Recipes / Pork

Zesty Spaghetti Sauce With Sausage

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Recipe by Faux Chef Lael

This is a variation of my Grandmother's beloved sauce recipe that adds a bit more flavor to boring spaghetti. Don't let the number of ingredients fool you, it's VERY easy to make. This yields about 2 gallons of sauce, so plan to use it as a OAMC recipe or cut it in half. It freezes well and makes a great sauce for lasagna, baked rigatoni, or served over spaghetti squash. I use a store-bought canned sauce for the base to save time, but you can use your own if you'd prefer. To make a Southwest version, substitute the stewed tomatoes with a jar of salsa, and add a can of corn and a can of black beans. This sauce depends on the sausage for most of its flavor, so it would probably not make a good vegetarian version, but if anyone comes up with something, let me know!

READY IN: 2hrs 30mins
SERVES: 12-16
YIELD: 2 gallons
UNITS: US

INGREDIENTS

Nutrition
  • 1
    lb lean ground beef
  • 1
    lb spicy ground pork sausage (Jimmy Dean HOT breakfast sausage works well, or any Italian ground spicy sausage)
  • 2
    (29 ounce) cans store-bought spaghetti sauce (I like Dole Four Cheese blend, but you could use any flavor or brand, or make your own)
  • 4
    (14 ounce) cans stewed tomatoes, Italian Style (diced okay, do not drain)
  • 4
    stalks celery, coarsely chopped
  • 1
    large onion, coarsely chopped (white or yellow)
  • 1
    medium red pepper, coarsely chopped
  • 1
    medium green pepper, coarsely chopped
  • 2
    cups sliced mushrooms (fresh or canned, stems or pieces okay, no need to drain)
  • 4 -6
    garlic cloves, minced (to taste, I use minced garlic from a jar)
  • 1
    teaspoon oregano
  • 1
    teaspoon italian seasoning
  • 1
    tablespoon parsley
  • 1
    bay leaf
  • 1⁄2 - 1
    teaspoon sugar (to taste, some people like a sweeter sauce)
  • 1⁄2 - 1
    teaspoon seasoning salt (I prefer Johnny's brand)
  • 1⁄2
    teaspoon chili powder (to taste)
  • 1⁄4
    teaspoon red cayenne pepper (optional)
  • 1⁄2 - 1
    cup parmesan cheese, grated (or parmesan or Romano blend)
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DIRECTIONS

  • In two separate skillets or pots, brown the sausage and ground beef, and break into bite-sized chunks. Do not brown sausage and beef in the same skillet, or all the meat will taste like sausage. Drain grease well, then combine into a large stew pot and set aside.
  • While the meat is browning, chop all veggies into coarse pieces. Add to stew pot with all other ingredients except the parmesan cheese.
  • Simmer sauce over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 2 hours or until celery is tender. I recommend covering the pot with splatter guard to prevent splatter, but do not use a lid as the steam needs to escape.
  • In last 10 minutes of cooking, remove bay leaf, stir in the parmesan cheese to thicken the sauce. Use more or less to desired thickness.
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