Quick Tomato Sauce
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Cook Time
15 mins
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Total Time
30 mins
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Servings
6 cups
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Course
Main Course
Quick Tomato Sauce
Description
Quick Tomato Sauce brings together ground beef, diced onion and celery, and garlic simmered with herbs and tomato products into a flavorful sauce. The cooking process begins by browning the meat with the vegetables, then layering in tomato paste, wine, and both crushed and fire-roasted diced tomatoes. Simmering allows the flavors to meld, while Parmesan cheese and butter enrich the texture and add depth. The seasoning of salt and pepper at the end balances the taste. This sauce works well paired with various pasta shapes, lending a hearty component to the meal.
The sauce's texture is hearty due to the browned ground beef and softened vegetables, complemented by the smoothness from tomato paste and cheeses. The moderate simmering time pulls ingredients together without overcooking, preserving freshness in the herbs and brightness from the tomato elements.
After cooking, the sauce can be served hot over pasta or incorporated into other dishes needing a tomato-based meat sauce. Its balanced meat and tomato character makes it adaptable for casual family dinners or meal prepping.
This recipe includes freezing instructions to portion and store cooled sauce, which freezes flat in single servings for convenience. Thawed sauce can be gently reheated over low heat, stirring occasionally to maintain consistency.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef lean
- 1 onion diced, small
- 1 celery diced, rib
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon oregano dried
- 1 teaspoon basil dried
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- ¼ cup red wine dry
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can tomato fire roasted petite diced
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ¼ cup Parmesan Cheese freshly grated
- 2 tablespoons butter unsalted
- kosher salt to taste, freshly ground
- black pepper to taste, freshly ground
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add ground beef, onion and celery, and cook until beef has browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the beef as it cooks; drain excess fat.
- Stir in garlic, oregano and basil until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in tomato paste.
- Stir in wine, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Stir in tomatoes and sugar. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until flavors have blended, about 10-15 minutes.*
- Remove from heat; stir in Parmesan and butter until melted, about 1 minute; season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve with desired pasta.
Notes
- Allow the sauce to cool fully before portioning into flat plastic freezer bags to freeze individual servings efficiently.
- When reheating frozen sauce, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and warm gently over low heat, stirring intermittently to prevent sticking and ensure even heat.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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