Description
This delicious spaghetti and meat sauce recipe features seasoned ground beef and sweet Italian sausage, simmered with sautéed onions and peppers in a rich mushroom-tomato sauce, served over a bed of tender spaghetti strands.
Ingredients
MEAT
- 1 Lb Ground Beef
- 1/2 Lb Sweet Italian Sausage
- 1/2 Cup Onions, finely chopped
- 1/4 Cup Green Bell Peppers, finely chopped
- 2 Tbs Red Bell Peppers, finely chopped
- 1 Tbs Minced Garlic
- 2 Tsp Seasoning Salt
- 1 Tsp Tony’s Creole Seasoning
- 1/2 Tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/2 Tsp Onion Powder
- 1/2 Tsp Italian Seasoning
- 1/4 Tsp Black Pepper
SAUCE
- 4–1/2 Cups of Mushroom Tomato Sauce
- 1/4 Cup Diced Tomatoes
- 1 Tbs Tomato Paste
- 1/2 Cup Pasta Water
- 4 Tsps White Sugar
PASTA
- 8–12 oz Spaghetti
- 2.5 Qts Water
- 1 Tsp Salt
- 1 Tsp Butter
- 1/2 Tsp Parsley Flakes
- 1/2 Tsp Seasoning Salt (optional)
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with water.
- Add the salt and place over high heat.
- Once it comes to a boil, break the spaghetti in half.
- Add the spaghetti and boil for 12 minutes.
- Once done, reserve half a cup of the starchy pasta water.
- Drain the spaghetti and set aside.
- Add the butter, seasoning salt, and parsley to the pot, then toss well to coat.
- Place a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the meat and cook until it browns, about 8-10 minutes.
- Chop the meat as finely as possible while it cooks.
- Once the meat browns, drain some of the fat.
- Add the onions, peppers, and minced garlic to the skillet.
- Add in the seasonings and stir well.
- Cook until the onions are translucent, about 4-5 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to low.
- Add the tomato sauce, paste, diced tomatoes, and sugar.
- Add the reserved pasta water, then stir well.
- Cover with a lid, leaving a small crack on the side.
- Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring periodically.
- Combine the spaghetti and meat sauce, or serve the sauce over the tender seasoned spaghetti.
Notes
- If you want to keep your spaghetti long, add it to the pot right after adding the water and just let it go until it’s tender. If you add spaghetti to a hot pot, the ends that lean against the top will burn. So add it early, so that by the time the pot is hot and the water is boiling, the spaghetti has softened and fully seeped into the water.
- Don’t rush the sauce! Letting it simmer on low for 20 minutes is the secret to achieving that deep, rich flavor that tastes like it cooked all day.
- We’re all using different kinds of stoves, so sometimes the time may vary. So if you find your sauce is getting too thick before 20 minutes have passed, remove it. If the opposite happens and you feel it’s still too loose, let it go a little longer until it reaches your desired consistency. Adding the pasta water and simmering it for 20 minutes is completely optional.
