Best Spaghetti Sauce (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ Meat & Produce
01 -
2 pounds of 80/20 ground beef for rich flavor
02 -
1 big onion or 2 smaller ones, chopped finely
03 -
1 green pepper, diced, with the seeds removed
04 -
5 garlic cloves, crushed or finely chopped
→ Tomato Products
05 -
14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes, including juice
06 -
28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
07 -
Two 15 oz cans of tomato sauce
→ Herbs & Seasonings
08 -
A teaspoon of dried basil
09 -
2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
10 -
1 teaspoon of Italian herb mix
11 -
1 teaspoon of dried oregano
12 -
A teaspoon each of garlic and onion powders
13 -
A small spoonful of sea salt
14 -
Half a teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
→ Additional Ingredients
15 -
3 tablespoons of olive oil, plus one for your pasta water
16 -
1 lb of dry spaghetti noodles
# Instructions:
01 -
Chop up the onions and green pepper into small bits. Crush or mince the garlic cloves. Prepping ahead of time makes cooking easy and fast.
02 -
Put a big skillet on medium heat and add olive oil. Swirl it around to coat the pan. Toss in the onions and green peppers, letting them cook for around 5-7 minutes until they soften and smell great.
03 -
Stir in your chopped garlic, letting it cook for about a minute while stirring constantly. You’ll know it’s ready when you smell it. Keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn!
04 -
Add your ground beef to the same skillet with your veggies. Break it apart with a spoon, cooking until there’s no pink left, which takes about 7-8 minutes.
05 -
Tilt the skillet and spoon out the extra grease, or transfer the mixture temporarily to paper towels if you’d prefer an easier method.
06 -
Put the pan back on heat, then add all your spices—basil, oregano, parsley, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix them in until everything looks well-coated and smells delicious.
07 -
Pour in the diced tomatoes with their liquid, followed by the crushed tomatoes. Stir it all together, then add the tomato sauce cans. Mix it well one last time to get a smooth sauce.
08 -
Lower the heat to the smallest setting and let the sauce gently bubble for an hour. Stir every so often. This is when the magic happens and all the flavors come together.
09 -
When there’s about 15 minutes left on the sauce, bring a big pot of salty water to a hard boil. Pour in a little bit of olive oil to prevent sticky noodles and throw in the spaghetti.
10 -
Cook the spaghetti for about 7-8 minutes. It should be tender but still have some firmness. Drain it completely and put it back in the pot.
11 -
You can either mix the sauce right into your pasta or plate the noodles and spoon the sauce on top individually. Garnish with Parmesan if you like—it’s a winning touch!
# Notes:
01 -
For an even tastier meal, cook the sauce a day ahead. Time helps the flavors deepen.
02 -
Want a luxurious touch? Add 1/4 cup of good red wine when adding the tomatoes.
03 -
Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for 3 months.