Favourite Beef Spaghetti Sauce

Slow simmering is what separates a sauce that tastes like dinner from one that tastes like Tuesday. This beef version starts with onions softened in olive oil, then ground beef and garlic browned right in the same pan so every drippy bit gets folded into the sauce. Canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, mushrooms, parsley, oregano and thyme go in next, with a bay leaf working quietly in the background. Two and a half hours uncovered is the move here. The sauce reduces, the fat marries the tomatoes, and the herbs turn from sharp to round. Stir now and then to keep the bottom from catching. Pull the bay leaf before serving and ladle generously over hot spaghetti.

Pro Tips

• Brown the beef hard, don’t steam it. A real crust on the meat means deeper flavor in the finished sauce.
• Taste before serving and add a pinch of sugar if your canned tomatoes lean acidic.
• The sauce tastes even better on day two once the herbs have settled in. Make it ahead if you can.
• Crush the dried oregano between your fingers as you add it to wake up the oils.

Variations

• Swap half the ground beef for hot Italian sausage for a spicier, fennel-kissed version.
• Splash in ½ cup of red wine after browning the meat and let it cook off before adding tomatoes.
• Stir in a Parmesan rind during the simmer and fish it out at the end for extra savory depth.