Whole Wheat Spaghetti with a Slow Simmered Meat Sauce
I was in the mood for slow cooking on Sunday so I made whole wheat spaghetti with a slow-simmered meat sauce for a spaghetti dinner. I used lean ground beef and a couple of leftover turkey Italian sausages that I simmered for a few hours with onion, diced carrots, herbs, garlic, and tomato sauce. The sauce made the entire house smell amazing all afternoon long. This meat sauce was so rich and delicious without all of the guilt and it was so flavorful. I served this sauce over whole wheat spaghetti and alongside the Avocado and Butter Leaf Lettuce with a Tangy Mustard Vinaigrette for a delicious and healthy dinner the whole family enjoyed.
How to Make Whole Wheat Spaghetti with a Slow Simmered Meat Sauce
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the ground beef, turkey Italian sausage, removed from casings, and the onion. Cook, stirring often to crumble the beef and sausage, for 4-5 minutes. Add the carrots, roasted bell pepper, garlic, dried basil, dried oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, sea salt, and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Add the beef stock, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, and tomato sauce to the beef mixture as well as the sugar. Stir until well combined. Cover with a lid and place into the oven for 3-4 hours.
Remove the Dutch oven from the oven. Skim the surface for any fat. Add the chopped basil and oregano then taste and re-season if needed. Cook the spaghetti noodles per instructions, and drain. Serve the sauce on top of the spaghetti then top with Parmesan and fresh parsley if desired.
Equipment
Ingredients
Slow-Simmered Meat Sauce:
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 lb of ground beef
- 2 turkey Italian sausages removed from casings
- 1 small sweet yellow onion diced
- 3 small carrots diced
- 1 cup of roasted bell pepper diced
- 6 cloves of garlic minced
- 1 tsp dried basil
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes more if you want it extra spicy
- Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
- 1 cup of beef broth
- 1 6 oz can of tomato paste
- 2 15 oz cans of tomato sauce
- 29 oz can of whole tomatoes crushed with an immersion blender
- 1-2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp fresh basil leaves chopped
- 2 tsp fresh oregano chopped
Other Ingredients:
- 8 oz whole wheat spaghetti cooked per instructions
- Parmesan Cheese
- Parsley chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
- Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the ground beef, turkey Italian sausages, removed from casings, and the onion. Cook, stirring often to crumble the beef and sausage, for 4-5 minutes.
- Add the carrots, roasted bell pepper, garlic, dried basil, dried oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, and sea salt, and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Add the beef stock, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, and tomato sauce to the beef mixture as well as the sugar. Stir until well combined. Cover with a lid and place into the oven for 3-4 hours.
- Remove the Dutch oven from the oven. Skim the surface for any fat. Add the chopped basil and oregano then taste and re-season if needed.
- Cook the spaghetti noodles per instructions, drain. Serve the sauce on top of the spaghetti then top with Parmesan and fresh parsley if desired.
The phrase “slow simmered” just makes this dish all the more amazing. I’ve been wanting to make a type of bolognese sauce and this is just perfect. Thanks for a fantastic recipe as always, Pam!
This looks so delicious. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Sounds wonderful!
Yum! I love the idea of adding the sausage along with the ground beef. I always just use ground beef.
Would this freeze well?
Tyler,
I always freeze half of the batch in a large ziplock freezer bag. I use it in our motor home when we travel for a quick and delicious meal. I hope this helps.
Cheers,
Pam
YUM! I love it when I have something slow simmering on the stove or slow roasting in the oven. It’s so comforting, and the delicious smells wafting through the house all day make me so happy! Sadly, when the weather turns hot I turn to quick meals or grilling outside. Before it gets too hot I am going to make this recipe! Pam- do you mind if I ask what brand of whole wheat pasta you used? It’s not as dark as the brand I buy, and I think my family would enjoy a “not so wheaty” pasta better. Thanks!
Growing up, Sunday’s were always for slow cooking! And slow simmered sauces were happening at least every other week! There truly is nothing better in my book! Makes the house smell soooooo incredibly good!
i think we’re having spaghetti for dinner!!
