Ragu generally means tomato and meat sauce, but a heated debate continues about the name of “Spaghetti Sauce”. Some American Italians call it Sunday Gravy because “gravy” always had meat in it; and was served more often on Sunday.
Spaghetti with Meat Sauce (Ragu)
I don’t know that our family ever had a “Spaghetti Sauce” recipe; it’s developed over decades with everyone’s input. My sister says the basics came from a Great Aunt!
Serve over warm polenta or pasta for a family style meal or make individual pasta bowls for special occasions like below.
Scarpone's makes decent canned tomatoes, but our preference is La San Marzano Tomatoes (if you can find them with Basil, all the better). They will add 1 CHO/1/2 cup or 6.37 CHO total.
Ingredients
- 1 TBSP olive oil 0 CHO
- 2 lb. (908 grams) lean hamburger 0 CHO
- ½ cup (60 grams) diced onion 5 CHO
- ½ tsp. garlic minced 0 CHO
- 796 ml can La San Marzano Whole Tomatoes with Basil (5 CHO/1/2 cup or 125 ml) 31.58 CHO
- 680 ml can of Hunt’s Tomato Sauce (3 CHO/1/2 cup or 125 ml) 16.32 CHO
- 156 ml can Hunt’s Tomato Paste (3 CHO/2 TBSP or 30 ml) 15.6 CHO
- 1 cup (110 grams) diced celery 2 CHO
- 1 cup (120 grams) diced yellow or red pepper 6 CHO
- 1 tsp. dry oregano 0 CHO
- 1 tsp dry basil 0 CHO
- 1 tsp. dry parsley 0 CHO
- 1 bay leaf 0 CHO
- 1 tsp salt divided 0 CHO
- ½ tsp pepper divided 0 CHO
*Parmesan, grated to garnish
- *Fresh basil to garnish
- *Fresh mushrooms thinly sliced (1 CHO/50 gr/1/2 cup)
- *Bocconcini sliced (1 CHO/30 gr)
- *Garlic butter (0 CHO)
- *Pasta (CHO dependent on your product)
TOTAL CHO 76.5 CHO
- TOTAL WEIGHT 2052 GRAMS
- 76.5 CHO DIVIDED BY 2052 GRAMS = .037 CHO/GRAM
- 1 TBSP = 15 GRAMS (.037 CHO x 15 GRAMS) .55 CHO/TBSP
- ¼ CUP = 4 TBSP (.55 CHO x 4) 2.28 CHO/1/4 CUP
- ¼ CUP = 60 GRAMS
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in large skillet and add hamburger along with diced onion. Add ½ tsp. salt and ¼ tsp. pepper. Cook over medium high heat until meat cooked through. Strain in a sieve to remove any fat.
- Meanwhile, puree tomatoes (we puree in order to get a more accurate carb count). Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste in a large saucepan.
Add hamburger, chopped celery, peppers, spices and remaining salt and pepper.
- Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and partially cover with a lid. Stir occasionally and let cook on stove top for 2 hours.
- *Prior to serving pre heat broiler if serving individual pasta bowls.
- To make individual pasta bowls, toss hot pasta with garlic butter. Place pasta in pasta bowl. Add thinly sliced mushrooms and top with measured amount of spaghetti sauce. Top with grated Parmesan and/or sliced Bocconcini.
- Broil until golden brown. Garnish with fresh basil and serve immediately.
