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Spaghetti meat sauce in a white pot with a ladle inside.
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The BEST Spaghetti Meat Sauce

Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time3 hours 30 minutes
Total Time4 hours
Servings: 8 servings
Author: Aleksandra

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon frying oil
  • 1/2 pound (225g) pancetta
  • 1/2 pound (225g) ground pork
  • 2 pounds (900g) ground beef
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large onion
  • 2 medium carrots
  • 2 celery stalks
  • 5 cloves garlic
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons dried basil
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons dried oregano
  • small pinch of red pepper flakes
  • 1 cup (240ml) dry red wine
  • 1 1/4 cups (300ml) beef broth preferably homemade (see notes), or store-bought chicken broth
  • 1 jar (24.5 oz/700g) tomato passata (puree) such as Mutti, no seasonings
  • 2 (14oz/400g) cans OR 1 (28oz/800g) can whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes
  • 1 parmesan rind optional
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
  • a couple of fresh basil leaves optional
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Prepare the ingredients:

  • Cut the pancetta into very small dice (the smaller, the better).
    1/2 pound (225g) pancetta
  • Cut the onion, carrots, and celery into very small dice as well (the smaller, the better). I use a food processor for this.
    1 large onion, 2 medium carrots, 2 celery stalks
  • Finely chop the garlic, preferably with a knife.
    5 cloves garlic
  • Measure out all the other ingredients. Blend the whole canned tomatoes until smooth (I use a hand/immersion blender for this).
    2 (14oz/400g) cans OR 1 (28oz/800g) can whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes

Sear the meat and cook vegetables:

  • Heat the frying oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot (such as a Dutch oven). Add the pancetta and cook over medium heat until most of the fat is rendered (melted), try not to crisp it up/brown it too much. Transfer the pancetta to a plate using a spider strainer, leaving the fat in the pot.
    1 tablespoon frying oil
  • Brown the ground meat in two batches. Add the first batch in an even layer and cook over high heat for about 2-3 minutes without stirring. Once the meat is browned on the bottom, turn it over and cook on the other side until browned. Then, start stirring until the meat is fully cooked and no longer pink. Break up any clumps until the meat is evenly separated; you can use a potato masher for this. Transfer the cooked meat to a plate.
    1/2 pound (225g) ground pork, 2 pounds (900g) ground beef
  • Add the olive oil to the pot, then add the chopped vegetables. Cook over medium heat for about 5-8 minutes until softened.
    1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
  • Add the tomato paste, dried basil, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute.
    2 tablespoons tomato paste, 1 1/2 tablespoons dried basil, 1 1/2 tablespoons dried oregano, small pinch of red pepper flakes
  • Add the red wine and cook for about 5 minutes, until almost evaporated.
    1 cup (240ml) dry red wine

Simmer the sauce:

  • Add the meat back to the pot along with the broth, tomato passata, pureed canned whole tomatoes, Parmesan rind, sugar, and vinegar. Season lightly with salt (avoid fully salting at this stage, as the sauce will reduce in volume and may become too salty).
    1 1/4 cups (300ml) beef broth, 1 jar (24.5 oz/700g) tomato passata (puree), 1 parmesan rind, 1 teaspoon brown sugar, 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
  • Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat to the lowest setting so the sauce only slightly simmers. Partially cover the pot with a lid and let it simmer, stirring occasionally, for 3 hours.

Season the sauce:

  • Remove the Parmesan rind, let the sauce cool slightly, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in chopped fresh basil leaves (if using).
  • Enjoy!

Notes

  • Please note that this recipe calls for simmering the sauce for 3 hours. If you prefer a shorter cooking time, reduce the amount of broth; otherwise, your sauce may turn out too runny.
  • You can use either red or white wine, though red wine provides a more pronounced flavor that pairs particularly well with this sauce. Choose a dry wine that isn’t expensive but is good enough to enjoy on its own.
  • If you don’t have good-quality beef stock, it’s better to use store-bought chicken stock, as it usually tastes better than store-bought beef stock.
  • Instead of pancetta and ground pork, you can use mild Italian sausage (raw seasoned pork sausage).
  • Calories = 1 serving (1/8 of the recipe). This is only an estimate!

Nutrition

Calories: 575kcal