Classic Weeknight Ground Beef Pasta

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking it apart with a spoon, until browned. Drain any excess fat.

Add chopped onion to the skillet and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.

Pour in crushed tomatoes, add dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover, and let it cook for at least 15 minutes, or up to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

While the sauce simmers, add spaghetti to the boiling water and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve about 0.5 cup of pasta water before draining.

Once the pasta is cooked, add the drained spaghetti directly to the meat sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water to achieve desired consistency.

Toss everything together until the pasta is well coated. Serve immediately, garnished with grated Parmesan cheese and fresh chopped parsley.