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A close-up of a bowl filled with spaghetti topped generously with rich Easy Weeknight Meat Sauce.

Easy Weeknight Meat Sauce (Ground Beef Marinara)

This recipe provides simple instructions for making a flavorful ground beef marinara sauce that is perfect for busy weeknights. It uses common pantry ingredients and comes together quickly.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 6 people
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Sauce Ingredients
  • 1 pound ground beef (80/20 recommended)
  • 6 garlic cloves minced
  • 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
  • 28 ounces diced tomatoes
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon parsley
  • 1/2 teaspoon basil
  • 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 black pepper freshly ground, to taste

Equipment

  • Large Dutch oven
  • Measuring spoons

Method
 

  1. Measure out all spices and sugar. Open the canned tomatoes and set them aside.
  2. In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, break up the ground beef. Cook until browned and no longer pink. Drain all but 2 tablespoons of grease from the pot.
  3. Add the minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Do not let it burn.
  4. Add both cans of tomatoes. Stir in the salt and all the dried spices.
  5. Bring the sauce to a simmer. Cook on low for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens.
  6. Taste the finished sauce. Add more salt and pepper in small amounts until it reaches your preferred seasoning.

Notes

Prepare all your ingredients before you start cooking, especially before adding the garlic. If you are distracted while the garlic is cooking, it can burn quickly and change the flavor of the entire sauce.

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