Ingredients:
- 1 lb lean ground beef (organic/grass-fed)
- 1 medium onion (chopped well)
- 1 green bell pepper (chopped well)
- 3-4 cloves of fresh garlic (minced)
- ¼ cup finely grated parmesan cheese (plus more for topping the spaghetti if desired)
- 1 – 28 ounce can of organic Italian peeled tomatoes in puree’
- 1 – 15 ounce can of organic tomato sauce
- 1 – 6 ounce can of organic tomato paste
- ¼ cup Fresh Harvest Traditional or Neapolitan Herb balsamic
- 2 teaspoons of your favorite Italian blend seasoning
- 2 – 2.25 ounce cans of sliced, black olives (drained)
- 3 tablespoons Fresh Harvest Tuscan Herb olive oil
- 1- 16 ounce package of dried Spaghetti (our favorite is the ‘Daily Chef’ organic whole wheat spaghetti which does not even taste like whole wheat. It’s amazing. You can get it on Amazon.)
Directions:
In a medium/large saucepan, brown the ground beef. As it cooks use a spatula and break up the meat into tiny crumbles. We have the best luck to let one side brown first on medium heat with the lid on the saucepan for 4-5 minutes, then drain the fat, flip the meat and cook uncovered on medium heat. You want very tiny pieces of meat.
(note: we prefer to use a cast-iron cocotte and the Staub brand from France is our favorite. It just cooks so well and doesn’t stick. But it’s an investment. Available at only a handful of retailers or on Amazon)
While it’s browning, coat a non-stick skillet with the Tuscan Herb olive oil. Add the onion, garlic and green pepper. Sauté’ on medium heat until the onions begin to turn translucent – about 4-5 minutes or so.
Make sure all the oil is drained from the cooked ground beef and add the skillet mixture of vegetables to the saucepan. Mix well and cook on medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Add the Neapolitan herb balsamic and stir well. Next, add the peeled tomatoes, the tomato sauce and the tomato paste, ¼ cup parmesan cheese, and Italian blend seasoning. Stir well and cover the pot. Reduce heat to LOW.
Cover and let simmer for at least 20-30 minutes or longer. Stir the sauce frequently. Now is your time to relax! Let the sauce mix, cook and marinate as you take a time out. You’re almost done!
Make your spaghetti noodles according to directions when you’re ready to eat. While the spaghetti is boiling, add the sliced black olives to your sauce and stir well. Let cook for 5-10 minutes more on low.
Serve the sauce on top of the noodles; add some bread and/or veggies and you have a wonderful meal!
