SPAGHETTI WITH QUICK MEAT SAUCE

I always make fun of Mike because before he met me, Italian food was ground beef mixed with Ragu. I opened his eyes to a world of deliciousness. To bring him back to his roots, I made this dish for him. It was actually really good.....and no Ragu! This base recipe came from Real Simple Best Recipes. I had to add a little bit of flavor :-)

INGREDIENTS
12 ounces spaghetti (3/4 of a box)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3/4 pound ground beef
Kosher salt and black pepper
Red pepper flakes
Dried basil
Dried Italian herbs
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1/4 cup grated Parmesan (1 ounce)

DIRECTIONS
1.Cook the pasta according to the package directions.
2.Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 8 to 10 minutes.
3.Increase heat to medium-high. Add the beef, salt/pepper and cook, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until it's no longer pink, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, dried spices and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce slightly thickens, about 5 minutes. Stir in the parsley and any additional seasonings to taste.
4.Toss the pasta with the sauce and sprinkle with the Parmesan.