Quick and Hearty Ground Beef Ragu

By using quality store bought beef broth, you can reduce the cooking time, but not the flavor of this delicious Italian sauce adapted for busy modern living. This makes enough for a crowd, so invite your friends over or freeze half for another time.

• Ready In: 1 hr 20 mins
• Serves: 10-12

Ingredients

• 1  tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2  carrots, peeled and finely chopped
• 2  celery ribs, finely chopped
• 1⁄2 large sweet onion, finely chopped
• 1  shallot, minced
• 4  garlic cloves, minced
• 2 1⁄2 lbs lean ground beef
• 1  tablespoon  dried Italian herb seasoning
• 1⁄2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
• 1  tablespoon kosher salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 28  ounces crushed tomatoes
• 6  ounces tomato paste
• 1⁄2 cup  roasted red pepper, chopped
• 32  ounces beef broth (I use Wolfgang Puck's organic broth)

Directions

1. In a large stockpot or dutch oven over medium heat, saute the carrots, celery, onion and shallot for 4-5 minutes until softened. Add the minced garlic and saute for one minute longer.
2. Turn heat to medium high. Move vegetables to side of pot and add ground beef in batches and brown. When all ground beef has been added to pot and browned, add Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper, salt, and black pepper. Thoroughly combine meat, vegetables and seasonings.
3. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste and roasted red peppers. Pour some of broth into cans to clean out remaining tomatoes into pot. Pour remaining broth into pot and thoroughly combine with all other ingredients. Add more black pepper or crushed red pepper if you like it hot and spicy.
4. Reduce heat to low and simmer until sauce has reduced to half or two thirds of original volume.
5. Serve over your favorite pasta and top with grated cheese if you like.