Meat Sauce with Crushed Tomatoes
This easy meat sauce recipe uses canned tomatoes for a quick, versatile sauce
Ingredients
- 1 lb. (450 g) ground beef or pork
- 1 large carrot, peeled and grated
- 6 garlic cloves, pressed
- 2 tsp (10 mL) Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp (2 mL) red pepper flakes (optional)
- ½ tsp (2 mL) salt
- 2 28 oz. (794 g) cans crushed tomatoes, undrained
Directions
- Brown the ground meat in the 4-qt. (3.8-L) Nonstick Sauce Pan over medium heat until it is no longer pink. Use the straining holes in the lid to strain off any grease left behind.
- Add the carrot, garlic, seasoning, red pepper flakes, if using, and salt. Cook over medium heat for 3 minutes, stirring often.
- Pour in the tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and cook while occasionally stirring for 10-12 minutes, or until the sauce has slightly thickened.
Yield:
- 10 servings
Nutrients per serving:
U.S. nutrients per serving: Calories 160, Total Fat 8 g, Saturated Fat 2 g, Cholesterol 30 mg, Sodium 450 mg, Carbohydrate 13 g, Fiber 3 g, Sugars 7 g (includes 0 g added sugar), Protein 12 g
Cook's Tips:
This sauce can be made without the meat too for a plain red sauce! Start by sautéing the garlic and spices in olive oil first before adding the carrot and tomatoes. The grated carrot gives the sauce a little bit of natural sweetness to balance out the acidity of the tomatoes. You can even add a little cream at the end of cooking for a tomato cream sauce. For freezing: Let the sauce cool completely before pouring into freezer-safe containers or heavy-duty freezer bags. The sauce will last 3-4 months. Defrost the sauce in the refrigerator when ready to use.