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Spice up your pasta evening with this thick, delicious homemade meat sauce that bubbles away to absolute yumminess on your stove. The mix of mild onions, garlic, and a trio of tomato varieties builds complex flavors making this sauce seem like an old family treasure.
When I first cooked this sauce, the smell reminded me of those long-ago Sunday meals at grandma's place. These days my kids hang around the kitchen asking when food's ready while the sauce bubbles away.
Exceptional Ingredient Choices
- Premium ground beef: Delivers the hearty base
- Mild onions: Give natural taste harmony
- Fresh garlic: Brings necessary flavor intensity
- Crushed tomatoes: Create just-right sauce body
- Italian-style diced tomatoes: Add bonus herbal flavors
- Tomato sauce: Forms the perfect thickness
Mastering Your Sauce
- Beef Preparation:
- Cook beef with onions until nicely browned all over.
- Garlic Addition:
- Mix in fresh garlic until it smells amazing.
- Tomato Layering:
- Mix together three tomato types for complexity.
- Flavor Balance:
- Sprinkle dried herbs and sugar for ideal taste.
- Gentle Cooking:
- Let sauce slowly thicken and come together.
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In my childhood, mom always told me good sauce needs time. She wasn't wrong - slow cooking creates something special that rushing just can't give you.
Exploring Tomato Varieties
Working with three different tomato products gives you just the right mix of chunks and smoothness in your finished sauce.
Managing Heat Levels
Keeping it at a soft bubble helps flavors mix together while stopping any burning on the bottom.
Flavor Harmony
The mix of dried herbs plus sugar works beautifully with tangy tomatoes.
Sunday Batch Cooking
Whip up twice as much on weekends to freeze portions for easy weekday dinners.
Noodle Matching
Go for thicker pasta shapes that can handle this chunky, flavorful sauce.
Smart Leftover Handling
Store in sealed containers up to four days or pop in freezer for three months.
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Through many tries at getting this sauce just right, I've learned that being patient with each step makes a sauce better than what you'd get eating out. Good ingredients plus unhurried cooking equals comfort food that gets everyone excited for dinner.
Common Recipe Questions
- → What’s the benefit of longer simmering?
- It boosts the flavor and makes it richer.
- → Should I use fresh garlic?
- Yep, minced or garlic paste works best.
- → How do I cut down on calories?
- Use zucchini noodles instead of pasta.
- → Can I make this in advance?
- Yep, keep it in the fridge for a few days.
- → Fix if the sauce gets too thick?
- Add a bit of pasta water to thin it out.