Spaghetti and Meat Sauce

Every few weeks my in laws come over for the weekend. They live about an hour away so it’s difficult for them to visit more often, but when they are with us we always have a great time.

My sister in law and her family come over as well, the kids play and we get to catch up. It’s always a wonderful visit, and since my own mother out of state it’s truly a blessing to be able to spend time with my husband’s family.

Usually I cook when the family comes over, so in the spirit of celebrating Moms this month (it is May after all), I made a pasta dish that the busy moms in our family can easily replicate at home. Both my mother in law and sister in law’s cooking talents far exceed any skills I have in the kitchen, they are amazing cooks, and their recipes are pretty hard to beat.

For this weekend’s visit though, I made an easy to put together tossed spaghetti dish using a new recipe. It was unbelievably good, and my mother in law gave it a big ‘thumbs up’.

She couldn’t believe how easy and tasty it was to make Spaghetti with San Marzano Tomato & Meat Sauce and honestly, neither could I!

SPAGHETTI WITH SAN MARZANO TOMATO & MEAT SAUCE

Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Servings: 8

Ingredients:

1 box Barilla® Spaghetti

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

1 small carrot, chopped

1 stem celery, chopped

1 pound ground beef

1/2 cup White wine (optional)

1 28-ounce can San Marzano Tomatoes

1 cup water

Salt and black pepper to taste

1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, shaved

Directions:

PLACE a pot of water to boil. MEANWHILE, in a large skillet, sauté the onion, carrot and celery with the extra virgin olive oil. ADD the meat and cook until browned well.

INCORPORATE the tomatoes and 1 cup of water, season with salt and pepper to taste and bring to a simmer.

COOK pasta in the boiling water according to the package directions. DRAIN pasta and toss with sauce. TOP with cheese.

OPTIONAL: After the meat is browned, you can deglaze the sauce by adding the wine and let it reduce all the way.

My mother in law is not a fan of cheese (I don’t get it either), but I can’t live without it! I decided to serve the spaghetti and meat sauce in a casserole dish and serve it ‘family style’ in the center of the table, adding the Parmigiano-Reggiano to each plate individually as desired. This is a good idea if you have a few that are not fans of cheese on your guest list.

Barilla® Spaghetti with San Marzano Tomato & Meat Sauce was a big hit with the rest of the fam as well! They were pleasantly surprised at the sauce-it wasn’t a traditional thick spaghetti meat sauce, surprisingly it tasted very light.

The white wine reduction flavored the beef delectably, so although the recipe indicates it’s optional, I highly recommend it! The San Marzano tomatoes added a hint of sweetness as compared to traditional canned tomatoes, and they were less acidic.

I’ll admit I had never cooked with them, but I don’t think I can go back to making spaghetti sauce with regular tomatoes again. As with many of my dishes, all of my ingredients were purchased at Walmart, where I can rely on a fabulous selection at the lowest price.

When the Moms are happy, everyone is happy! Having the family together around a great meal is always the best way for our clan to spend time together. How do you celebrate the Moms in your family?

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Barilla. The opinions and text are all mine.

Yield: 8

Spaghetti and Meat Sauce with San Marzano Tomatoes

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Spaghetti and Meat Sauce with San Marzano Tomatoes

Ingredients

• 1 16 oz box spaghetti
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 small carrot, chopped
• 1 stem celery, chopped
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 28-ounce can san marzano tomatoes
• 1 cup water
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup parmigiano-reggiano, cheese, shaved

Instructions

1. PLACE a pot of water to boil. In a large skillet, sauté the onion, carrot and celery with the extra virgin olive oil. ADD the meat and cook until browned well. Add the tomatoes and 1 cup of water, season with salt and pepper to taste and bring to a simmer.
2. Cook the pasta in the boiling water according to the package directions. Drain and toss with sauce.
3. Add the white the wine to the meat pan, whisk and let it reduce. Add it to the spaghetti.
4. Top with cheese and serve.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 362Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 56mgSodium: 255mgCarbohydrates: 24gFiber: 2gSugar: 4gProtein: 21g