🍝 Secret Ingredient Spaghetti Sauce Recipe
This quick and easy Homemade Spaghetti Sauce, made with lean ground beef and canned tomatoes has a rich and meaty sauce with a secret ingredient that is delicious, healthy and economical! It's also Weight Watchers friendly.
Servings 6 servings
Calories 193kcal
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb extra lean ground beef
- 1 Small onion
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- ⅔ cup mushrooms, chopped
- ½ green pepper
- 1 -5 oz can tomato paste
- 2 -28 oz cans of canned diced tomatoes
- 3 cloves minced garlic * add more or less to your liking
- ¼ cup Heinz chili sauce
- ½ tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon fresh, chopped basil * can substitute 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 2 tablespoon fresh, chopped oregano * can substitute 2 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ tablespoon fresh, chopped cilantro * can substitute 1 teaspoon dried cilantro
- 2 teaspoon fresh, chopped rosemary * can substitute ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- ½ -340 g -box spaghetti noodles *(½ of a 12 oz box)
Instructions
- Cook ground beef and onions together until ground beef is browned.
- Meanwhile, mix tomatoes, tomato paste, green peppers, mushrooms, garlic, chili sauce, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, herbs and spices together in a large pot and cook over medium heat on stovetop.
- When ground beef/onion mixture is browned, drain thoroughly and add to tomato mixture.
- Simmer on low for approximately 20-30 minutes or until vegetables are soft.
- While sauce is cooking, cook spaghetti as per package directions. Drain and serve with desired amount of sauce on top.
Garnish
- Garnish with grated parmesan cheese and fresh oregano or basil, if desired.
Notes
Top Tips to elevate your spaghetti sauce:
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- Tomato sauce is very acidic and brown sugar is necessary to tone down the 'tart' in the tomatoes and balance the flavors.
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- It's the Worcestershire that is truly the secret ingredient and gives it a depth of flavor and that ‘ je ne sais quoi’!
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- The fresh herbs cilantro, oregano, rosemary, and basil are also critical.
- Use Whole Tomatoes for a Richer Sauce. If using canned tomatoes, opt for whole peeled tomatoes and crush them by hand for better texture and taste.
- Simmer Low and Slow. If you have the time, simmer longer because the longer the sauce simmers, the richer the flavor. Aim for at least 30 minutes, but longer is even better.
- Add a Parmesan Rind. For extra depth, drop in a Parmesan cheese rind while simmering and remove it before serving.
- Balance Acidity with Sugar. A pinch of sugar balances the acidity of the tomatoes and enhances the sauce's overall flavor. Brown sugar is best.
- Let the Flavors Marry Overnight. For an even better taste, let the sauce sit in the fridge overnight before reheating and serving.
- Deglaze with Wine or Broth. Deglazing the pan with wine or broth after browning meat helps lift flavorful bits and adds richness to the sauce. Not sure how to deglaze? Check out this Video: How to deglaze a pan
- Don’t Forget a Dash of Worcestershire Sauce. The secret ingredient enhances the umami depth, making the sauce more savory and complex.
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- Green pepper- you can use a red, yellow or orange pepper instead or skip the peppers altogether if you're not a fan.
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- Tomatoes- you can use fresh tomatoes instead of canned tomatoes. I recommend using Roma tomatoes
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- Mushrooms- you can use canned mushrooms as a substitute for fresh mushrooms.
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- Herbs - If you don't have access to fresh herbs, dehydrating your own herbs is the next best thing! You can also substitute store-bought dried herbs, but you'll need ½ the amount.
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- Chili sauce - you can make your own chili sauce if you don't have any on hand.
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- Add-ins - some people like to add a little dry red wine (¼ cup) to their spaghetti
Nutrition
Calories: 193kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 185mg | Potassium: 556mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 134IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 4mg
