Emotionally Worthy Spaghetti
Emotionally Worthy Spaghetti
Ingredients
For the Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef, 80/20
- 1/2 pound mild Italian sausage, casings removed
- 1 yellow onion, medium, finely diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup dry red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, or Chianti
- 2 cans crushed tomatoes, 28 ounce
- 1 can tomato sauce, 15 ounce
- 1 teaspoon sugar, optional, if tomatoes are acidic
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 bay leaves
Seasonings
- 2 tablespoons Chef Trenita All-Purpose Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
For Serving
- 1 pound spaghetti
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated, plus more for serving
- 1/4 cup fresh basil or parsley, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- 1
Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat.
⏱️ 2 min
- 2
Add the ground beef and Italian sausage to the pot. Brown the meat until deeply caramelized, breaking it into small pieces with a spoon as it cooks. This should take about 8-10 minutes.
⏱️ 10 min
- 3
Drain off any excess fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pot. Add the finely diced yellow onion and green bell pepper. Cook for 4-5 minutes until the vegetables have softened.
⏱️ 5 min
- 4
Stir in the minced garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds until fragrant.
⏱️ 1 min
- 5
Add the tomato paste to the pot and stir it into the meat and vegetable mixture. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the tomato paste darkens slightly and becomes fragrant.
⏱️ 3 min
- 6
Pour in the dry red wine, scraping up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5-7 minutes, or until the wine has reduced by about half.
⏱️ 7 min
- 7
Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Chef Trenita All-Purpose Seasoning, dried oregano, dried basil, red pepper flakes (if using), and bay leaves.
⏱️ 2 min
- 8
Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer. Once simmering, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot partially, and cook for 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. The longer the sauce simmers, the richer and more developed the flavor will be.
⏱️ 90 min
- 9
About 15 minutes before the sauce is done, bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to package directions until al dente.
⏱️ 10 min
- 10
Before draining the spaghetti, reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water.
⏱️ 1 min
- 11
Remove the bay leaves from the sauce. Stir in the 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese.
⏱️ 1 min
- 12
If the sauce is too thick, gradually add a splash or two of the reserved pasta water until it reaches your desired consistency.
⏱️ 1 min
- 13
Toss the drained spaghetti directly with the sauce in the pot, or spoon the sauce generously over individual servings of pasta.
⏱️ 2 min
- 14
Finish with more grated Parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of fresh chopped basil or parsley before serving.
⏱️ 1 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Emotionally Worthy Spaghetti
For the Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef, 80/20
- 1/2 pound mild Italian sausage, casings removed
- 1 yellow onion, medium, finely diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup dry red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, or Chianti
- 2 cans crushed tomatoes, 28 ounce
- 1 can tomato sauce, 15 ounce
- 1 teaspoon sugar, optional, if tomatoes are acidic
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 bay leaves
Seasonings
- 2 tablespoons Chef Trenita All-Purpose Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
For Serving
- 1 pound spaghetti
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated, plus more for serving
- 1/4 cup fresh basil or parsley, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- 1
Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat.
⏱️ 2 min - 2
Add the ground beef and Italian sausage to the pot. Brown the meat until deeply caramelized, breaking it into small pieces with a spoon as it cooks. This should take about 8-10 minutes.
⏱️ 10 min - 3
Drain off any excess fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pot. Add the finely diced yellow onion and green bell pepper. Cook for 4-5 minutes until the vegetables have softened.
⏱️ 5 min - 4
Stir in the minced garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds until fragrant.
⏱️ 1 min - 5
Add the tomato paste to the pot and stir it into the meat and vegetable mixture. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the tomato paste darkens slightly and becomes fragrant.
⏱️ 3 min - 6
Pour in the dry red wine, scraping up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5-7 minutes, or until the wine has reduced by about half.
⏱️ 7 min - 7
Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Chef Trenita All-Purpose Seasoning, dried oregano, dried basil, red pepper flakes (if using), and bay leaves.
⏱️ 2 min - 8
Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer. Once simmering, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot partially, and cook for 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. The longer the sauce simmers, the richer and more developed the flavor will be.
⏱️ 90 min - 9
About 15 minutes before the sauce is done, bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to package directions until al dente.
⏱️ 10 min - 10
Before draining the spaghetti, reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water.
⏱️ 1 min - 11
Remove the bay leaves from the sauce. Stir in the 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese.
⏱️ 1 min - 12
If the sauce is too thick, gradually add a splash or two of the reserved pasta water until it reaches your desired consistency.
⏱️ 1 min - 13
Toss the drained spaghetti directly with the sauce in the pot, or spoon the sauce generously over individual servings of pasta.
⏱️ 2 min - 14
Finish with more grated Parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of fresh chopped basil or parsley before serving.
⏱️ 1 min