Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb 85% lean ground beef
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped, 1 cup
• 3 garlic cloves, minced, 1 Tbsp
• 1 can crushed tomatoes
• 3/4 cup water, or as needed
• 2 1/2 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 3/4 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 cup finely shredded parmesan, plus more for serving
• Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish, optional

Directions

1. Warm the olive oil in a deep 12-inch skillet set over medium-high heat. Scatter in the beef in loose chunks with a little room around each piece, then let it brown on the bottom for about 3 minutes. Break the beef apart and keep cooking, stirring and crumbling now and then, until no longer pink, about 3 minutes more.
2. Move the beef to a large paper towel-lined plate. Leave 1 Tbsp of the drippings in the skillet, or use 1 Tbsp olive oil instead. Turn the heat down to medium, add the onion, and cook for 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
3. Add the crushed tomatoes, water, tomatoes paste, cooked beef, basil and oregano, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring the sauce to a gentle boil, lower the heat to low, cover the skillet, and simmer until the onion is tender, about 15 – 20 minutes. If the sauce gets too thick, loosen it with a little more water; if it needs more body, stir in a little extra tomato paste.
4. Mix in the parmesan. Serve warm with cooked spaghetti, then finish with more parmesan and parsley.