Spaghetti with beef sauce; it's an American twist on the traditional Italian bolognese sauce. Often spotted on serving tables at church socials, in school lunchrooms and in family kitchens across the land, it's a simple and easy meal to cook. Slight variations in recipes exist, with different spices and other ingredients added to the sauce to suit differing tastes, but it's the ground beef that adds the real oomph to this classic pasta dish.
Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium-high heat. Some recipes call for cooking finely chopped onions with the ground beef. Garlic and green peppers are also common ingredients that you can saute with the beef.
Cook the meat until it is no longer pink and the vegetables start to reach a tender state. Use a spatula to work the beef so that it cooks evenly and crumbles.
Drain the grease from the skillet and add the tomato sauce. Cover and simmer the sauce for at least 15 minutes, or until it's hot and the flavors blend.
Tip
Add a bit of olive oil and brown sugar to the simmering tomato sauce to sweeten and enhance the flavor.
If you aren't using a store-bought sauce, oregano, basil and black pepper are common spices used, in addition to garlic and onions.