Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

Our family loves this sauce, you will never buy another. The recipe serves about 10 people, so I make a full batch and divide the sauce into two portions. I freeze one, then I add ground beef to the other portion I am going to serve. Pull the sauce out of the freezer after a ball game, add a pound of browned Diamond R Cattle ground beef, and you are ready for supper in less than 30 minutes. Want to add a twist? Use home grown tomatoes in the summer and freeze the sauce for a cold winter's supper. Excellent fresh taste all winter long.

Ingredients

• 2 yellow or red onions, chopped
• 2 green bell peppers, chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 T olive oil
• 1 cup of red wine (or beef broth if you prefer)
• 1 small can tomato paste
• 2 28oz cans crushed tomatoes
• 1 14oz can petite diced tomatoes
• 1 jar of marinara sauce
• 2 T sugar
• 2 t dried oregano leaves, chopped (double if using fresh)
• 2 t dried thyme leaves, chopped (double if using fresh)
• 2 t salt
• 2 t pepper
• 5 bay leaves
• 2oz of a parmesan cheese wedge
• Optional pepper flakes to taste
• Handful of chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

Directions

1. You will need a big cast iron dutch oven or heavy pot for this recipe. Saute the onions and peppers in the olive oil. Cook until slightly browned.
2. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes, careful not to let it burn.
3. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
4. Stir in the red wine (or beef broth) and let cook for 3 to 4 minutes to allow the alcohol to cook off.
5. Add all the tomatoes, marinara sauce, sugar, bay leaves, salt, pepper, parmesan chunk, and herbs (thyme, oregano, parsley). Stir until combined, cooking on medium heat until it starts to bubble.
6. Reduce the heat to low and cook an additional hour with the lid on. If you are using fresh tomatoes, I leave the lid off the entire time to evaporate some of the water the fresh tomatoes give off.
7. If freezing a portion of the sauce, let it cool and divide it up now. If you are making the entire recipe, add 2 lbs of browned ground beef to the sauce and serve with spaghetti, and also mushrooms if you like. Top with fresh parsley and a good grated parmesan cheese.

As always, e-mail me with any questions. Enjoy!

Tips for the Best Spaghetti Sauce

• Drop in the parmesan rind. That 2oz wedge melts down slowly and gives the whole pot a savory, salty backbone you cannot get any other way.
• Low and slow. The full hour on low heat is where the flavors marry. Do not rush it.
• Use summer tomatoes. Home grown tomatoes in season make a brighter sauce. Leave the lid off so the extra water cooks away.
• Make the big batch and freeze half. Half the recipe goes in the freezer plain, so a fast weeknight supper is only a pound of browned ground beef away.

Serving Ideas and Leftovers

Ladle it over spaghetti with plenty of grated parmesan, or put that frozen half to work. Layer it into our weeknight baked ziti, or start a pot of Diamond R chili with the same browned ground beef you keep on hand. The sauce keeps four to five days in the fridge and up to three months in the freezer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I freeze homemade spaghetti sauce?

Yes, and it freezes beautifully. Cool the sauce completely, then freeze it plain, without the ground beef, in portions for up to three months. Thaw, reheat, and stir in a pound of browned ground beef for a fast supper.

Do I have to use wine in the sauce?

No. The red wine adds depth, but you can swap in an equal amount of beef broth and still get a rich, flavorful sauce. Either way, let it cook a few minutes so the liquid reduces before the tomatoes go in.

Why add a parmesan rind to the sauce?

A chunk of parmesan melts into the sauce as it simmers and adds a deep, savory, salty flavor. It is one of the simplest ways to make a homemade sauce taste like it cooked all day.

How do I make the sauce thicker?

Simmer it uncovered so extra water cooks off, which is exactly what you do with fresh summer tomatoes. The tomato paste in the recipe also helps thicken and concentrate the flavor.

Can I use fresh tomatoes instead of canned?

Yes. Home grown tomatoes make an excellent sauce in the summer. Because fresh tomatoes release more water, leave the lid off the whole cook time so the sauce reduces and concentrates.

This recipe starts with real ground beef. Diamond R Ground Beef is 80/20, single-source with one animal per box, and pasture-raised on our family ranch in Independence, Kansas. Never blended, never mystery meat, no antibiotics and no added hormones. Order the Ground Beef Box and stock the freezer.