Spaghetti & Meat Sauce
Spaghetti with an authentic meat sauce
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground chuck
- 1 lb. thin spaghetti or other pasta of choice
- 1 lb. ground Italian sausage
- 2 tbsp olive or grapeseed oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 bell pepper, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, chopped or minced approx. 2 tbsp.
- 1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
- 3 tbsp. tomato paste
- 1/2 cup dry red wine optional
- 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
- 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
- 15 oz. can tomato sauce
- 2 tsp. Italian seasoning
- 2 tbsp. sugar
- 2 tsp. sea salt
- 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/3 cup fresh basil, chopped
- 1/2 cup shredded or grated parmesan cheese plus more for garnish
Instructions
- In a dutch oven or large skillet, brown ground chuck and Italian sausage over medium to medium-high heat. Remove meat and drain excess fat.
- Heat oil in skillet. Add onion, bell pepper, mushrooms and few pinches of salt and pepper. Sauté for 5 minutes, or until veggies are tender. Add garlic and sauté for additional 2 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and red wine. Stir until fully combined.
- Return meat to the skillet or dutch oven and stir until everything is mixed. Add crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, salt, Italian seasoning, sugar, crushed red pepper, fresh parsley and bay leaf. Stir together and bring to a simmer. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 1 hour.
- Remove cover and stir in basil and parmesan cheese. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Cover and simmer for additional 1 and 1/2 hour, or longer. The longer this sauce cooks, the better it will be. When sauce is almost ready, go ahead and cook pasta according to package instructions.
- Serve with cooked spaghetti, or other pasta of choice.
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