A hearty and flavourful sauce perfect for pasta, a base sauce for stuffed pasta shells, or even in wraps or on toast with a few slices of avocado! This sauce can be made vegan by omitting the meat, replacing it with a plant-based alternative, or adding an additional zucchini and a few more mushrooms.
- 1/4C Olive Us Garlic Olive Oil (or Tuscan Herb, Basil, or Single Varietal EVOO)
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
- 1 medium zucchini, diced
- 5-10 cremini mushrooms, diced
- 1lb ground beef or turkey
- 1 small can (156ml) tomato paste
- 2 Tbsp Olive Us Neapolitan Herb Dark Balsamic
- ½ tsp dried chili flakes
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- 2 tsp fresh rosemary, minced (or 3 tsp dried)
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried)
- 2 tsp Olive Us Garlic Sea Salt (or Garlic Scape Salt)
- 1 tsp Olive Us Applewood Smoked Cracked Pepper
- 1/2C red wine
- 1 large can (28oz) whole or chopped tomatoes (we used San Marzano style tomatoes)
In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil and add the onion, garlic, and zucchini. Sauté for about 7-8 minutes until the vegetables are cooked through, but not browned. Add the mushrooms and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add the tomato paste, spices, and herbs and stir to combine thoroughly. Add the ground beef and stir to break it up so it cooks more evenly. Cook for 5-8 minutes until mostly cooked through. Deglaze the pan with the wine and balsamic and then stir in the tomatoes. Continue cooking the sauce for 10-15 minutes at low to medium heat until the sauce has thickened and the meat is well cooked through. Remove from heat and enjoy over pasta, as a sauce for stuffed shells, or on toast!
Serves 7-8.