Fantastic Spaghetti Sauce One Meal Size - Serves 6-8
Cook Time45 minutesmins
Total Time45 minutesmins
Servings: 6
Author: Mirlandra Neuneker
Ingredients
1can of diced tomatoes28oz each (or equivalent from garden)
1can of crushed tomatoes28oz each (or equivalent from garden)
4Tbsp.basil pestoI use Kirkland
1Tbsp.minced fresh garlic
1tsp.fresh thyme
1tsp.fresh oregano
2tsp.Better than Bouillon Beef Base or preferred beef bouillon
2tsp.black pepper
1/2tsp.white pepper
1 ½poundsground beef12 – 16% fat (or 1 pounds if you prefer a less meaty sauce)
1/2red bell pepper
1/2green bell pepper
3jalapenossee note*
1onionsweet if you can get it
8large mushrooms
2Tbsp.butter
1– 1.5 tsp. saltto taste
1Tbsp.sugaror to taste
Olive oil and salt as needed for frying
Instructions
In a large soup pot with a heavy bottom combine diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, pesto, garlic, thyme, oregano, beef bouillon, black pepper and white pepper. Turn the pot on medium and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile crumble beef into large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the beef, stirring often and cooking until the pink is just gone. Add the beef and all the drippings that have come out (so entire contents of skillet) to the pot with the tomato mixture.
Seed and dice the red bell pepper, green bell pepper and jalapenos. Using the same skillet, fry on medium high heat with a little olive oil and sprinkle of salt until the peppers become slightly softened and take on a few dark tinges. Stir frequently and add additional oil if needed. Add the peppers to the tomato mixture.
Dice the onions. Using the same skillet fry on medium high heat with a little olive oil and a sprinkle of salt until the onions have softened and turned slightly golden-brown. Stir frequently and add additional oil if needed. Add the onions to the tomato mixture.
Slice the mushrooms. Using the same skillet add the mushrooms, butter, and a dash of salt. Fry on medium high heat until the mushrooms have rendered some water and have a nice golden tinge to the edges. Stir frequently and add additional oil if needed. Add the mushrooms to the tomato mixture.
Stir your sauce well and taste it. Depending on how much salt you used in the veggie prep process and on the brand of bouillon you used you will probably need to add 1 – 1.5 teaspoons of salt now. I suggest you add 1/2 teaspoon at a time and taste between additions. Most brands of canned tomatoes are not very sweet. The sauce should be faintly sweet as if you used the most perfect garden ripe tomatoes. I generally add 1 Tbsp. of sugar to my sauce but taste before you do this because brands and garden varieties of tomatoes differ.
Serve your sauce hot or cool and freeze. I like to make mine the day before and refrigerate it because the flavor will develop with sitting. Please do not simmer sauce for hours after everything is added. This causes the meat to become rubbery and the flavor to cook out.
Notes
*Note on Jalapenos: The most frustrating thing about cooking with jalapenos is that the level of heat changes with every batch you buy! They are usually spicier in the winter and less spicy in the summer. If you want more spice add additional peppers or include the seeds / white part with your peppers. The only true way to determine the level of spice in your peppers is to taste for heat before cooking with them. Three peppers is intended to give this sauce a little zip but not make it spicy. Good luck!