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Spaghetti Sauce Recipe

Spaghetti Sauce

Wholesome Cove
This spaghetti sauce recipe layers browned beef, toasted tomato paste, and three kinds of canned tomatoes into a thick, balanced meat sauce that's ready in just over an hour.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Course Sauce
Cuisine Italian
Servings 6 servings
Calories 295 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

For the Sauce

For Serving

  • 1 pound dried spaghetti - 450 g
  • 2 tablespoons kosher salt - for the pasta water
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan - 50 g

Instructions
 

  • Chop the onion, mince the garlic, and chop the fresh basil. Open the cans, measure the water and Worcestershire sauce, mix the dried seasonings in a small bowl, and grate the Parmesan.
  • Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the beef, onion, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, breaking the beef into crumbles, and cook 8 to 10 minutes until no pink remains. Spoon off all but about 1 tablespoon of fat.
  • Reduce heat to medium, add the garlic and optional red pepper flakes, and stir constantly for 30 seconds until fragrant, without letting the garlic brown.
  • Add the tomato paste and stir and press it against the bottom of the pot for 2 minutes, until it turns brick red and a slight film sticks to the pot.
  • Pour in the crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce, add the water (swirled in the sauce can first), Worcestershire sauce, dried basil, dried oregano, sugar, remaining salt, black pepper, and bay leaf. Scrape the bottom and bring to a gentle bubble over medium-high heat, about 3 to 4 minutes.
  • Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 35 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes and scraping the bottom. The sauce is done when a spoon dragged across the bottom leaves a trail that fills in slowly.
  • With about 15 minutes left, boil 4 quarts of water with 2 tablespoons salt, cook the spaghetti until al dente, scoop out 1 cup of pasta water, and drain without rinsing.
  • Remove the pot from the heat, discard the bay leaf, and stir in the fresh basil. Taste and adjust with salt or up to 1/4 teaspoon more sugar, and loosen with reserved pasta water if too thick.
  • Toss the drained spaghetti with the sauce over low heat for 1 minute, or ladle sauce over plated spaghetti. Top with grated Parmesan and serve right away.

Notes

  • Let the beef sit for a minute between stirs so it develops a brown crust, which carries much of the savory flavor.
  • Toast the tomato paste fully before adding the tomatoes; skipping this leaves a sharp, metallic edge.
  • Use crushed rather than diced tomatoes so the sauce breaks down into an even, spoonable texture.
  • Choose 80/20 ground beef; 90/10 turns dry and grainy in this sauce.
  • Stir in the fresh basil only off the heat so it keeps its color and sweet scent.
  • Season in layers: half the salt with the beef, half with the tomatoes.
  • Taste before adding extra sugar, since canned tomatoes vary by brand.
  • Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
  • Keep cooked pasta separate from the sauce so the noodles don't keep absorbing liquid.
  • Make it a day ahead; the flavors settle overnight and the sauce reheats without losing texture.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupCalories: 295kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 19gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 65mgSodium: 920mgFiber: 4gSugar: 11g
Keyword beef pasta sauce, easy spaghetti sauce, homemade meat sauce, spaghetti sauce
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