Sauté the aromatics: Heat the olive oil in a large pot over high heat. Add the onion and garlic, cooking for about 2 minutes until softened and fragrant.

Brown the beef: Add the ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks. Continue until no pink remains.

Add the tomato base: Pour in the tomato passata. To get every last drop, rinse the bottle with a bit of beef stock, shake it up, and pour it into the pot.

Mix in the seasonings: Add the water, bouillon, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, sugar, salt, and pepper. Stir well and bring everything to a boil.

Cook the pasta: Add the spaghetti, spreading it evenly across the pot. Let it sit for 30 seconds to soften, then gently press it under the liquid.

Simmer and stir: Cook for about 12 minutes, stirring frequently (especially in the last few minutes). Around the 8-minute mark, reduce the heat to medium to prevent the bottom from sticking, but keep a gentle simmer.

Finish and serve: Once the pasta is just al dente and the sauce is still slightly loose, remove from heat. Toss everything together for about 30 seconds to allow the sauce to thicken and coat the pasta.

Garnish and enjoy: Serve immediately, topped with freshly grated Parmesan.