Lunch: Whole-Wheat Spaghetti with Lamb, Tomato, and Cumin Sauce

A Middle Eastern version of the spaghetti with meat sauce we all know and love, this pasta should find a ready audience. It's good with macaroni or with plain spaghetti.

Ingredients

2 tbsp. Cooking oil
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
1 lb. ground lamb
1 tbsp. ground cumin
1 1/2 c. canned crushed tomatoes in thick puree (one 16-ounce can)
1 3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 lb. whole-wheat spaghetti
1/2 tsp. fresh-ground black pepper
1/3 c. chopped fresh mint or parsley

Instructions

In a large frying pan, heat the oil over moderately low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and then the lamb. Cook until the meat is no longer pink, about 3 minutes. Stir in the cumin, tomatoes and salt. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the spaghetti until just done, about 15 minutes. Drain the pasta and toss it with the sauce, pepper and mint.
Variation: Whole-Wheat Spaghetti with Meat Sauce: You can substitute 1 pound of ground beef for the ground lamb. Use the same procedure, but decrease the cumin to 11/2 teaspoons and use parsley rather than mint.
Wine Recommendation: The spiciness of the cumin, the earthiness of the whole-wheat spaghetti, and the gaminess of the lamb are best with a full-bodied, slightly rough red wine such as a Côtes du Rhône from the southern part of France.

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