If you do not already have a great adaptable pasta sauce in your kitchen arsenal then you are in luck because I have taken all of the guess work out for you! Here is my simple and delicious pasta sauce that can be tailored to any taste. Add more garlic, omit the meat whatever strikes your fancy but this is a great starting point. This sauce is a delightful amalgamation of various recipes I have tried over the years and I think it is a winner.
Keep reading for the recipe.
cute little grocery store helper plus a couple of friends.
Onto the recipe.
Gather:
1 lb of ground beef (or chicken or turkey)
1 large onion, finely chopped
minced garlic, 2 large cloves
1 carrot, grated
1 bell pepper, finely chopped
2 Tablespoons dried basil
2 Tablespoons dried oregano
2 (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
1 (14 oz) tomato sauce
1/4-1/2 cup red wine
flat leaf parsley
olive oil
salt and pepper
Do:
Brown off the meat in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Drain on paper towels and set aside. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in the Dutch oven and add the onions, grated carrot and bell pepper cook until soft. Add in the garlic and cook until fragrant. Add in the dried herbs and cook until you smell them then add in the ground meat, crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil, stirring so as to not burn the bottom. Knock the heat down to a simmer and let cook for about 30 mins. At this point add in the red wine and check for salt and pepper. Let the sauce continue to simmer on the stove top for at least and hour but the flavors will continue to develop if you have longer!
Yummy sauce simmering away.
Once you are ready to serve; stir in the chopped parsley, cook off whatever kind of past you like (we like thin spaghetti) top with the sauce, grated parmesan and enjoy!
The sauce just keeps getting better so make sure you have enough for lunch the next day or freeze the remaining sauce for another dinner night.
