The Warm Kitchen Journal

Rich, hearty, and slow-simmered—this is the kind of sauce that makes your whole kitchen smell like comfort. Goes great with spaghetti!

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef

1 tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, finely diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 tsp thyme

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp black pepper

32 oz (4 cups) pasta sauce

¼ cup beef broth or dry red wine

Instructions

1. Brown the meat

Heat olive oil in a large pan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add ground beef breaking it up as it cooks. Season with salt, pepper, and thyme. Cook until the meat is fully browned with a little caramelization.

2.Add onion + garlic

Stir in diced onion and cook until soft and translucent (about 1-2 minutes). Add garlic and cook for 30–60 seconds until fragrant.

3.Deglaze

Pour in beef broth or red wine, scraping up all those flavorful browned bits from the pan.

4. Add sauce + simmer

Stir in the pasta sauce and bring to a gentle simmer. Reduce heat to low and let it cook for at least 30 minutes (longer = even better flavor).

✨ Tips from my kitchen

•Add a tiny drizzle of olive oil on top before serving for that glossy finish •Let it simmer uncovered the last 10 minutes for a thicker, richer texture •Toss in a pinch of sugar if your sauce tastes too acidic

•Finish with fresh basil or grated parmesan or both!