Description
Rich, flavorful homemade meat sauce simmered low and slow. Perfect for pasta, lasagna, or baked ziti.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 carrots, finely chopped
- 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound ground beef (80/20 blend recommended for flavor)
- 1 pound ground Italian sausage (sweet or hot, your preference!)
- 1/2 cup dry red wine (such as Chianti or Cabernet Sauvignon)
- 2 (28 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
- 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, for a little heat)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
- Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions
- Sauté the Vegetables: Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and the onions are translucent, about 8-10 minutes.
- Add the Garlic: Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another minute, until fragrant. Be careful not to burn the garlic.
- Brown the Ground Beef: Add the ground beef to the pot and break it up with a spoon. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the beef is browned on all sides. Drain off any excess grease.
- Brown the Italian Sausage: Add the ground Italian sausage to the pot and break it up with a spoon. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sausage is browned on all sides. Drain off any excess grease.
- Deglaze the Pot: Pour in the red wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Let the wine simmer for a few minutes, until it has reduced slightly.
- Add the Tomatoes and Seasonings: Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, oregano, basil, thyme, red pepper flakes (if using), bay leaf, and sugar. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Simmer the Sauce: Bring the sauce to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for at least 2 hours, or up to 4 hours, stirring occasionally. If the sauce becomes too thick, add a little water or beef broth to thin it out.
- Remove the Bay Leaf: Before serving, remove the bay leaf.
- Serve: Cook your favorite pasta according to package directions. Drain the pasta and toss it with the meat sauce. Serve immediately, garnished with fresh parsley and grated Parmesan cheese.
Notes
- Use high-quality ingredients for the best flavor.
- Don’t overcrowd the pot when browning the meat; brown in batches if necessary.
- Simmer the sauce low and slow for maximum flavor development.
- Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
- The sauce can be used in pasta dishes, lasagna, baked ziti, or frozen for later use.
- For variations, consider adding mushrooms, bell peppers, zucchini, rosemary, sage, marjoram, chili powder, cumin, or smoked paprika.
- To make it vegetarian, substitute the ground beef and sausage with lentils or crumbled tofu.
- To make it spicy, add more red pepper flakes or a pinch of cayenne pepper.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 120 minutes