- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef 85/15
- 1 pound ground pork
- ½ teaspoon Crushed red pepper
- 1 yellow onion peeled and diced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 6 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- 6 cloves roasted garlic minced
- 1 red Fresno chili pepper or use crushed red pepper, trimmed and minced
- 2 cups beef stock
- 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon sugar optional
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 10 basil leaves torn, plus more for serving
- 1 pound cooked pasta ½ cup pasta cooking water, reserved
- freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving
Brown the Meat:
Heat the oil in a wide pot over medium-high heat. Add the pork and beef and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon, for 12-15 minutes until well-browned and completely cooked through. Season with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper. Transfer to a bowl.
If there is excess fat in the skillet, drain off all but 1 tablespoon fat.
Cook the Aromatics:
Add the diced onion to the pot over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 6-7 minutes until softened. Melt the butter into the pot. Once melted and frothy, add the minced red Fresno, minced garlic, and minced roasted garlic. Cook for just 1 minute until fragrant.
Simmer the Sauce:
Return the beef to the pot and toss to combine. Taste and season lightly with salt and pepper. Add the beef stock and crushed tomatoes and bring to a boil. Season with sugar. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for 1 hour. Stir the sauce occasionally as it cooks to prevent it from sticking and add a splash of water or stock, as necessary, to loosen up the sauce if needed.
To Serve:
Shortly before the sauce finishes simmering, cook the pasta and reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water. Add the pasta cooking water to the sauce. Using a spider strainer, scoop the pasta out of the pot and directly into the sauce. Toss to coat with the sauce. Turn off the heat. (Note: If meal prepping, only sauce the pasta you intend to eat immediately. Store the sauce and noodles separately in the refrigerator)
Divide the cooked pasta between low pasta bowls and spinkle freshly grated parmesan cheese on top and a few more basil leaves, if desired. Enjoy!
Calories: 628kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 37g | Sodium: 465mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin C: 16mg