Slow Baked Spaghetti Sauce

Slow Baked Spaghetti Sauce incredibly delicious and EASY! Ground beef, sautéed finely minced carrots, celery and onion simmer with garlic, herbs and tomato sauce gently in the oven. It's my new favorite way to make homemade spaghetti sauce.

Course Mains & Entrees

Cuisine Italian

Keyword baked, beef, from scratch, homemade, Italian, meat sauce, pasta, sauce, spaghetti

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 1 15

Total Time 1 20

Servings servings

Calories 503

Author Laurie McNamara

Ingredients

2 medium carrots roughly chopped
2 to 3 short celery stalks roughly chopped
1 medium yellow onion roughly chopped
1 teaspoon olive oil
4 cloves garlic minced
1 teaspoon italian seasoning
1 teaspoon dried parsley
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1-2 pinches red pepper flakes optional
1 pound lean ground beef
28 ounces canned crushed tomatoes (San Marzano or regular)
15 ounces canned tomato sauce
1 pinch sugar
1 pound dry spaghetti noodles see notes
parmesan cheese freshly grated, for serving
parsley minced, for serving

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Move your oven rack to the lower third of your oven and preheat to 375℉ (or 190℃)
Heat olive oil in large dutch oven.
Meanwhile add roughly chopped celery, carrots and onion to a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Secure the lid and pulse until finely minced. Then add veggies to the dutch oven with a pinch of salt. Cook 5 to 8 minutes or until tender.
To the softened veggies, add the 4 cloves minced garlic. Stir and cook 1 minute.
Next add in italian seasoning, parsley, 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, basil and red pepper flakes (if using). Stir to combine.
Add in ground beef and use a wooden spatula to break it up into small crumbles. Cook until no longer pink. About 12 minutes. Drain and discard any excess fat.
Pour in crushed tomaotes and tomato sauce. Add a pinch of sugar. Stir, cover and slide into your preheated oven for 45 minutes.
After 25 minutes have passed, bring a large pot of salted water to boil*. Follow the package directions, cooking the pasta to al dente.
Once the sauce has braised, remove and keep covered until the pasta is done. Use tongs to pull the pasta straight from the water and add it to the sauce. Toss to combine.
Serve with grated parmesan and minced fresh parsley.

Notes

* I add a palmful of fine sea salt to the water before cooking the pasta.

Nutrition