Go Back
Print

Hidden Vegetable Spaghetti Sauce with Meat

Onions, garlic, bell peppers, zucchini, mushrooms and 100% Italian tomatoes are pureed in a food processor and sautéed with ground beef and seasonings for a thick and rich meaty sauce. This is the best spaghetti meat sauce with hidden vegetables recipe!

Servings 14 cups

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 medium onions, cut into chunks
  • 4 large garlic cloves, peeled
  • 1 each: red, yellow and green bell peppers, cut into chunks
  • 1 medium zucchini, cut into chunks
  • 250 g cremini mushrooms, roughly chopped
  • 900 g extra lean ground beef
  • 2x 796 mL cans 100% Italian whole peeled tomatoes
  • 1x 156 mL can or tube tomato paste
  • ½ cup water
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons dried oregano
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 pieces 2” x 1” approximate size Parmesan cheese rinds (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (last addition)

Instructions

  1. Heat olive oil in a large 6 or 7 quart Dutch oven (preferably cast iron) over medium-high heat.

  2. In a food processor, process the onions and garlic until finely minced. Add them to the heated olive oil and sauté for 3 - 4 minutes while preparing the next batch of vegetables. No need to clean out the food processor bowl.

  3. Process red, yellow and green bell peppers until finely minced. Add them to the Dutch oven, stir and continue cooking, about 3 - 4 minutes while preparing the next batch of vegetables. Again, no need to clean out the food processor bowl.

  4. Process zucchini and mushrooms until finely minced. Add them to Dutch oven, stir and continue cooking until all the vegetables are tender, about 3 - 4 minutes. Again, no need to clean out the food processor bowl.

  5. Process the canned tomatoes until ground. Set aside until needed (see step 7). Now you’ll be done with the food processor!

  6. Add the ground beef to the cooked vegetables in the Dutch oven, breaking it up with the back of a wooden spoon. Cook over medium-high heat while stirring occasionally until no pink remains in the meat.

  7. Add ground tomatoes and tomato paste. Swish the ½ cup water in the empty cans then add it to the sauce. Season the sauce with salt, pepper, oregano, bay leaves and Parmesan rinds (if using). Stir well to combine.

  8. Cook uncovered over medium-high heat while stirring often until fully heated and bubbling, about 7 - 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover with a lid and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally, and reducing heat to low halfway through. The sauce will concentrate, thicken and reduce.

  9. After the simmer time, add the balsamic vinegar and stir to combine. Cover and simmer over low heat for an additional 10 minutes.

  10. Let sauce rest, covered for 10 minutes then stir well before serving. Remove bay leaves and Parmesan rinds (if used).

  11. Ladle sauce over spaghetti or other pasta shapes. Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley, if desired.