Greek spaghetti with meat sauce is the ultimate comfort food. I remember going to my Yiayia's growing up and eating plates of spaghetti while soaking up the sauce with heaps of bread. The ingredients are simple, but a tiny bit of cinnamon, parsley, and a bay leaf give it a unique and warming flavor. Perfect for a cool fall day.
I made this for a family dinner the other night and my Yiayia gave me her stamp of approval. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
1 T butter
1 medium onion, shredded (with a grater or food processor)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 C red wine
1/2 lb ground chuck
1/2 lb ground sirloin
1 bay leaf
1/4 C fresh parsley, finely chopped
15 oz can tomato sauce
salt & pepper
1/8 - 1/4 t cinnamon
1/2 package spaghetti
1/4 C grated kefalotiri, mizithra, or parmesan cheese
Directions:
in a large pot or pan, melt the butter over medium-high eat.
add the onion and sauté until it starts to change color (about 5 - 7 minutes).
add the garlic and cook until fragrant (about 1 minute).
add the beef and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon.
cook the meat until there is no more pink.
add the red wine and continue to cook (about 3 minutes or until alcohol burns off).
add the tomato sauce, bay leaf, parsley, salt & pepper, and cinnamon.
stir and bring to a boil.
lower heat, cover, and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
with 15 minutes left, cook spaghetti according to package.
drain spaghetti and add gradually to meat sauce.
stir to coat spaghetti and disperse meat.
sprinkle with cheese and serve.
tips & extras
onions - Shredding the onion releases all of its flavor. I use a small food processor, but you can also grate the onions. Grating onions makes me cry like crazy, but it still works.
cinnamon - Cinnamon is a very powerful spice and can easily overwhelm the sauce. I'd recommend starting with an 1/8 t (or even less) and possibly increasing it to 1/4 t after tasting your sauce. Greeks can't get enough of it, and even sprinkle cinnamon on spaghetti with just butter & cheese (another great quick recipe).
salt - Watch how much salt you add to the sauce. Add just a bit to start and then taste the sauce while cooking and adjust where necessary. The tomato sauce has quite a bit of salt and so will the cheese.
cooking meat - Be careful not to burn the meat while cooking it. Stir it occasionally and loosen it from the bottom of the pot.
leftovers - You can double (or even triple) this recipe and freeze the sauce. Boil a pot of spaghetti, defrost the sauce, and you have an easy weeknight meal.
meat - Chuck makes this sooo good, but you can use all sirloin or even turkey for a healthier dish.
cheese - If you can't find Greek cheese, serve with parmesan.
wine - No biggie if you don't have this ingredient. The sauce is still delicious (but better with the wine of course).
sauce consistency - If you want a thinner sauce, add water or more tomato sauce. I like it thick and meaty, but you still want to be able to coat the spaghetti.
I made this for a family dinner the other night and my Yiayia gave me her stamp of approval. Enjoy!
 |
| greek spaghetti with meat sauce |
Ingredients:
1 T butter
1 medium onion, shredded (with a grater or food processor)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 C red wine
1/2 lb ground chuck
1/2 lb ground sirloin
1 bay leaf
1/4 C fresh parsley, finely chopped
15 oz can tomato sauce
salt & pepper
1/8 - 1/4 t cinnamon
1/2 package spaghetti
1/4 C grated kefalotiri, mizithra, or parmesan cheese
Directions:
in a large pot or pan, melt the butter over medium-high eat.
add the onion and sauté until it starts to change color (about 5 - 7 minutes).
add the garlic and cook until fragrant (about 1 minute).
add the beef and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon.
cook the meat until there is no more pink.
add the red wine and continue to cook (about 3 minutes or until alcohol burns off).
add the tomato sauce, bay leaf, parsley, salt & pepper, and cinnamon.
stir and bring to a boil.
lower heat, cover, and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
with 15 minutes left, cook spaghetti according to package.
drain spaghetti and add gradually to meat sauce.
stir to coat spaghetti and disperse meat.
sprinkle with cheese and serve.
 |
| shred onions in a mini food processor (great kitchen gadget and pretty cheap) |
 |
| cook onions in butter with garlic |
 |
| brown the meat, mix with the onions |
 |
| boil the mixture - look at all that parsley! |
 |
| perfect bite |
tips & extras
onions - Shredding the onion releases all of its flavor. I use a small food processor, but you can also grate the onions. Grating onions makes me cry like crazy, but it still works.
cinnamon - Cinnamon is a very powerful spice and can easily overwhelm the sauce. I'd recommend starting with an 1/8 t (or even less) and possibly increasing it to 1/4 t after tasting your sauce. Greeks can't get enough of it, and even sprinkle cinnamon on spaghetti with just butter & cheese (another great quick recipe).
salt - Watch how much salt you add to the sauce. Add just a bit to start and then taste the sauce while cooking and adjust where necessary. The tomato sauce has quite a bit of salt and so will the cheese.
cooking meat - Be careful not to burn the meat while cooking it. Stir it occasionally and loosen it from the bottom of the pot.
leftovers - You can double (or even triple) this recipe and freeze the sauce. Boil a pot of spaghetti, defrost the sauce, and you have an easy weeknight meal.
meat - Chuck makes this sooo good, but you can use all sirloin or even turkey for a healthier dish.
cheese - If you can't find Greek cheese, serve with parmesan.
wine - No biggie if you don't have this ingredient. The sauce is still delicious (but better with the wine of course).
sauce consistency - If you want a thinner sauce, add water or more tomato sauce. I like it thick and meaty, but you still want to be able to coat the spaghetti.
