Makaronia Me Kima (Greek Spaghetti With a Meat Sauce)
Filled with fragrant, aromatic spices - "makaronia me kima" (Greek spaghetti with meat sauce) is a delicious and traditional Greek recipe that you can whip up in under an hour. Favoured by adults and children, this Greek pasta is a taste sensation.
Servings 4 people
Calories 908kcal
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 500 grams ground beef lean preferred (see note 1)
- 120 ml red wine
- 250 ml beef stock
- 400 grams tomatoes (freshly grated, tinned, passata)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (see note 2)
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- 500 grams spaghetti or your favourite pasta
- 1 tablespoon butter
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a medium-sized pan on medium-high heat and fry the onion and garlic until translucent.
- Add the ground meat and cook until browned. (see note 3)
- Add the red wine and cook until it has evaporated.
- Add the stock or water and stir well.
- Add the tomatoes and tomato paste and stir until well incorporated.
- Add the ground cinnamon and cloves if using, and allow the meat sauce to simmer on low heat for 45 minutes.
- Cook the pasta per the package directions - drain and save a little of the pasta water. (see note 4)
- Heat a tablespoon of butter on high heat in the same pot you cooked the pasta. Toss the spaghetti through the melted butter and add a little of the pasta water - toss well to combine. (see note 5)
- Serve the Greek spaghetti with the meat sauce and plenty of grated cheese. (see note 6)
Video
Notes
- Feel free to use an equal portion of ground pork and beef for a little extra fat and flavour. For a low calorie version use ground turkey or ground chicken.
- Feel free to use a cinnamon stick instead for a more pronounced flavour - make sure to remove it before serving!
- Browning the ground meat - make sure to brown your ground beef well, as this will add much-needed extra flavour to the final finished dish.
- Cook your pasta correctly. I can't emphasise this enough! Cook the spaghetti until "al dente " - firm to the bite. Nobody likes overcooked Greek-style spaghetti!
- Toss the spaghetti in butter or olive oil before topping it with the Greek meat sauce. It adds a lovely richness and adds extra flavour to the overall dish.
- Top with a traditional Greek cheese. You needed grated cheese to finish this dish! If you can get your hands on them, try topping the Greek spaghetti with either grated myzithra, Kefalogaviera or Kefalotyri cheese. Substitute with Parmesan cheese or Pecorino.
Nutrition
Calories: 908kcal | Carbohydrates: 103g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 12g