Italian · Serves 2
with Zucchini & Tuscan Spices
Spaghetti with tomato sauce is always a recipe for success. Is there anyone who’d turn down a plate of noodles piled high and dusted with cheese? Surely not, although adding some extra meat and veg certainly makes it all the more crave-able. Which is exactly what we’re doing: taking a tried-and-true Italian American classic and adding hearty ground beef and bites of tender zucchini.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Wash and dry all produce. Trim and quarter zucchini lengthwise; cut crosswise into ½-inch-thick pieces. Halve, peel, and dice onion. Mince garlic.
Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add beef and season with half the Italian Seasoning (you’ll use the rest later), salt, and pepper. Cook, breaking up meat into pieces, until browned and cooked through, 4-6 minutes. Turn off heat. (TIP: If there’s excess grease in your pan, carefully pour it out.) Transfer beef to a plate.
Once water is boiling, add spaghetti to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 9-11 minutes. Carefully reserve ½ cup pasta cooking water (¾ cup for 4 servings), then drain.
While spaghetti cooks, heat a drizzle of oil in pan used for beef over medium-high heat. Add zucchini and onion. Cook, stirring, until softened, 5-7 minutes. Stir in garlic and remaining Italian Seasoning; cook until garlic is fragrant, 30 seconds.
Add beef, tomatoes, stock concentrate, and reserved pasta cooking water to pan with veggies. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until thick and saucy, 5-10 minutes. (TIP: If mixture begins to stick to the bottom of the pan, stir in a splash of water.) Taste and season with salt and pepper. Stir in 1 TBSP plain butter (2 TBSP for 4 servings) until melted.
Add spaghetti and garlic herb butter to pan with ragù; toss to combine. Divide pasta between plates. Sprinkle with Parmesan and as many chili flakes as you like. Serve.
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