We eat a fair amount of spaghetti, baked ravioli, and sometimes even stuffed shells on our pasta night. This sauce is quick and easy to make, plus I like my list of ingredients better than the laundry list of additives in most jarred sauces. My favorite canned crushed tomatoes are Hunt’s, Red Gold, or the brand Dei Fratelli (which has no added salt by the way). For a meatless option, use 1 pound of sliced fresh mushrooms instead of the beef.
Makes 7 cups
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound lean ground beef
6 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons dried basil
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Two 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes
Crumble the ground beef into a large skillet and place over medium heat. Cook until no longer pink. Drain off any moisture or fat from the beef. Stir in the olive oil and the garlic. Cook for about 3 minutes to soften the garlic. Add the basil, sugar, salt, thyme, and crushed red pepper flakes. Stir for about 1 minute to combine. Stir in the crushed tomatoes and let cook over medium-low heat for about 15 minutes to blend the flavors and thicken the sauce.