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Freezer Spaghetti Sauce (Easy Make-Ahead Family Dinner)

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Italian
Servings: 8

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 2 15-ounce cans tomato sauce
  • 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
  • 1 6-ounce can tomato paste
  • 3 cloves garlic minced (or about 1 healthy tablespoon jarred minced garlic)
  • 1 green bell pepper diced
  • 1 sweet onion diced
  • 1 large zucchini or 2 small, quartered and sliced
  • 1 pint mushrooms sliced
  • 1 healthy tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes optional

Instructions

  • Brown the ground beef in a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion, bell pepper, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper. Continue cooking until the beef is browned and the onions become translucent.
  • Stir in the garlic and cook for about one minute until fragrant.
  • Add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and tomato paste. Stir until everything is well combined.
  • Once the sauce begins to bubble, stir in the mushrooms and zucchini. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for at least 30 minutes. Longer simmer times allow the flavors to deepen even more.
  • Serve immediately over your favorite pasta, or allow the sauce to cool completely before freezing.

Notes

Tips for Success:
  • Simmer longer if you have time—the flavor only gets better.
  • Remove lid about 10 min before serving to remove excess moisture.
  • Dice the vegetables fairly small so picky eaters hardly notice them.
  • Freeze without pasta for the best texture.
  • Double the batch while you're already cooking to stock your freezer with multiple meals.