Homemade Marinara Sauce

Place a 5 qt. dutch oven over medium heat and drizzle in one teaspoon of olive oil. Let the oil heat until it’s shimmering, then add the diced onion and green bell pepper. Add a pinch of salt to encourage the vegetables to sweat and stir them around, cooking until they soften and become translucent – about 5-7 minutes or so. 

Add your ground beef, breaking it up with a wooden spoon into small pieces. Season with a teaspoon of salt and a couple of pinches of black pepper. Cook until no more pink remains.

After the meat has browned, pour it into a fine mesh strainer – along with the peppers and onions – to allow the fat to drain completely. Shake it a bit to make sure as much is gone as possible. Set it aside while we bloom our tomato paste. 

Add the remaining olive oil to the pot, then the garlic. Cook for 2 minutes or so, then add the tomato paste. Stir the tomato paste around, allowing it to coat the garlic. It should start to deepen in color and become very fragrant.

Move the paste and garlic over a bit and add the fennel seeds. Allow them to toast, stirring the entire time, for just a minute or two, then stir everything together to combine. Return the drained ground beef, peppers, and onions to the pan. 

Pour in the peeled tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, and red wine vinegar. Stir it all together, then stir in all of the dry seasonings. Once everything is well combined, taste it. Add the brown sugar if it’s bitter or acidic. Add a little more salt if you think it needs it, then toss in the parmesan rind and cover with a lid, reducing the heat to medium-low. 

Cook for two hours, then uncover, stir, and taste. Add the remaining sugar if needed, and adjust for salt or any other seasonings. Cover and continue to cook until the sauce has thickened and reduced by about a third, usually around 2 more hours or so. 

Once the sauce has been reduced remove the parmesan rind and stir in the minced basil. Cook for another 15 minutes, and you’re done. Dassit!