It seems I’m on a bit of a roll with fusion dishes right now… so let’s keep it rolling.
This is a different sort of take on spaghetti, where instead of a tomato-based marinara or meat sauce, we have ground beef combined with a blend of oriental seasonings. It could be looked at as a form of Lo Mein with ground beef, but since it uses a pasta that is better known for Italian style dishes we’ll call it a fusion dish and leave it like that.
This dish is easy to put together and takes just a few minutes, a great choice for a busy weeknight.
(Fun fact: The earliest forms of pasta were developed in China and the Middle East as far back as 2000 BCE, while the various shapes and styles we know from Italian cuisine didn’t appear until around 1200 AD. So in a sense, this dish really isn’t a fusion at all…)
Adapted from My Savory Twist
Asian Style Ground Beef Spaghetti
Description
A form of fusion dish combining Italian pasta with Asian-spiced ground beef. Very easy and quick to make, a good choice for busy weeknights.
Adapted from My Savory Twist
Ingredients
Instructions
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Prepare the spaghetti according to package directions, cooking to al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining. Set aside. (hint: drizzle and stir in a small amount of olive oil to prevent sticking).
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In a small bowl combine soy sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and sugar. Mix well and set aside.
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In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion, garlic, and ginger, and saute for 2-3 minutes until the onion has softened. Add the ground beef and cook until browned, breaking the meat into crumbles as it cooks. Drain off any excess grease.
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Add the carrots, peas, and green onion, and cook until softened. Add the sauce mixture and stir until well blended. Taste and season with red pepper flakes if additional spice is desired.
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Add the spaghetti and pasta water to the skillet, tossing together with the meat mixture to coat the noodles with sauce. Serve immediately, garnishing with sesame seeds or additional green onion if desired.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 4
Serving Size approx 1.5 cups (12 oz)
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 480kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 15.3g24%
- Saturated Fat 3.9g20%
- Cholesterol 69mg23%
- Sodium 627mg27%
- Potassium 602mg18%
- Total Carbohydrate 51.1g18%
- Dietary Fiber 3.8g16%
- Sugars 5.9g
- Protein 31.4g63%
- Calcium 29 mg
- Iron 5 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Notes
- Substitutions:
- Ground turkey can be substituted for the ground beef.
- Other long pastas such as fettuccine or linguine can be substituted for the spaghetti.
- Ginger paste can be substituted for the ground ginger.
- Red pepper flakes are for additional spices/heat if desired. Serve on the side for garnish.
- The sauce can sometimes be a little dry even with the additional pasta water. Add more water in small amounts if needed, or offer soy sauce on the side when serving.
