This recipe guides you through making a delicious, comforting spaghetti dish from scratch. We’ll create a flavorful tomato sauce and cook the pasta to perfection.
Ingredients:
- For the Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- For the Spaghetti:
- 1 pound dry spaghetti pasta
- Water
- Salt
- Optional Additions:
- 1 pound ground beef, or Italian sausage.
- Fresh basil or parsley for garnish.
- Grated Parmesan cheese.
Instructions:
- Prepare the Sauce:
- Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add the chopped onion and cook until softened, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute, until fragrant.
- If using ground meat, add it now, and cook until browned, breaking it up with a spoon. Drain off any excess fat.
- Pour in the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste.
- Add the dried oregano, dried basil, sugar, red pepper flakes (if using), salt, and pepper.
- Stir well to combine.
- Bring the sauce to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and let it simmer for at least 30 minutes, or up to 1 hour, stirring occasionally. The longer it simmers, the richer the flavor will be.
- Adjust seasonings to your taste.
- Cook the Spaghetti:
- Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil.
- Add the spaghetti and cook according to the package directions, until al dente (slightly firm to the bite).
- Before draining, reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water.
- Drain the spaghetti.
- Combine and Serve:
- Add the drained spaghetti to the pot of sauce.
- Toss well to coat the pasta with the sauce.
- If the sauce is too thick, add some of the reserved pasta water to thin it out to your desired consistency.
- Serve immediately, garnished with fresh basil or parsley and grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.
Tips and Variations:
- For a richer sauce, add a splash of red wine while the onions are cooking.
- You can use fresh tomatoes instead of canned. Peel, seed, and chop about 2 pounds of fresh tomatoes.
- Add other vegetables like bell peppers, mushrooms, or zucchini to the sauce.
- For a creamy tomato sauce, stir in a splash of heavy cream or half-and-half at the end.
- If you would like to make the sauce in a slow cooker, add all sauce ingredients to the slow cooker, and cook on low for 4-6 hours.
- Always salt your pasta water, this is how you season the pasta.
- Do not rinse your pasta after draining, the starch helps the sauce to cling to the pasta.
Enjoy your homemade spaghetti!