Pasta with Meat Sauce
Spaghetti or penne with ground beef, tomatoes, onions, and carrots, topped with grated cheese. A hearty, classic dinner.
- Time
- 40 min
- Serving
- 807 kcal
- Ingredients
- ≈ $2.74
- Protein
- 36 g
Ingredients
- 1 Ground beefpack 500 g ≈ $7.45 110 g
- 2 Pastapack 450 g ≈ $1.37 90 g
- 3 Canned tomatoespack 400 g ≈ $1.30 150 g
- 4 Onions≈ $1.60 per kg 40 g
- 5 Carrots≈ $1.50 per kg 30 g
- 6 Garlic≈ $10.00 per kg 3 g
- 7 Sunflower oil 10 ml
- 8 Hard cheesepack 200 g ≈ $2.70 15 g
- 9 Salt 2 g
- 10 Ground black pepper to taste
Grey rows are pantry staples: salt, oil, spices. They are not counted in the serving price.
Method
Dice 1 small onion4 and 1 carrot5 into 0.5 cm cubes, then finely chop 2 garlic6 cloves. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a skillet over medium heat.
Sauté the onion4 and carrot5 for 5 minutes until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic6 and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Add 250g ground1 beef, increase heat to medium-high, and cook for 7 minutes, breaking up clumps, until no longer pink.
Stir in 200g crushed tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, then simmer on low heat for 20 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
Cook 200g pasta2 in salted boiling water for 8–10 minutes until al dente, then drain.
Toss the pasta2 with the sauce, plate, and top with grated Parmesan or mozzarella.
Tips
- Why it works
- Cook the beef until it loses pink color to kill bacteria; overcooking turns it dry and gray. Sauté onions until translucent to soften without burning, which adds bitterness. Simmer tomatoes on low heat to develop flavor without breaking down the sauce texture.
- Substitutions
- Replace ground beef with ground pork (110g) for a slightly sweeter taste. Use canned tomatoes (150g drained) if fresh are unavailable. Substitute sunflower oil with olive oil (10g) for a milder flavor.
- Common mistakes
- Overcooking the beef makes it tough and dry; check by cutting a piece. It should be brown outside, pink inside. Sauce too thin? You likely didn’t simmer long enough or added too much water when reheating.
- Storing and reheating
- Sauce keeps 4 days in the fridge; reheat on low heat, stirring, and add 1–2 tbsp water if thick. Pasta with sauce must be eaten fresh or within 1 day. Freeze sauce only without pasta for up to 3 months.
- Serve with
- Pair with a simple green salad and crusty bread for a balanced lunch. Serve to kids with a side of steamed broccoli to add nutrients.
In short
- In the planner this dish is cooked for two days: reheat on day two.
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