Marinara Pasta

A quick and classic Italian pasta dish featuring a vibrant marinara sauce, ground beef, and fresh basil, served with ready-to-bake garlic bread.

• Prep: 10 min
• Cook: 15 min
• Total: 25 min
• Servings: 8
• Cuisine: Italian
• Difficulty: Easy
• Cost: $2.98/serving

Dietary

• Nut-Free
• Soy-Free
• Egg-Free
• High-Protein

Tags

• comfort food
• quick
• savory

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1.5 pound ground beef
• 1 yellow onion (large, diced)
• 3 clove garlic (minced)
• 1 can crushed tomatoes
• 1 can tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 0.5 teaspoon salt
• 0.25 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 pound spaghetti (quick-cook)
• 1 package garlic bread (pre-made)
• 0.25 cup fresh basil (chopped)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) for garlic bread, if using. Cook quick-cook spaghetti or penne according to package directions.
2. While pasta cooks, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 1 1/2 pounds ground beef and 1 large diced yellow onion. Cook, breaking up the beef, until browned, about 5-7 minutes.
3. Drain any excess fat. Stir in 3 minced garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
4. Stir in 1 can crushed tomatoes, 1 can tomato sauce, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and let simmer gently.
5. Bake 1 package pre-made garlic bread according to package directions, typically 8-10 minutes.
6. Once pasta is drained, add it directly to the marinara sauce and toss to coat. Serve immediately with garlic bread, garnished with 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil if desired.

Notes

Ensure you use quick-cook pasta to meet the total time constraint. For richer flavor, you can let the sauce simmer longer if time permits.

Nutrition (per serving)

• Calories: 480
• Protein: 30 g
• Carbohydrates: 50 g
• Fat: 19 g
• Fiber: 6 g
• Sodium: 700 mg
• Saturated Fat: 7 g
• Sugar: 8 g
• Cholesterol: 70 mg