Description
One-Pot Chunky Italian Meat Sauce is the perfect recipe for an easy dinner that the whole family will love. This hearty sauce is packed with flavor, and the best part is that it all comes together in just one pot.
Ingredients
- Ingredients:
- 3 T. extra virgin olive oil
- 2 medium yellow onions, finely chopped
- 3-4 cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced
- 2 c. white mushrooms, cleaned and roughly chopped
- 2 large stalks of celery, cleaned and finely chopped
- 1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped
- 2 c. dry red wine, divided
- 1¼ lb. ground beef, 85% to 96% lean
- 1 lb. bulk sweet pork sausage
- 1 lb. bulk spicy pork sausage
- 2 28-oz. cans of tomato puree
- 1 28-oz. can of petite-cut tomatoes, undrained
- 2 6-oz. cans of tomato paste
- 1 T. dried oregano
- 2 t. dried thyme
- 2 t. dried rosemary,
- 2 T. white sugar
- 3-4” Parmesan cheese rind
- 2 whole bay leaves
- Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Directions:
- In a large (6 quart or larger) Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and mushrooms and cook until the onion softens and the mushrooms start to release liquids, approximately 4-5 minutes.
- Add celery, carrots, and one-half cup wine and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes.
- Add crumbled beef and sausage to the Dutch oven and cook until no longer pink inside, approximately 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and carefully drain excess fat from the pot.
- Return to burner and add tomato puree, petite-cut tomatoes, tomato paste, and remaining red wine to the Dutch oven, along with oregano, thyme, rosemary, and sugar. Stir to combine.
- Add the bay leaves and Parmesan rind. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste, and stir to combine.
- Cover and simmer on low heat for 3-4 hours, stirring occasionally. If sauce is too thick, add a little water to achieve the desired consistency. If it is too thin, continue cooking until it reaches the thickness you prefer.
- Remove from heat and discard the bay leaves and Parmesan rind. Taste and adjust seasonings, as desired. Serve immediately with your favorite cooked pasta and some cheesy garlic bread. Refrigerate or freeze unused portions for later use. Enjoy!
Notes
This hearty, chunky meat sauce takes a little while to come together, but it is so worth the extra effort. This recipe makes a large amount of sauce, so be sure to use a 6-quart or larger Dutch oven or pot when making it.
This sauce can be enjoyed immediately after cooking, but it tastes even better a day or two later when the flavors have had a chance to develop. This recipe also freezes well for later use.
Save yourself some time by crumbling up the beef and sausage with your fingers prior to browning. This will give you more consistently sized chunks of meat and is much easier than trying to break up the meat while it is browning.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
