Establishing my personal chef business involved seeking guidance, and hiring a mentor turned out to be one of the most impactful decisions I made. She had also attended culinary school and started her own personal chef business in NYC. What I learned from her was invaluable, and this ridiculously easy pasta sauce uses ground beef and ingredients you probably already have on hand. It has become one of my all-time favorite recipes that she graciously shared with me.
This sauce using two cooking techniques: sautéing and braising. The mirepoix (onion, carrot, celery) is sautéd over medium heat with a healthy pinch of salt. This step sweats the vegetables and creates a lovely base layer for the sauce. Next, garlic is added (another aromatic), the heat is increased slightly, and the ground beef is added. Cooked until no longer pink, the remaining ingredients are added and the sauce is brought to a gentle simmer. The next step is to braise the sauce by covering the pot and letting the oven do its work for the next hour. Braising is a technique where the food is covered and cooked low and slow. It tenderizes the ingredients and works wonders for this recipe, allowing the beef to melt into the sauce, resulting in a delicious outcome!
For an authentic Italian touch with this tomato sauce recipe, pour yourself a glass of Barbera or Chianti. If you're uncorking a bottle, considering adding the optional cup after browning the beef.
This pasta sauce with ground beef freezes beautifully and makes a generous amount, so go ahead and freeze a batch if you find yourself with leftover. Serve with a simple salad.
Preheat the oven to 325°F. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium. Add the onion, celery, carrot and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and saute 10-13 minutes until very soft, stirring occasionally. Be sure to not allow the vegetables to brown.
Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Turn the heat up to medium-high and add the ground beef along with 1 teaspoon salt. Using a wooden spoon, break up the meat so that there are no lumps. Cook until the beef is no longer pink, about 8 minutes. If you are adding the optional red wine, now is the time. Pour into the pot and use your spoon to scrape all the brown bits at the bottom of the pot into the meat. Cook until the wine mostly evaporates, about 2-3 minutes.
Add the crushed tomatoes, bay leaves, oregano, crushed red pepper and 1 teaspoon kosher salt to the pot. Stir until combined, cover with a lid, and place in the preheated oven for 50 minutes.
Remove from oven and uncover. Let cool for a few minutes, then taste for seasoning. Serve over pasta with roughly chopped basil and freshly grated Parmesan.
The red wine is optional and by allowing it to cook into the ingredients, it adds another layer of flavor to the sauce. If you don't drink or don't have it on hand it will still be delicious without, but if you do, any medium-bodied red will do.
