Perfect Homemade Meat Sauce
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large white onion, finely diced
5 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 pound Italian sausage (hot, sweet, or mild), casings removed
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
3 cups (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
2 cups (16 oz) tomato sauce
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1–2 teaspoons salt, to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons dried basil
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/4–1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions:
Sauté aromatics: In a large Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add diced onion and garlic, and cook for 3–5 minutes until the onions are soft and translucent, stirring to prevent burning.
Cook the meat: Add the Italian sausage and ground beef. Brown the meat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until fully cooked. Drain excess grease.
Add tomato components: Pour in the crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce. Rinse the cans with a little water and add that to the pot to capture every bit of tomato. Stir in the tomato paste.
Season the sauce: Add brown sugar, salt, pepper, basil, Italian seasoning, fennel seeds, and crushed red pepper flakes if using. Mix thoroughly.
Simmer: Reduce heat to low and let the sauce simmer uncovered for 1.5 to 2 hours. Stir occasionally and skim any fat that rises to the top. Adjust seasonings to taste as it cooks.
Serve: Enjoy this rich, thick sauce over spaghetti, use it in lasagna, or serve it with garlic bread or breadsticks for a classic Italian-style dinner.
Notes:
To make it without sausage, replace with 1 extra pound of ground beef, turkey, or chicken.
This sauce can be doubled or tripled—simmer up to 4 hours if you scale up.
To freeze: cool completely, transfer to resealable bags, and lay flat in the freezer. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stovetop.