15 minutes of prep, then leave it to your slow cooker to do the rest! You'll return home to a thick, rich meat sauce to top your pasta.
- 1 lb lean ground beef 90%
- 1 lb Italian sausage links casings removed
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
- 1 med sweet onion, chopped about 1 cup
- 1 med green pepper, chopped about 1 cup
- 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
- 2 28-oz cans ground peeled tomatoes
- 2 14-oz cans tomato sauce
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 whole bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar packed
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Salt, to taste
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In a large nonstick skillet, brown the beef and sausage. Using a slotted spoon, to leave the grease behind, transfer the meat to the slow cooker. Pour excess grease from the pan, and return to stovetop.
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Heat the olive oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and peppers and saute for 3-5 minutes, until beginning to soften. Add garlic, and saute for one more minute. Do careful not to burn the garlic.
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Add the veggie mixture to the slow cooker, and then add the remaining ingredients (tomatoes through brown sugar). Cover and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours.
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Adjust seasonings to taste. Serve hot atop cooked pasta with shredded Parmesan.
If you'd rather make this on the stovetop, use a large sauce pan instead of transferring everything to the slow cooker. Saute the meats first, then the onion/pepper/garlic mixture. Add the remaining ingredients. Cover partially and simmer over low heat for 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
No-meat version: Just make the sauce as is, from the onion/pepper/garlic step forward.
Meatball version: I often make meatballs separately, then simmer them in the sauce, instead of adding meat directly to the sauce.