Simple and Delicious Pasta With Meat Sauce

I still try to use Sunday for pasta day but I didn’t feel like putting much effort into this meal so when I found a part full jar of Rao’s marinara and a package of burger in the fridge, a plan was born - Pam from “The Love Of Cooking” blog does this a lot on a much more sophisticated scale than me.  How about a simple meat sauce, me thinks, by simply combining my two finds with more Rao’s from the pantry (we try to keep it on hand but it’s obviously been discovered as it’s around twice the cost of most others).

Spaghetti and Meat Sauce

Ingredients:

1.2 lb. ground chuck or leaner if you prefer

42 oz. Rao’s Marinara Sauce (or your favorite)

1 lb. pasta – string or shaped (we used Rotini)

¼ cup grated parmesan*

*We buy blocks of Parmesan and grate it in the food processor for these occasions.

Directions:

1. Cook the beef until browned through, tilt the pan and spoon out the grease.

2. Add the Rao’s to the pan, stir well, and simmer for an hour to allow the flavors to marry.

3. Before the sauce is complete, cook the pasta in salted water.

4. Drain the pasta, add back to the pan, and mix with all of the sauce and the parmesan.

5. Plate the pasta and top with more fresh grated parmesan and crushed red pepper.

The Verdict:

I may never look up another recipe for meat or Bolognese sauce as this was just too easy and delicious.  This would have done Sandra Lee (Semi-Homemade Cooking) proud.  The sauce was plenty for my can't-get-enough-sauce wife. What’s the difference in the two sauces you ask – meat sauce is tomato sauce with meat in it whereas Bolognese is meat with a little tomato in it.

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Have a great day and thanks for stopping by Almost Heaven South.

Larry

3/3/24 meal date