Spaghetti with Bolognese Meat Sauce in a White Pasta Dish with Forks

Dinner / Lunch

Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

6 Servings

Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 45 minutes

Kid-Friendly

Tools You'll Need

  • Measuring Cups
  • Measuring Spoons
  • Cutting Board
  • Chef’s Knife
  • Large Pot or Skillet

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
  • 1 stalk celery, roughly chopped
  • 1 carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 1 teaspoon tomato paste
  • 1 lb. lean ground beef (90/10)
  • 1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
  • ¼ cup Italian parsley, chopped
  • ½ cup fresh basil, chopped
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 1 (12 oz.) box of whole wheat spaghetti
  • ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

  1. Heat Olive Oil

    In a large pot or skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat.

  2. Sauté Onions and Garlic

    Once hot, add the onion and garlic and sauté for 4-5 minutes until they begin to become fragrant.

  3. Add Celery and Carrot

    Add in celery and carrot and sauté until all the vegetables have softened for about another 5-8 minutes.

  4. Add Tomato Paste

    Add the tomato paste and cook 1-2 minutes till it darkens in color.

  5. Cook Ground Beef

    Add the ground beef and cook, frequently stirring, breaking up any large lumps until meat is no longer pink.

  6. Add Tomatoes, Parsley, and Basil

    Add the tomatoes, parsley, and basil and cook on medium-low heat until the sauce begins to thicken—about 30 minutes.

  7. Taste and Season

    Taste the sauce and season with salt and pepper as needed.

  8. Cook Pasta

    Once the sauce is ready, cook pasta according to package instructions.

  9. Reserve Pasta Liquid

    When the pasta is just about done, reserve about ½ -1 cup of the cooking liquid

  10. Drain Pasta

    Drain pasta and immediately toss it into the sauce.

  11. Add Pasta Liquid

    Add some cooking liquid to the sauce if it seems too thick.

  12. Add Parmesan Cheese

    Toss in parmesan cheese and serve.

Chef Gary in YMCA chef uniform

Chef's Note:

Sauce can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in the fridge to use later in the week. Or make a double batch and store it in your freezer in an airtight container. Defrost a day or two ahead and reheat on the stovetop.

Nutrition Info

Per Each Serving

  • Calories

    475

  • Total Fat

    19g

  • Saturated Fat

    5g

  • Protein

    27g

  • Total Carbs

    52g

  • Fiber

    3g

  • Sugar

    5g

  • Sodium

    302mg

  • Cholestrol

    53mg