The Best Weeknight Pasta Sauce
User Reviews
4.9
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Cook Time
40 mins
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Total Time
40 mins
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Servings
6 (about ¾ cups each)
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Calories
198 kcal
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Course
Main Course, Condiments, Dinner
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Cuisine
American
The Best Weeknight Pasta Sauce
Description
The Best Weeknight Pasta Sauce combines ground beef sautéed with olive oil until cooked through and optionally drained of excess fat if needed. Finely diced onion and butter are added and cooked until soft and translucent, contributing sweetness and body. Crushed tomatoes form the base, along with Italian seasoning blend and freshly cracked black pepper for depth.
The sauce simmers covered for 30 minutes to blend flavors and thicken the mixture. Salt is added gradually towards the end to enhance and balance the flavors. This method creates a meaty, tomato-forward sauce that is robust yet not overly complex, making it ideal for quick weeknight meals.
The sauce is recommended over pasta but can also complement roasted vegetables. The texture remains slightly chunky with a rich tomato profile, enhanced by the gentle aroma of herbs and cooked onion.
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb. ground beef $2.65
- 1 Tbsp olive oil $0.13
- 1 small onion $0.32
- 2 Tbsp butter $0.13
- 28 oz. crushed tomatoes $0.89
- 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning blend $0.05
- black pepper $0.03, freshly cracked
- salt $0.02, to taste
Instructions
- Add the ground beef and olive oil to a pot and sauté over medium until the beef is cooked through (about 5 minutes). If you're using a higher fat content beef (10% or higher), you may want to drain the excess fat once the beef has browned.
- While the beef is cooking, finely dice the onion. Add the diced onion and butter to the cooked beef. Continue to sauté until the onion is soft and translucent (about 5 minutes).
- Next, add the crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning blend, and some freshly cracked pepper (10-15 cranks of a pepper mill). Stir everything to combine.
- Place a lid on the pot and allow it to come up to a simmer. Once simmering, reduce the heat to low and let the sauce simmer for 30 minutes.
- After a minimum of 30 minutes simmering, add about 1/2 tsp salt, stir to combine, then taste and add more if needed. The flavor of the sauce will deepen and the complexities will pop once the salt is added. Serve over pasta or your favorite roasted vegetables.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6(about ¾ cups each)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 198 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 0.75Cups | |
| Calories | 198kcal | 10% |
| Carbohydrates | 11g | 4% |
| Protein | 9g | 18% |
| Fat | 14g | 22% |
| Sodium | 234mg | 10% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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