Does this Spaghetti recipe sound right?

Question

Boil water
add salt to water
add olive oil
place spaghetti in boiling water
let spaghetti boil until soft
drain spaghetti
brown ground beef
drain ground beef after browning
add ground beef to sauce
simmer sauce for 10-15 min
add sauce to spaghetti

Answer 1

Sounds simple and delicious. You could get the meat browning while waiting for the water to boil and simmer it with the sauce while cooking the noodles. Should come together around the same time.

It is debatable if you need to add olive oil to the pasta water, I find it unnecessary. Some argue to do it so the noodles don't stick, others argue not to because the sauce won't stick to the noodles if you do. You are adding the sauce to the noodles so I think it's not needed; if you like the flavor olive oil adds to the dish, add a little to the beef during cooking or the sauce after. Just adding it to the pasta water does nothing for this recipe.

Answer 2

To save calories and money, I skip the ground beef. Instead, I open a can of mushrooms, drain well, and throw them in with the sauce. Healthier, easier, cheaper, and just as tasty! Chopped onions are also good, if you like onions. I let the sauce heat while I cook the noodles. While I'm waiting on the noodles, I make leafy green salads. Just before serving, I toast bread or hamburger buns (or bake rolls) and top with butter and Garlic Bread Sprinkles. You can use garlic powder, but the Sprinkles are more flavorful. I also rinse my noodles with the hottest water available to remove the starch, I don't like starchy noodles.
Using oil in the noodles isn't right or wrong, it's a choice. Some people swear it keeps the noodles from sticking together, and that's true. Other people swear it keeps the sauce from sticking to the noodles, and I guess that's also true. Personally, I've never noticed the sauce "sticking" to the noodles, either way. I prefer to ladle the sauce over the top, rather than mixing it all together. Some people want a lot of sauce, others may not.
However you choose to cook and present your spaghetti, serve with the fresh salads, hot garlic bread, and plenty of good quality parmesan cheese or a parmesan blend (either refrigerated, or powdered, another preference thing). I avoid the artificial Italian topping, what's in that stuff? Chemicals? No thanks, I like real food!
This is how I do it. Not saying I'm right and you're wrong. It's all about preference! I've tried it lots of different ways, and this is my preference! Try out different ways until you find your preference! Experiment in the kitchen and have fun!

Answer 3

Sounds good, except if you boil the spaghetti first, it will be cold by the time the sauce is ready. They should be done at the same time. Think you can handle that?

P.S. Martha Stewart says never to add olive oil to the pasta, because it makes the sauce slide off.

TX Mom

Answer 4

Sounds ok, personally I would not add the olive oil to the water, just let it boil with a little salt, and while you are doing that brown your meat. I always add green peppers, onions, mushrooms, a little garlic, pepper, and top it with some cheese. But that's just the way I make it. If you like it chunky with vegetables in there that would be good! Hope it comes out good for you.

Answer 5

That sounds good. What I do though I add garlic salt with the noodles and a little bit of garlic powder. Also this may sound weird. But it is really good. I also add a Honey or brown sugar BBQ sauce with it. I cook the meat slowly with the BBQ sauce then drain some of it out and add it to the sauce. It gives the sauce a little more extra. It makes a little but sweeter. I love it and I haven't had a complaint yet!

Answer 6

Brown the meat and make the sauce while water is getting hot. You need not add olive oil to boiling water, and you should have sauce ready to add to pasta as soon as it is drained.

Answer 7

Sounds basically right. I don't put oil in the water though. I do rinse it to remove extra starch after cooking. You want to brown your meat while the pasta cooks. If your sauce doesn't have these things in it, I would add chopped onion, minced garlic, fresh herbs like oregano, thyme and sage, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, mushrooms, green pepper, eggplant, red pepper, etc. to make it a more interesting and healthier meal. Definitely sprinkle parmesan on top before serving.

Answer 8

our way of cooking spaghetti.

pls note that for every 1 kilo of spaghetti noodle:
you need to use
500 grams ground beef (use sirloin)
1500 - 2000 grams spaghetti sauce

1. boil water
lets simmer then add salt & oil (any kind)
then

2. add spaghetti noodle and cook al dente.
***note, not to soft so that it will not be too mushy***
drain and set aside.

3. saute garlic and onion on oil til wilted.
add ground beef until it browned.

4. drain then add spaghetti sauce.

5. add ground pepper. simmer for 5 to 10 mins.

mix spaghetti noddle with your sauce
topped with grated cheese and its ready to serve.

Answer 9

I would not put oil in the water, it makes the sauce slide off the noodles. Is the sauce homemade, too? Because it needs some onion and garlic cooked in butter.

Answer 10

Sounds good to me. If you want, you can also fry up some mushrooms and then add them into the sauce at the same time as the ground beef. Yummy!