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dad's perfect pasta sauce

(1 rating)
BKavorkian avatar
Recipe by
Barbara Kavorkian
@BKavorkian
Two Harbors, MN

This recipe reminds me of my dad. He was a great cook and would make a HUGE batch of this sauce and use it in everything. It does take a little time, but you will understand why once you have had it. Great for using up tomatoes at the end of the growing season, for canning or freezing. Use on lasagna, skettie (as my dad called it) and a great for my mini pizzas. The only difference is my dad would use regular pork or sausage, and I used turkey sausage. Same great taste without the grease.

(1 rating)
yield 12 - depends what you use it for
prep time 30 Min
cook time 2 Hr 30 Min

Ingredients For dad's perfect pasta sauce

  • 3/4 lb
    ground beef
  • 1/2 lb
    ground turkey sausage or regular sweet sausage
  • 1/2 c
    chopped onions, you can mince these if you rather have finer onion pieces
  • 2 clove
    large garlic cloves smashed and peeled
  • 1 can
    28 oz crushed tomatoes
  • 1 can
    12 oz tomato paste
  • 1 can
    15 oz tomato sauce
  • 1/2 c
    water
  • 2 Tbsp
    sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp
    dried basil leaves
  • 1/2 tsp
    fennel seeds
  • 1 tsp
    italian seasoning
  • 3/4 Tbsp
    salt
  • 1/4 tsp
    pepper
  • 1 tsp
    dried parsley

How To Make dad's perfect pasta sauce

  • 1
    In a Crock pot or Dutch oven, cook meat, onion and garlic just enough to get slightly browned. Stir in crushed tomatoes, paste, sauce and water. Add in seasonings (sugar, basil, fennel seeds, italian seasoning, salt, pepper and parsley. Cover Crock pot or Dutch oven and simmer for 2 1/2 hrs if in Crock, about 1-1/2 hrs if in Dutch oven.
  • 2
    From here you can do as you wish with it. If storing product, let cool completely before transferring to a container to freeze or refrigerate.
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