One of my mom’s signature sauces is a Meat Sauce. Rich, meaty, tomato sauce, full of garlic and herbs. It is just sweet and salty enough with deep, bold flavors. We topped spaghetti squash with it growing up for a lighter option. However, it is more common and indulgent to put it on pasta. And oh how I love to mop it up this Meat Sauce with buttered bread…. Yum!
I asked my mom about her recipe a few times over the years but she hadn’t written it down. It was one of those things she made by memory, what was in the cupboard and what looked good at the moment is what she added in. So I was left to my own devices (and tips from my mom) to develop my own version of her Meat Sauce. Thank goodness the apple didn’t fall far from the tree, so-to-speak, because this one turned out fantastic!
Simple Ingredients
There isn’t anything fancy in this ingredient list. Ground beef, fresh garlic, onions, peppers and carrot for natural sweetness and layered flavor. Crushed and diced tomatoes for balanced consistency. The tomato paste adds richness and more natural sweetness.
Building Bold Flavor
Begin by cooking the ground beef and getting it broken up into smaller pieces. The onion and garlic are then added and allowed to heat up and soften which will release their flavors, moisture and sweetness. The peppers and carrot add another layer of flavor that will cook down and become almost unrecognizable in the finished sauce. This is especially true for the carrot. The salt, pepper, Italian Seasoning and a little sugar create more balance and flavor as well.
Another way that flavor is intensified in this Meat Sauce is by allowing the tomato paste to cook down and almost caramelize. There is a richness and sweetness to it naturally, but by allowing it to brown a bit, it brings out more depth of flavor. Once the sauce is completely combined, allowing it to continue cooking for several hours will also enhance and deepen the flavors. You will likely notice the color of the sauce going from bright red to a deep red.
Meat Sauce and…
Of course, the natural pairing for a classic Meat Sauce would be pasta! And being gluten free, you can find yourself some amazing Homemade Gluten Free Pasta right here on my blog and check out the pic of this combo below! Only 2 ingredients and about 20-25 minutes to make & boil it. Then just add it to the sauce. Or go with my old school method of ladling the Meat Sauce on cooked spaghetti squash or pasta right out of the pantry. My gluten free favorite store bought shaped pastas are Barilla and Tinkyada. Top with freshly grated parmesan cheese and fresh basil. Maybe a side of bread slathered in butter too!
Meat Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 small onion - finely diced, approximately 1 cup
- ½ green bell pepper - seeded & finely diced
- 1 large carrot - peeled, finely diced or grated
- 4 cloves garlic - finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 6 oz tomato paste, canned
- 28 oz fire roasted crushed tomatoes
- 15 oz fire roasted diced tomatoes
- salt and pepper - to taste
- fresh basil and parmesan cheese for topping - optional
Instructions
- Heat a large stock pot or saute pan over medium high heat. Add olive oil and ground beef. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to break the beef apart into smaller and smaller chunks while it cooks.
- Once there is little to no pink left in the meat, add the onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Stir and allow to cook until the onion is translucent.
- Add the peppers and carrots, stirring to combine well. Once heated through add the sugar, Italian Seasoning and tomato paste. Cook while stirring frequently until the tomato paste has darkened and almost caramelized (but not burned!). This will take about 5 minutes.
- Add the crushed and diced canned tomatoes, stirring to combine them with the other ingredients. When it begins to boil, turn the heat down to a low simmer, cover with a lid. Continue to simmer for up to 3 hours, stirring about every 20 minutes to make sure that it isn't sticking or burning to the bottom of the pan.
- Stir cooked pasta into the sauce, plate and garnish with fresh pasta and freshly grated parmesan cheese when ready to eat. Otherwise, let cool and store in a sealed container in the fridge for 3-5 days or freezer for several months.
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