By Spring in earnest now. The lilacs along the fence are leafing out, still weeks from blooming but already green and full of intention. The birds have changed — the winter birds have shifted to make room for migrants, warblers and thrushes coming through. I've been walking the property every morning again, the walk I do every spring to take a proper inventory: what made it through, what didn't, what needs attention.
The asparagus bed is coming up beautifully. I planted this bed seven years ago and it keeps getting better — fatter spears every year as the crowns establish themselves. I ate the first handful last Thursday, snapped right off and cooked in butter with a pinch of salt, standing at the stove. A ritual. The first asparagus of spring is non-negotiable for me. You eat it simply and you appreciate where you are in time.
Carol and I have kept up the Sunday dinners through the winter and into spring, and I find they've become something I genuinely look forward to rather than just appreciate in the abstract. She's settled into Stowe. She knows her neighbors, she has a coffee place she goes to every morning, she's found her village. It suits her. She seems like herself again in a way that has been coming back slowly since her husband passed four years ago.
Made a spring pasta this week — asparagus and peas and spring onions with pasta, butter and parmesan, the kind of thing that takes twenty minutes and tastes of the season. That simplicity is the point. The best spring cooking doesn't cover up the vegetables; it just gets out of the way.
That spring pasta I made this week — asparagus, peas, spring onions, butter, and parmesan — reminded me all over again why the fastest meals in the kitchen are often the truest ones. If you’re looking to bring that same weeknight simplicity to your own table, this Speedy Stovetop Spaghetti is the recipe I reach for when the season calls for something quick and honest. It’s the kind of cooking Carol and I have fallen into on Sunday evenings when the light is still good and neither of us wants to be standing over the stove for long.
Speedy Stovetop Spaghetti
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 12 oz spaghetti
- 1 lb ground beef (85% lean)
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (15 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1/2 tsp salt, plus more for pasta water
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Grated parmesan, for serving
Instructions
- Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain and set aside.
- Brown the beef. While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until no pink remains, about 6–8 minutes. Drain excess fat.
- Soften the aromatics. Reduce heat to medium. Add diced onion to the skillet and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute more until fragrant.
- Build the sauce. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes (if using), salt, and black pepper. Stir to combine and simmer for 5–7 minutes, letting the flavors come together.
- Finish the pasta. Add the drained spaghetti directly to the skillet. Toss to coat, adding a splash of reserved pasta water if the sauce needs loosening.
- Serve. Plate immediately and finish with grated parmesan.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 540 | Protein: 32g | Fat: 16g | Carbs: 68g | Fiber: 5g | Sodium: 620mg