If you’re a foodie and watched The Bear on Hulu, you need this recipe for Family Meal Spaghetti (From The Bear).
Let me start by saying if you haven’t seen the TV show ‘The Bear’ (available on Hulu), you need to! It is hands down one of the best shows I’ve seen in a very long time. The acting is top-notch, the writing is superb, and if you’re a foodie, the cooking makes you want to run to the kitchen!
If you’re already a fan, then you know that the Family Meal Spaghetti is a big part of the show (If you haven’t made it to the end, I suggest you stop here and come back once you have). And if you’re a foodie like me, you’ve probably been thinking a lot about how to make the spaghetti recipe written on that index card.
Because Carmy made most of the dish off camera, I thought a lot about how it could be done. I mean, I thought about it for days. I never saw it done that way and needed to fill in the blanks. So, I made my version, and I have to say, it’s a delicious way to make a marinara sauce!
I used the recipe ingredients on the card, even though Carmy didn’t. If you want a recipe for his version – check out this recipe on buzzfeed.
I used the few clips we had from the show to come up with the cooking method. There are a few ways it could be done, but I tried to keep it quick and easy. I hope you enjoy it and I’d like to think that Carmy and his brother would approve. Thank you, Chef!
Ingredient Notes
Whole Fresh Garlic Cloves: Fresh garlic is key to this recipe. Peel them and keep them whole.
San Marzano tomatoes: These are sweet with low acidity and worth paying for as long as they have the DOP-certified seal on the can. If you can’t find them, substitute them with whole Roma tomatoes. You’ll need two 28oz/800g cans (the small cans taste better). When I lived in the UK, I found that 400g cans were much more readily available, so if that’s the case where you are, four of those will be just fine.
Fresh Basil: You can find this in the herb section of most supermarkets. You’ll need a big handful for this recipe—no need to chop or remove the leaves – stems and all.
How To Make Family Meal Spaghetti (From The Bear)
Start with putting a large pot of salted water for the spaghetti over high heat.
Add a half cup of olive oil, 10 cloves of peeled garlic, and a handful of fresh basil (stems and all) to a small saucepan.
Turn the heat to medium-low. Once the mixture comes to a slow boil, let it simmer for a few or until the basil is wilted.
I did this in stages, adding a little basil at a time and then removing it once it wilted. Then I repeated the process to get as much flavor into the oil as possible. You don’t want to let the basil get crispy.
Remove the basil and set it aside while you finish cooking the garlic to a light golden color.
Remove the pan from the heat, add the basil to the pot and allow the mixture to cool.
Add the tomatoes, garlic, and basil to a food processor or blender with 2 tablespoons of the oil. The infused oil helps the sauce emulsify into a silky smooth texture and adds extra flavor.
Puree until it reaches your desired smoothness. Season with salt and pepper, and then heat the mixture over medium heat in a deep skillet until it comes to a boil. Reduce the heat, and simmer the sauce until thickened.
This is a good time to cook the spaghetti. You want it to be cooked until it’s just under al dente. It will finish cooking in the sauce.
Be sure to reserve about a cup of pasta water before draining. You’ll use it to add to the dish later. The water’s starch helps the sauce stick to the pasta, and the salt adds flavor.
Add the chopped herbs to the sauce, and taste for seasoning. Add more salt as needed. Just be careful here because you may be using the salty pasta water to loosen the sauce, and you don’t want to overseason.
This recipe makes enough sauce for two meals. I wanted to stay true to the card but make it a realistic family meal, so if you’re cooking just a pound of spaghetti, pack up half the sauce and save it for another time.
Add the pasta to the thickened sauce and toss to coat.
Cook until the pasta is al dente, adding pasta water to help loosen the sauce as it cooks with the pasta.
Add some fresh chopped basil or parsley, taste for seasoning, and add more salt as needed before serving.
There you have it- Family Meal Spaghetti (From The Bear)
Make ahead and Freezing Instructions ❄
This recipe makes enough sauce for two meals. I wanted to stay true to the recipe on the card but make it a realistic family meal, so if you’re cooking just a pound of spaghetti, pack up half the sauce and save it for another time.
- Storing Leftovers: Store in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- To freeze: Let the pasta cool completely, then add it to a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. When ready to use, thaw it in the fridge overnight.
- To Reheat: Gently reheat leftovers on the stove until warmed through
- Make ahead: This dish with spaghetti is best served fresh from the pan. You can make the sauce ahead of time, reheat it, and resume from step 6 in the recipe.
Erren’s Top Tips & Variations
- This is the recipe written on Michael’s card, not the version Carmy cooks at the end. To make Carmy’s version, add red pepper flakes to the garlic mixture. Then cut an onion in half, and cook it in a pan cut side down with butter until lightly browned before adding the sauce. Then simmer it in sauce and discard before adding the spaghetti.
- Add and remove the basil to the oil in stages for the most flavor without crisping the leaves.
- Cook the garlic until it turns a light golden color for a rich flavor that mellows the bitterness in the garlic.
- When cooking pasta, salt the water well to season the pasta. Even the best sauce in the world can’t fix bland pasta.
- Be careful when seasoning the sauce before you add the pasta. The pasta water will be salty, and you don’t want to overseason the dish.
- Undercook your spaghetti and allow it to finish cooking in the sauce. It helps the pasta bind with the sauce and absorbs more flavor.
Did you make this?
Stay Updated
Receive new recipes & dinner ideas straight to your inbox!
Let’s Make Family Meal Spaghetti (From The Bear)
Ingredients
- 1 lb spaghetti
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 10 garlic cloves whole peeled
- fresh basil a good handful – stems are fine
- 56 oz San Marzano tomatoes two 28oz cans
- kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil or parsley for serving
Instructions
- Start a pot of salted water to cook the pasta in a large pot. Cook pasta until just underdone. Reserve about a cup of cooked pasta water, drain the pasta and set it aside.
- Meanwhile, combine the oil, garlic, and basil in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook gently for 2 to 3 minutes until basil is wilted. Remove the basil and set it aside. Cook the garlic until slightly golden. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
- Add the tomatoes, garlic, basil, and 2 tablespoons of the oil from the garlic mixture to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.
- Add the mixture to a shallow skillet over medium heat, add salt and pepper and bring to a boil; lower the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes to thicken.
- Add the chopped herbs to the sauce, and taste for seasoning. Add more salt as needed. Remove all but 2 cups of the sauce from the pan, pack it up and save it for another time.
- Add the partially cooked spaghetti and toss to coat well. Cook until the pasta is al dente. If the sauce seems too thick, add a little pasta water.
- Taste for seasoning and add more salt as needed. Serve with grated Parmesan at the table.
Tips + Notes
- Add and remove the basil to the oil in stages for the most flavor without crisping the leaves.
- Cook the garlic until it turns a light golden color for a rich flavor that mellows the bitterness in the garlic.
- When cooking pasta, salt the water well to season the pasta. Even the best sauce in the world can’t fix bland pasta.
- Be careful when seasoning the sauce before you add the pasta. The pasta water will be salty, and you don’t want to overseason the dish.
- Undercook your spaghetti and allow it to finish cooking in the sauce. It helps the pasta bind with the sauce and absorbs more flavor.
Candy says
This recipe exceeded my expectations. It’s now my go-to for busy nights!
Erren Hart says
Thank you for leaving a comment about this recipe. Your feedback is appreciated, and I’m glad to hear that you enjoyed it. Please let me know if you have any questions or suggestions for future recipes. Thanks again for trying it out and sharing your thoughts!