Authentic Greek Meat Sauce Pasta (Print Format)
Rich meat sauce with aromatic spices, slow-simmered tomatoes, and olive oil, paired with pasta and aged cheese.
# Ingredients:
→ Oils
01 -
Olive oil
→ Vegetables
02 -
1 large onion, minced (approximately 200 grams)
03 -
2 large garlic cloves, crushed
→ Meats
04 -
500 grams (1.1 pounds) ground beef or a mix of half ground beef and half ground pork
→ Tomato and Wine
05 -
3 tablespoons tomato paste
06 -
60 ml sweet red wine
07 -
500 grams (2 cups + 2 tablespoons) crushed tomatoes
→ Spices and Herbs
08 -
1 teaspoon ground allspice or 5-6 whole allspice berries
09 -
¼ teaspoon ground cloves or 4-5 whole cloves
10 -
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
11 -
1 small stick cinnamon
12 -
1 bay leaf
13 -
2-3 small sprigs fresh thyme
14 -
Coarse sea salt
15 -
Ground black pepper
→ Liquids
16 -
500 ml (2 cups) hot water or stock
→ Pasta
17 -
500 grams dried spaghetti, cooked per package instructions
→ Cheese (for serving)
18 -
Greek Kefalotyri, Parmesan, or Pecorino cheese
# Steps:
01 -
Heat a generous splash of olive oil in a sauté pan. Add the minced onion with a pinch of salt and cook over moderate heat until nearly caramelized.
02 -
Add the ground meat to the pan. Increase heat to high, season with coarse sea salt and ground pepper, and cook while breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon until it begins to brown.
03 -
Stir in the tomato paste and cook for one additional minute to develop flavor.
04 -
Pour in the sweet red wine to deglaze the pan, scraping any browned bits from the bottom.
05 -
Add crushed tomatoes, bay leaf, thyme sprigs, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, and the cinnamon stick to the pan.
06 -
Pour in hot water or stock, cover, and let the sauce simmer gently over low heat for about 30 minutes.
07 -
Raise the heat slightly, taste for seasoning, and cook uncovered until the sauce thickens to the desired consistency.
08 -
Plate cooked spaghetti and top with the meat sauce. Serve accompanied by Greek Kefalotyri, Parmesan, or Pecorino cheese as preferred.
# Tips:
01 -
For an alternative to crushed tomatoes, pulse whole canned tomatoes in a food processor or blender to achieve the desired texture.