I just ate breakfast, and now I am craving spaghetti!!! Hmmm…weird?
This looks yummy. I am also making pasta for dinner but I am going to make eggplant parm. I will have to save this recipe for next time.
Hi Pam, love the sauce! I love to try all different sauces, although of course I have my favorite. I am bookmarking this one! Have a fantastic day!
It seems like everyone is looking for the “quick” recipe. This is nice and all, but there’s something about food which takes time. It has a depth, almost like a soul, which can’t be equaled when you try and cheat the clock. Often it’s those long-to-make meals you share with someone which really say I love you. What a great sauce. It’s wonderful how you teased so much flavor out of simple ingredients.
A delicious looking dinner! You have a wonderful blog. Thank you for sharing with us!
Sounds so much better than Prego!
Hi Pam,
I’ve noticed in your pasta dishes, you top your pasta with your sauce. In your next pasta dish, under-cook the pasta by a few minutes (i.e. if the box says cook for 9 minutes, cook it for 6-7 minutes), drain then add it to the pan with the sauce and finish cooking it there, tossing the pasta with the sauce. Your pasta will absorb the flavors of your sauce for a much more satisfying dish.
I hope this helps!
Cheers!
DB-The Foodie Stuntman
Fremont, CA
This looks delicious, thank you. I have been looking for a recipe like this. I wanted to also say that I just started reading your blog and I’ve found it to be wonderful and goes along with my clean-eating lifestyle. I made my first dish from your blog last night – the spicy basil chicken – and it was wonderful. I look forward to making this. Thank you for such a great blog.
I love having meat sauces like this on layaway for nights when cooking is more of a chore. This looks so delicious and simple, Pam. You should try it in the slow-cooker sometime, too!
This looks fantastic. I haven’t made a pasta with red sauce in quite a while and you’ve made me crave this. Have a great day, Pam!
This is one of my all time favorite comfort foods, I bet I could throw this in the crock pot too!
I finely chop my veggies in the food processor so no one will know they’re there. Otherwise, people whine about carrots with their spaghetti. I never thought to post about spaghetti with meat sauce!
We had spaghetti for lunch, I use your mushroom marinara recipe, but only meatballs for use these days. I have one child who refuses to eat meat, so it keeps momma happy he eats and my carnivores get their fix! Haha. This looks good, maybe one day if he decides to give meat a try.
Looks soooo good! I’ll be giving this a shot this weekend!
peacelovedecor.com
Dinners that cook themselves really are the best. This sauce sounds great!
When I cook my spaghetti sauce in the oven for the afternoon it has such a better taste that when I am in a hurry and do it on the stove. Delicious recipe your are sharing.
Yum, this looks delicious.
Looks fantastic! That first shot is amazing!
My mouth is watering, pasta with bolognese sauce is one of my favourite dishes of all time. I’ve never added veggies to my sauce and now I’m inspired to do that next time I make it. Your sauce sounds delicious.
Classic! That first shot is gorgeous, Pam.
that’s some magnificent meat sauce, pam! it’s the kind of stuff that i don’t mind splattering all over my clothes and kitchen because it’s so darn tasty!
Dear Pam,
I have always been a fan. I am not a cook myself but since my fiance found your blog for me, i have tried some of your recipes and surprisingly, they turned out real good. Thank you for sharing your passion to all of us.
Miriam from Philippines
Made this tonight very yummy. I just found your site and already bookmarked quite a few recipes. 🙂
Pam, is there any way to make this in the crockpot?
Carmen,
I am sure a crock pot would work just fine!
Pam
Thanks for the recipe. I have been making your recipe for years. Made when lived in Maryland and now Vermont. I’m an essential employee so I got up early to make it before work. Can’t wait to come home and have this amazing sauce recipe with spaghetti. Goes great with your spinach salad. Maple Dijon vinaigrette is outstanding.
Susan,
Thank YOU for being an essential employee!!! You are appreciated.
Also, thank you so much for being a loyal reader. This comment made my day!!!
-Pam