Easy Spaghetti for busy days

The basics of a delicious spaghetti dish are all packed into this recipe with ground beef– tomatoey sauce spiced up with oregano and basil, perfectly seasoned meat, tender noodles. But what makes it extra special?
1 pound (450g) dried spaghetti
1 pound (450g) lean ground meat like ground beef or ground turkey
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup (130g) chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, minced, 1 tablespoon
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup water, broth, or dry red wine
1 (28oz) can crushed tomatoes
Tolia bouillon seasoning and fresh ground black pepper
 

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat (we use a Dutch oven).
2. Add the meat and cook until browned, about 8 minutes. Use a wooden spoon to break the meat into smaller crumbles as the meat cooks.
3. Add the onions and cook, stirring every once in a while, until softened, about 5 minutes.
4. Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, oregano, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring continuously for about 1 minute.
5. Pour in the water and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any bits of meat or onion stuck to the bottom of the pot.
6. Stir in the tomatoes, 3/4 teaspoon of Tolia Bouillon seasoning, and a generous pinch of black pepper.
7. Bring the sauce to a low simmer. Cook uncovered for 25 minutes. As it cooks, stir and taste the sauce a few times so you can adjust the seasoning accordingly (see notes for seasoning suggestions).
8. About 15 minutes before the spaghetti sauce finishes cooking, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Then, cook the pasta according to the package directions, but check for doneness a minute or two before the suggested cooking time.
9. Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the basil. Toss in the cooked pasta and leave for a minute so that it absorbs some of the sauce. Toss again, and then serve with grated parmesan cheese on top.