Grandma Shannon's Amazing Spaghetti Sauce

Amy Dyke's Note:

Be sure to make a triple batch of this sauce... it is tried and true and been around for generations. My 90 year-old Croatian grandmother still makes this every Wednesday night for the family... absolutely and perfectly delicious, with just the right blend of savory and slightly sweet. Serve with green salad and homemade French or Italian bread. Yum!

• Total Time: 20 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 0 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion , chopped
• 2 fresh garlic cloves , minced
• 1 lb ground beef (I'll sometimes substitute ground turkey, Italian sausage, or do a mixture of the three.)
• 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
• 28 ounces water
• 15 ounces tomato sauce
• 6 ounces tomato paste
• ¼ cup parmesan cheese
• ¼ cup fresh basil (or use 1 T. dried basil)
• ¼ teaspoon fennel seed , ground
• 1⁄8; teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes , ground
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper

Directions:

1. In a large pot, over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and saute the onion, garlic and meat together. (It's best to add the garlic after the onion and meat have been sauteed for 4-5 min.). Saute for 8-10 minutes altogether. Drain the fat.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and let simmer for 1 hour or more. Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking. I sometimes add a teaspoon of sugar to make it a bit sweeter, if need be. Serve over your favorite cooked pasta and enjoy!

Reviews

[Chef #1529685]

Ok so this sauce was completley delish, we have put it into our recipe box for the year to come... we only made a tiny addition of oregano and it made our palates dance for joy... Definately worth making a stock pile for those in a hurry dinners

[Wolfangel]

I love this recipe, though we used the version of it that goes with your casserole. We've used this sauce several times since I found it on here and it always disappears fast, thanks so much for sharing! We use this sauce on everything from spaghetti, to your casserole to lasagna...love it!