Pasta with Meat Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 3 cloves garlic
• 28 oz crushed tomatoes
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried basil
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 12 oz spaghetti
• ¼ cup Parmesan cheese (optional)
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley (optional)

Steps

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned. Drain any excess fat.
2. Add chopped onion to the pot and cook until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and tomato paste, cooking for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
3. Pour in crushed tomatoes, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Bring the sauce to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover, and let it cook for at least 30 minutes, or up to an hour, stirring occasionally.
4. While the sauce simmers, cook the spaghetti according to package directions in a separate pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain well.
5. Serve the meat sauce over the cooked spaghetti. Garnish with grated Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley, if desired.