots Celery Garlic Tomatoes Herbs