Dad's easy meat sauce recipe is simple, delicious and FAST. No gadgets needed for this recipe. Grab a pan, can opener and your favorite knife.
Sometimes you just want a simple meat sauce. You might not want to simmer a sauce all day or even break out the instant pot for a quicker sauce recipe. With this recipe in about 40 minutes you have a sauce that is packed with flavor.
Dad whips the easy meat sauce recipe up probably once a week. It is great over pasta or you can even use it in recipes like lasagna or any stuffed pasta.
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San Marzano Tomatoes or BUST!
When a recipe only has a few ingredients it is important to make sure you are using the best available. Dad has said it before and will say it again. San Marzano Tomatoes are the best out there for making sauce.
When the flavor of the tomatoes is not masked by creams or other ingredients it really matters. San Marzano tomatoes just taste better. You can find Certified ones at Walmart even, so it is not hard to get them.
Start Your Garlic and Onion in a Cold Pan
Dad likes to start his garlic and onion in a cold pan. If you add garlic to a really hot pan it can QUICKLY run right past browned and go straight to burnt.
Almost nothing tastes worse than burnt garlic. By starting it off in a cold pan you can have a little more time to work with things and not burn it.
Don't Be Shy With The Salt
Salt really brings out the flavor of a tomato-based sauce. Without adequate salt the dish just does not taste right.
Do not go overboard with the salt, but taste your food and make sure it is salted properly. Enough with the tips, on to Dad's Easy Meat Sauce Recipe!
Peel and dice the white onion & garlic.
Open and empty the cans of San Marzano Tomatoes into a large bowl. Crush the tomatoes with your hands by squeezing the whole tomatoes.
Make sure you submerge the tomato under all the sauce in the bowl before squeezing or it will be a huge mess.
Coat a high sided saute pan with extra virgin olive oil (enough to coat the bottom of the pan) and add the onions and garlic.
Place the pan over medium-high heat and cook the onions and garlic until the garlic starts to brown.
Once the garlic begins to brown add ground beef/pork mixture. Add in in 1 tablespoon of Garlic Powder, 1 tablespoon Onion Powder, 1 teaspoon Basil, 1 teaspoon Parsley and 1 teaspoon Salt.
Cook until the meat is browned and fully cooked. If need be you can add some extra olive oil.
Depending on how fatty your meat mixture was you may have to drain the fat.
Once the meat is cooked add in your crushed tomatoes. Reduce the heat to Medium-Low Stir and simmer the sauce for 10-15 minutes.
After the sauce has simmered taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning to your likening.
Dad added 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of sugar. Serve over pasta or use it in a dish like Dad's Lasagna Recipe.
Easy Meat Sauce Recipe
Equipment
- Deep Sided Saute Pan
- Chef Knife
- Cutting Board
- Spatula
- Can Opener
Ingredients
- 2 Cans Canned Peele San Marzano Tomatoes (28 oz)
- 1 lb Ground Beef/Pork Mix
- 1 Medium White Onion
- 6 Cloves Garlic
- 1 tablespoon Garlic Powder
- 1 tablespoon Onion Powder
- 2 teaspoon Salt Or More To Taste
- 1 teaspoon Sugar
- 4 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil Estimate
- 1 tablespoon Dried Basil
- 1 tablespoon Dried Parsley
Instructions
- Peel and dice the white onion.
- Peel and mince the garlic cloves.
- Open and empty the cans of San Marzano Tomatoes into a large bowl. Crush the tomatoes with your hands by squeezing the whole tomatoes. Make sure you submerge the tomato under all the sauce in the bowl before squeezing or it will be a huge mess.
- Coat a high sided saute pan with extra virgin olive oil (enough to coat the bottom of the pan) and add the onions and garlic.
- Place the pan over medium-high heat and cook the onions and garlic until the garlic starts to brown.
- Once the garlic begins to brown add ground beef/pork mixture.
- Add in in 1 tablespoon of Garlic Powder, 1 tablespoon Onion Powder, 1 teaspoon Basil, 1 teaspoon Parsley and 1 teaspoon Salt.
- Cook until the meat is browned and fully cooked. If need be you can add some extra olive oil.
- Depending on how fatty your meat mixture was you may have to drain the fat.
- Once the meat is cooked add in your crushed tomatoes.
- Reduce the heat to Medium-Low Stir and simmer the sauce for 10-15 minutes.
- After the sauce has simmered taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning to your likening. Dad added 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon if sugar.
- Serve over pasta or use it in a dish like Dad's Lasagna Recipe.
Video
Nutrition
Tried this recipe?Mention @DadGotThis or tag #DadGotThis!Have a little more time?
Why not try Dad's Instant Pot Sauce with Sausage and Meatballs Recipe.
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