How to Make My Mother’s Pasta Sauce

They say that smell is one of the best memory makers for the human mind. A smell can take us back to our childhoods in an instant. Rain in the woods can remind me of camp, bleach reminds me of the pool at the health center where I use to take Tae Kwon Do as a child, and the smell of suntan lotion, of course, brings me back to playing on Florida’s soft sandy beaches. One smell that I cherish though is my mother’s pasta sauce recipe.

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I feel like everyone has that one “family recipe” that they just love and pass down and this is one of my favorites. I can remember being a child and laying on the floor of my living room watching TV while the smell of this sauce floated in from the kitchen. I love it now because it reminds me of my mother, and it’s easy to make, freezes well and can be used not just in spaghetti dishes, but in lasagna too! I hope you love it as much as I do and that it becomes a staple in your home as well.

How to Make My Mother’s Pasta Sauce by autumnbecomes.me

*1lb ground meat (Beef or Turkey)

*1 onion, chopped

*2 cloves of garlic minced

*29oz can of Tomato puree

*24oz can of pasta sauce (Classico 4 cheese)

*6oz can tomato paste with an additional 1 and a half cans of water

*1 mini bottle or 187ml of Sutter’s Home red wine (merlot)

*2tbsp oregano dried

*1/4 cup dried parsley

How to Make My Mother’s Pasta Sauce by autumnbecomes.me

1.) Over medium heat, brown the ground meat and the onions and garlic altogether. Make sure they are cooked through and drain the extra liquid.

2.) Add in your tomato puree, pasta sauce, tomato paste and the accompanying 1 and a half cans of water, red wine, oregano, and parlsey.

3.) Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to medium-low for 30 minutes to let flavors mingle. Stir occasionally.

4.) Serve over any kind of pasta, or freeze!

How to Make My Mother’s Pasta Sauce by autumnbecomes.me

I hope you enjoy making this delicious dish. One of the things I love most about it, is how it makes my home smell, especially if I’m cooking a big batch to put away for the winter. If you do make it, please let me know what you think in the comments or tag me on any of my social media! - Heather Autumn