Dairy Farmers of Canada

Best-Ever Spaghetti Sauce

This recipe is taken from the 2001 Milk Calendar. This is the most delicious, quickly prepared meat sauce you'll ever make. Northern Italian cooks traditionally include milk in their classic Bolognese sauce.

  • Prep: 10 min
  • Cooking: 25 min - 30 min
Yields 6 servings
best ever spaghetti sauce

Ingredients

  • 1 lb (450 g) lean ground beef
  • 3 cups (750 mL) sliced mushrooms
  • 2 stalks celery chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 chopped onion
  • 1 tbsp (15 mL) dried Italian herb seasoning*
  • 1/4 tsp (1 mL) dried red pepper flakes
  • 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) Milk
  • 1 can (28 oz/796 mL) diced tomatoes
  • 1 can (5 1/2 oz/156 mL) tomato paste
  • 1 tsp (5 mL) salt
  • 1 tsp (5 mL) pepper
  • 1/2 cup (125 mL) freshly grated Canadian Parmesan cheese
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Preparation

In large saucepan, brown beef over medium-high heat; drain off excess fat. Add mushrooms, celery, garlic, onion, herb seasoning, and red pepper flakes; cook until mushrooms are browned. Add milk and bring to boil; reduce heat and boil gently until most of the liquid is absorbed. Add tomatoes and tomato paste; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 10 min or until slightly thickened. Stir in salt and pepper.

To serve, spoon or toss sauce over 1 lb (450 g) of al dente cooked pasta. Sprinkle with Canadian Parmesan cheese.

Tips

*In place of dried Italian herb seasoning, you can use 1 tsp (5 mL) each dried basil, oregano and rosemary.

For the Adventurous: Add 1 cup (250 mL) white wine after cooking vegetables; simmer until most of the liquid is absorbed, then add milk and continue as above. Sprinkle finished dish with chopped fresh basil, oregano and / or parsley.

Healthy Eating Tip: Pump up your iron- Get a double dose of iron from ground beef and pasta. The iron in beef is easily absorbed by your body. By including Vitamin C as part of a meal, like tomatoes in this recipe, you also increase iron absorption from plant sources of iron such as pasta and cereals.

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Nutritional information

Per serving
Energy: 259 Calories
Protein: 22 g
Carbohydrate: 19 g
Fat: 11 g
Fibre: 3.7 g
Sodium: 746 mg

Top 5 Nutrients

(% DV*)
Calcium: 21 % / 231 mg
Niacin: 47 %
Riboflavin: 32 %
Vitamin B12: 65 %
Zinc: 53 %