“…raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens, bright copper kettles and really freaking good spaghetti sauce…” What? It works….
For years now (seriously) I’ve been searching for a meat sauce made with brown sugar. I know it might sound strange, but its good! When I was in college, one of my friends’ roomates made us all spaghetti; and the homemade meat sauce she served over it was sort of sweet. Very memorable, to say the least. So I’ve been trying to find a similar recipe since then – all to no avail. Until now – yippee!!
I was telling my mom about this the other day and she remembered that she had an old recipe for a slightly sweet spaghetti sauce. When she read it off to me I wasn’t totally convinced, but decided to give it a try anyway. Well thank goodness I did, because I have now found my new favorite spaghetti sauce!!! I can finally stop buying the cheap canned kind and adding extra spices to make it semi-decent…I now have my very own go-to meat sauce recipe…Hallelujah! And the great thing is, it makes a ton, so you can freeze half of it for another time – perfect. Now I know this recipe is less than authentic (I’m sure Italians would most definitely turn their noses up at this sauce) – it doesn’t have carrots, celery, onion or anything like that – but I figure since I’m a tacky American anyway, I might as well make tacky Americanized spaghetti sauce, eh? Enjoy –
Amy’s New Favorite Spaghetti Sauce
2 lbs. ground beef
2 teaspoons garlic powder (or you could chop your own if you really want to)
2 teaspoons brown sugar (mine were more like heaping teaspoons)
1 teaspoon dried oregano (I also added a little dried basil)
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon black pepper
salt to taste
1 small can tomato paste
2 cans water (this is using the little tomato paste can)
2 cans tomato soup
1 can tomato sauce
In a large stockpot or dutch oven, brown meat and drain grease. Add all other ingredients, mixing well. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 3 hours. Enjoy! I know I certainly did!
My very Italian grandmother always put sugar in her spaghetti sauce. I believe she used white sugar. It balances the flavors really well. So no worries, you are authentic!
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Comment by bmk — March 5, 2009 @ 10:59 AM
Yummy!! I love sweet spaghetti sauce! 🙂
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Comment by Hornedfroggy of My Baking Heart — March 5, 2009 @ 4:09 PM
So glad I could be helpful! When are you having me over for leftovers?
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Comment by Mother — March 6, 2009 @ 7:50 AM
I was looking for a new recipe and just saw this, I have been making baked spaghetti for years with brown sugar,
Fry up the hamburger with green peppers, black olives, onions, 1 clove crushed garlic, 1/2 cup dark brown sugar then pour in what ever type spaghetti sauce simmer for about an hour or so, then boil the spaghetti noodles till ready, mix in noodles with sauce then pour 1/2 into cake pan then layer with chedder and monzella cheeses then pour other 1/2 of spaghetti w/noodles over and then top with cheeses then bake at 425 for 1 hour. serve with warm garlic bread.
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Comment by donna — September 26, 2011 @ 5:50 PM