Spaghetti with Beef, Zucchini and Thyme Tomato Sauce

This spaghetti with beef and zucchini is a fast, satisfying pasta dinner built around a savory tomato sauce, tender vegetables and plenty of Parmesan.

Ground beef browns first for flavor, then onion, zucchini, garlic, thyme, Italian seasoning, soy sauce and crushed tomatoes turn it into a rich skillet sauce that clings beautifully to spaghetti.

Log in to save recipes and build weekly shopping lists.

Ingredients

2 unit ZucchiniView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit Yellow OnionView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 clove GarlicView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 ounce ThymeView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

20 ounce Ground BeefView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Italian SeasoningView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 tablespoon Soy SauceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

12 ounce SpaghettiView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

26.4 ounce Crushed TomatoesView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 cup Parmesan CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Chili FlakesView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 teaspoon Olive OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Salt, to tasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Pepper, to tasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Wash and dry the zucchini and thyme. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
2. Quarter the zucchini lengthwise, then slice it into 1/2-inch pieces. Halve, peel and dice the onions. Mince the garlic. Strip the thyme leaves from the stems, discard the stems and roughly chop the leaves.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and break it up with a spoon. Cook, tossing and stirring, until browned but not fully cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Add the diced onions and zucchini to the pan with the beef. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften, about 5 minutes.
5. Stir in the garlic, thyme, Italian seasoning and soy sauce. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
6. When the water is boiling, add the spaghetti. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 9 to 11 minutes. Carefully reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the spaghetti.
7. Add the crushed tomatoes and reserved pasta water to the pan with the beef and vegetables. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
8. Add the drained spaghetti to the pan and toss until evenly coated in the sauce. Divide among plates and finish with Parmesan cheese and chili flakes to taste.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

How long does this beef and zucchini spaghetti take?

The recipe takes about 30 minutes from start to finish.

Can I leave out the chili flakes?

Yes. The chili flakes are added at the end and can be used to taste or omitted.

Why add soy sauce to a tomato pasta sauce?

Soy sauce adds savory depth to the beef and tomato mixture without changing the basic cooking method.

What should I do if the sauce gets too thick?

Use the reserved pasta cooking water to loosen the sauce until it coats the spaghetti well.