so-simple meat sauce (or a Rich Romantic Ragoût)

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so-simple meat sauce (or a Rich Romantic Ragoût)

All dressed up with just a few pantry ingredients and the kids So-Simple Meat Sauce becomes a Rich Romantic Ragoût! Talk about chemistry, the alchemy of anchovy, tomato, black olives and red wine combine to bring ground sirloin’s beefy flavour to the forefront – a potent combination to tease taste buds and brighten the senses.


1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil

1 onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup (250 mL) diced vegetables (e.g. zucchini and sweet pepper)

1 lb (500 kg) Lean Ground Beef Sirloin

1 can (28 oz / 796 mL) tomatoes

1 can (5-∏ oz / 156 mL) tomato paste

1 tbsp (15 mL) brown sugar

∏ tsp (2 mL) dried oregano

Salt and pepper


1.      Heat oil in large heavy saucepan over medium heat.  Add onion, garlic, vegetables and ground sirloin; cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up meat, for 8 to 10 minutes or until beef is browned.  Drain.


2.      Add tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar and oregano; bring to boil, stirring often.  SPLIT THE BATCH – transfer half the sauce into a second large saucepan. One half becomes kid’s So-Simple Meat Sauce, while the other transforms into date night dining’s Rich Romantic Ragoût.


3.      Kid’s So-Simple Meat Sauce: To one half batch, reduce heat to low; cover and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Season with salt and pepper to taste and add a bit more sugar if necessary. Serve over spaghetti.

4.      Date Night’s Rich Romantic Ragoût: To one half batch, stir in 1/4 cup (50 mL) EACH dry red wine and pitted black olives (chopped) and 1/4 tsp (1 mL) dried chili pepper flakes. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve over pappardelle pasta or polenta with freshly ground pepper and Parmesan.


Makes 5 cups (1.25 L) sauce in total


Per Serving of So-Simple Meat Sauce:  305 Calories, 19 g protein, 18 g fat, 20 g carbohydrate

Excellent source of iron (26%DV) and zinc (43% DV), 15% DV sodium.

Source: the Beef Information Centre


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