Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

Ingredients

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

Steps

1. Chop the onion and mince the garlic.
2. Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking it apart with a spoon, until browned. Drain any excess fat.
3. Add chopped onion to the pot and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in minced garlic, oregano, and basil, cooking for another minute until fragrant.
4. Stir in tomato paste, then add crushed tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Bring the sauce to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover, and let it cook for at least 20 minutes, or up to an hour, stirring occasionally.
5. While the sauce simmers, cook spaghetti according to package directions in a separate pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain well.
6. Serve the meat sauce over the cooked spaghetti. Garnish with grated Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley, if desired.