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Closeup shot of The Best Spaghetti and Meat Sauce

The Best Spaghetti and Meat Sauce

The best and easy spaghetti meat sauce recipe! Spaghetti is cooked al dente, topped with tomato-based meat sauce made with red wine, parmesan cheese, a blend of flavor-bursting herbs, and perfectly seasoned ground beef. Makes great leftovers as well.
4.87 from 36 votes
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Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 467kcal
Author: MinShien

Ingredients

  • 4-6 cloves fresh garlic
  • olive oil
  • 1 lbs lean ground beef
  • 28 oz whole peeled canned tomatoes
  • 15 oz tomato sauce
  • 1/2 cup red wine
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil chopped
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp dried marjoram
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1/2 tsp salt + more if needed
  • 1/8 cup parmesan cheese + more for garnish
  • 1 lbs spaghetti

Instructions

  • Mince garlic and chop fresh basil into small pieces. Gather the rest of the ingredients.
  • In a large pot or dutch oven, add olive oil and minced garlic, and cook under medium heat. Once garlic is fragrant (do not brown or burn garlic), quickly add ground beef. Break it into small pieces, then season with some salt. 
  • Once ground beef is no longer pink-ish. Add whole peeled canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, red wine, chopped basil, oregano, marjoram, sugar and salt.
  • Bring to boil, then lower to medium low heat and let it cook for 20-25 minutes, or until sauce thickens (see Note 1) and red wine is cooked down (no longer has that strong alcoholic taste). 
  • While waiting for meat sauce to cook, bring out another pot and cook spaghetti based on package instruction.
  • When the 20-25 minutes is up, add parmesan cheese to meat sauce. Stir and taste. If needed, add more salt. Note: Salt is use open up the flavors in addition to adding saltiness. You'll be surprise how much salt open up the other flavors. If the flavors are not coming through, add more salt. 
  • Drain cooked spaghetti and combine with sauce. 
  • Garnish with more parmesan cheese if desire. 
  • Serve and enjoy!

Video

Notes

Note 1: Depending on your stove top and pot/dutch oven you use, it may take longer to thicken the sauce. 

Nutrition

Calories: 467kcal | Carbohydrates: 69g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 843mg | Potassium: 956mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 538IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 110mg | Iron: 5mg
Did you make this recipe?Take a pic and tag me at @joyous.apron, or hashtag #joyousapron on Instagram!