Meat sauce for spaghetti
Votes: 7
Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
Complexity: easily
Servings: 12
Complexity: easily
Servings: 12
This thick and rich meat sauce will complement not only spaghetti but any pasta. The ingredients listed in the recipe make a large serving, so you can freeze some if you don't use it right away. The sauce is made with ground beef simmered in a mixture of pureed tomatoes with spices and herbs traditional in Italian cuisine: oregano, thyme, basil, and garlic. A rind of Parmesan cheese adds a more complex flavor. Use canned pureed tomatoes and enjoy the summery flavor of this Mediterranean dish all year round.
The recipes use measuring containers with the following volumes:
1 glass (st.) - 250 ml.
3/4 cup (st.) - 180 ml.
2/3 cup (st.) - 160 ml.
1/2 cup (st.) - 125 ml.
1/3 cup (st.) - 80 ml.
1/4 cup (st.) - 60 ml.
1 tablespoon (tbsp) - 15 ml.
1 teaspoon (tsp) - 5 ml.
1/5 teaspoon (tsp) - 1 ml.
1 glass (st.) - 250 ml.
3/4 cup (st.) - 180 ml.
2/3 cup (st.) - 160 ml.
1/2 cup (st.) - 125 ml.
1/3 cup (st.) - 80 ml.
1/4 cup (st.) - 60 ml.
1 tablespoon (tbsp) - 15 ml.
1 teaspoon (tsp) - 5 ml.
1/5 teaspoon (tsp) - 1 ml.
Ingredients for the recipe:
- 2.2 kg ground beef
- 3 tbsp. l. olive oil
- 2 large onions, diced
- 6 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 cans of 800g canned crushed tomatoes
- 1 can (400 g) of canned crushed tomatoes
- 1 can (170 g) of tomato paste
- 1 jar of good-quality store-bought marinara sauce
- 2 tablespoons of sugar
- 2 teaspoons coarse salt
- 1 teaspoon ground oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground thyme
- 0.5 tsp. crushed red pepper, optional
- 4 bay leaves
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley or 3 tablespoons dried parsley + extra for serving
- 8 fresh basil leaves, chopped
- 1 whole rind from a wedge of Parmesan cheese, optional
- 0.5 cup grated Parmesan, optional + extra for serving
- 0.9 kg spaghetti, cooked until al dente and tossed with olive oil, for serving
- Garlic and cheese bread, for serving
We recommend
Recipes with similar ingredients: ground beef, tomatoes, tomato paste, marinara sauce, Parmesan cheese, spaghetti pasta, red pepper flakes, bay leaf, thyme, oregano, basil, meat sauce
Cooking the dish according to the recipe:
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, brown the ground beef until it's completely browned. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the ground beef from the pan to a bowl. Set aside.
- Drain the pan, but don't wash it. Add olive oil. When it's hot, add the diced onion. Stir for 1.5 minutes, then add the garlic. Stir and cook for another minute.
- Add the pureed tomatoes, tomato paste, and marinara sauce to the pan. Stir, then add the sugar, salt, oregano, thyme, crushed red pepper (if using), and bay leaf. Stir, then add the ground beef and toss to distribute evenly.
- Cover the pan and simmer the sauce for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Add a little water or broth if the sauce becomes too thick.
- After an hour, add chopped parsley, basil, and Parmesan rind, if using (or grated Parmesan, or both!). Stir, then cover again and simmer for about 30 minutes. Remove the bay leaf from the sauce before serving.
- Serve a large bowl of spaghetti with sauce, allowing guests to help themselves. Top each serving with chopped parsley and grated Parmesan cheese and enjoy with a large slice of garlic-cheese bread.
Note
This recipe can easily be halved! If you prefer to make a larger batch, you can freeze some of it.
Categories:
recipe / Dishes for future use / Dinner / Main courses / Pasta / Meat / Sauces / Gravies / Italian cuisine / Ree Drummond
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