Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

Mom's Spaghetti and Meat Sauce

This Spaghetti with Meat Sauce is a family favourite.  Lean ground beef is combined with garlic, onion and tomatoes and seasoned with oregano, basil, bay leaf and cayenne.

The family rule, is that if you get the bay leaf in your serving, you are in charge of clean-up!

I always made fresh pasta to serve with this, but now that fresh pasta is  available at the grocery store, I usually purchase it.  In boiling salted water, it cooks in about 4 – 5 minutes.

I serve the spaghetti with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, fresh basil (chopped) and a nice green salad.

Enjoy!

Mom’s Spaghetti Sauce

Ingredients

  • 1 Lb. or .48 kg lean ground beef
  • 1 medium onion (minced)
  • 2 Cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1 Tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 Tsp paprika
  • 1/4 Tsp cayenne
  • 1 Tsp dried parsley
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 Tsp salt
  • freshly ground pepper
  • 2 - 3 19 oz tins of diced tomatoes (when tomatoes are in season, always substitute fresh tomatoes)
  • 1 cup cremini mushrooms, sliced (white would do, but I prefer the flavour of the cremini)
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil

Directions

Add a tablespoon of olive oil to the frying pan and add the ground beef, onion and garlic. Fry, breaking up the meat until the meat is browned and the onion is cooked,
browning meat and onions
Add the dried oregano, dried parsley, paprika and cayenne to the pan and fry for about a minute until the spices are mixed in. Scrape the meat mixture into a large pot. Add the tins of diced tomatoes, salt and the bay leaf. Add the freshly ground pepper. Add the sliced mushrooms. Stir until well mixed. Cover and simmer for at least 30 minutes or for several hours, stirring occasionally. If I am making it in a crock pot, the sauce can simmer most of the day.
Twenty minutes before serving, remove the lid and taste for seasoning. You may wish to adjust the salt and pepper or other seasonings to taste. Increase the heat and add a tablespoon of olive oil. The olive oil will nicely thicken the sauce.
Mom's Spaghetti Sauce

 

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