Spaghetti

I tried a new spaghetti sauce recipe recently from My Kitchen Cafe, and we really liked it. I’ve never made sauce with bell peppers in it, but I really liked the sweet peppery taste they added to it; I also liked the trace of balsamic vinegar. My husband, who is not a big fan of spaghetti, really liked it and requested the left over food for his lunch. While I still love my mom’s recipe, it was nice to try a different sauce. Thanks for the great recipe, Melanie.

Spaghetti Sauce

recipe from My Kitchen Cafe

printable version of this recipe

1 ½ tablespoons olive oil

½ yellow onion, chopped and divided
½ red or green bell pepper, chopped
1 pound ground beef
2 cloves minced garlic
1 6 ounce can tomato paste
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
1 ½ teaspoons dried basil
¾ teaspoons dried thyme
1 14-oz. can Italian-style diced tomatoes (I used 1 quart+1 pint home canned tomatoes)
1 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes
¾ cups beef stock or beef broth
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add 1/2 of the onions and sauté until slightly browned; add garlic and stir. Add beef and cook until browned; drain.

Puree the remaining onions and bell pepper in a blender; add mixture to the meat and stir. Add tomato paste and spices, stirring until combined. Add tomatoes, beef broth and sugar; stir. Add the bay leaf; bring sauce to a boil and then reduce to low and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Stir in the balsamic vinegar before serving.