I love simple and delicious food, food for real life. Spaghetti with vegetables or sauce is a weeknight staple for us, and we especially love it with meat sauce. My mother made the most amazing meat sauce when I was growing up, and I make mine very similar. I let the meat be the star of the show, without overly weighing it down with other ingredients. It is a delicious and comforting meal, and an especially fantastic freezer meal. I often make large batches and freeze. Planning is not my strong point, so I need back-up meals. I am sure some of you can relate. I hope you enjoy my sauce and Happy Spring (it’s close enough, right?)!
Notes
This makes an excellent freezer meal. Freeze in portions for a quick weeknight meal.
Ingredients
- 3 lb ground beef (I like 90/10)
- 3 cups beef broth
- 6 oz. can tomato paste (I use no salt added)
- 2 medium cloves of garlic
- 1 medium onion
- 1 large green pepper
- 1/2 tsp. sugar
- 2 1/4 tsp. salt
- 2 1/2 tsp. Greek oregano
- 2 tsp. garlic powder
Instructions
- Dice the onions, garlic and green pepper, and keep the green pepper separate.
- Brown ground beef over medium high heat in the same vessel you will make the sauce in. (I use an enameled cast iron dutch oven.)
- When the meat is about half way done, place the garlic and onion in a large pan, which has been heated with a little olive oil. Cook and stir occasionally for about 5 minutes. Add the green pepper and stir and cook for about 5 to 7 more minutes.
- Once the meat is done, add the broth and tomato paste and stir well. Add the spices and the onion, garlic, and green pepper, and stir well. Cover and let cook on medium high for about 20 minutes. Stir as needed. Reduce heat and let cook for an hour, checking and stirring as needed. If the veggies are soft, the sauce is done. Otherwise, cook until veggies are soft. If it is not thick enough for you, uncover and let reduce to desired consistency over low to medium heat. Stir and watch as needed.
- Check the flavor along the way, and add more spices as needed. You can also add less than my suggested amounts of spice, and then flavor to your taste along the way.
- Serve over or toss with spaghetti noodles.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 to 3 days, and then freeze leftovers.
I am thrilled to bring my sauce to Fiesta Friday #267, and to be co-hosting with the lovely, Abbey, at Three Cats and a Girl! Please make sure and stop by her blog!
Happy Spring Antonia! Such a treat to see your post just pop up. I’m all about quick and easy weeknight meals these days. I love the idea of making this a freezer meal… even quicker 🙂 Hope that all is well with you!
Happy Spring Heather! I agree, easy is great! Yes, everything is good, I am just not getting to my blog much lately. I hope you are well too! I’ll be by soon!
Happy Friday! This looks so good.
Happy Friday to you too! Thank you so much, Deborah! I have been absent a lot lately, and have missed looking at your beautiful photos. I hope you are doing well!
Lovely to see you here again, Antonia. The recipe looks awesome. Happy Spring!
Hi Diana, thank you! I have missed catching up and reading your great excerpts and stories. I hope you have been doing well. I have been away quite a bit, and hopefully can spend some more time next month. Have an awesome weekend!
😀
oh yes, happy spring!!! Spaghetti is one of those quick and easy meals. A good sauce makes it! Happy Fiesta Friday 🙂
It is definitely a great meal! I’m glad to be co-hosting with you this week! Happy Fiesta Friday! 😀
I’m happy to be too!!😃
😀
Simple meals are often the best! Spaghetti is also a staple in our house. We love it with meatballs, but I don’t always have time or energy to make meatballs, so simple meat sauce is the way to go for busy weeknights. Thanks for cohosting! Have a wonderful weekend, and yay for spring!!
I agree, they really are! Thanks Angie, you too! I always enjoy co-hosting! 😀
This is something I know I would love – easy and simple. Hmm, I am not sure about the Greek oregano, though. Can I use the regular one? Please say yes.
Thanks for co-hosting, Antonia. Happy Fiesta Friday!
That’s awesome, thank you! You can use regular. I love the earthiness of Greek, but other types of oregano would be delicious too! Happy Fiesta Friday to you as well! Have a wonderful weekend, Jhuls! 😀
Meat sauce is one of my favorites too! Who has time to make meatballs anyway? lol. Actually, your spaghetti reminded me I haven’t had spaghetti in months! Our family’s weekday staple tends to be a simple stir fry. Thanks for sharing! Happy Fiesta Friday!
Very true, lol! I love stir fry! Happy Fiesta Friday!
Freezer meals are brilliant. Your recipe sounds so good and a treat with pasta, I can’t see how anyone can resist that! Thank you for co hosting Fiesta Friday 🙂
Thank you, Petra! I love freezer meals! Happy Fiesta Friday!
I love using tomato paste in my cooking because it adds an instant punch of umami, so I can imagine how flavourful your sauce must taste, delicious!
I do too. It’s so versatile. Thank you!