Tag: Onion

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Y’all, let’s talk about a down-home, lip-smacking good spaghetti. This is a weeknight staple around here, built around whatever the garden gave us that day, usually a basket of tomatoes and more basil than any one household needs.

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 pound Italian sausage
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 4 carrots, peeled and diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 fresh tomatoes, diced (or 1 can, 14 oz, diced tomatoes)
• 1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano (or 1 tablespoon fresh, chopped)
• 1 teaspoon dried basil (or 1 tablespoon fresh, chopped)
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup red wine (optional)
• Fresh basil leaves, for garnish
• Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
• Cooked spaghetti, for serving

Instructions

1. Melt the butter in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat, a little good luck never hurt a sauce. Add the ground beef and Italian sausage and cook until browned and crumbly, about 8 minutes.
2. Add the chopped onion, diced carrots, and minced garlic. Sauté until the vegetables are tender and the onion is translucent, 5–7 minutes.
3. Stir in the tomatoes and tomato paste. Add the oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper.
4. Pour in the red wine if using, stir well, then reduce heat to low and let it simmer, covered, for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally. If the sauce gets too thick, thin it with a splash of water.
5. Taste and adjust seasoning near the end. Ladle over cooked spaghetti, garnish with fresh basil leaves, and finish with grated Parmesan.

This one’s meant to be shared, so invite the family over and let the good times roll. The secret ingredient is always love, and a garden full of tomatoes and basil doesn’t hurt either.