Have you ever looked at the back of a jar of spaghetti sauce? The first ingredient is tomatoes, and it goes downhill from there. The second most prevalent ingredient in many supermarket sauces is corn syrup and/or other kinds of sugar. Then they hit you with the oils. Sure, there is some of the “good” fats like olive oil, but they are in there for flavoring. Many times you will find other unnecessary oils.
By making your own sauce, you control the sugars and oils and can make a simple, delicious sauce.
The same goes for the meatballs! Our meatballs are made from 50% beef and 50% ground turkey, cutting the fat content drastically.
The Sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium chopped onion
4 cloves garlic
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 28oz can diced tomatoes (if you like your sauce chunky) or kitchen ready tomatoes (if you like your sauce smooth)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup torn fresh basil or 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
salt & ground pepper to taste
In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat.
Add the onion and cook till onions are translucent, 3-5 minutes.
Add tomato paste, garlic, red pepper flakes and oregano. If you are using dried basil add that now also.
Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook about 15 minutes until some of the liquid evaporates.
Add fresh basil. Salt and pepper to taste.
The Meatballs
1/2 pound 90% lean ground beef
1/2 pound lean ground turkey
1/2 cup “quick” oatmeal
1/4 cup of the sauce from above
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup finely grated carrot
2 cloves minced garlic
2 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 cup egg product (like Egg Beaters)
Salt & pepper to taste
Combine all the above ingredients in a large bowl. Do not over-mix.
Form into 2½” balls and place on a baking sheet 2 inches apart.
Cook 20 minutes in 350° oven until internal temperature of meatballs is 160°
After the meatballs are cooked, they can be moved into the sauce pot to keep warm and to give extra flavor to the sauce.
The Pasta
Any one pound box of pasta may be used. Cook according to package instructions.
Top the entire dish with grated Parmesan cheese and chopped flat leaf parsley.
Serves 6
