Did someone say spaghetti? Count me in! The comforting noodly Italian dish has fans worldwide, and it’s as delicious as it is messy. Spaghetti is the perfect quick-and-easy weeknight meal, but it will also shine on special occasions when the family comes together.
Spaghetti is fantastic, yes, but it’s only as good as the sauce you serve it with. Let’s say it out loud; store-bought spaghetti sauce is no good. It’s not only packed with artificial ingredients, but it also has lots of hidden sugar, trans fats and whatnot.
I agree, spaghetti is supposed to be a quick meal, but that doesn’t mean we can’t dedicate few hours to make a homemade spaghetti sauce. It’s tastier, healthier and you can add your signature to it. What’s better than that?
What You’ll Need
There are endless possibilities here. Spaghetti sauce can take many forms. My favorite? A lovely Pomodoro sauce, that’s tomato, by the way, and it gives spaghetti a charming juicy personality and a bright tang. Then you simply boost it with meaty ground beef for a whole meal! This is what Italians call a Bolognese sauce, and you’ll love it!
For this spaghetti sauce, you’ll need ground beef, ripe tomatoes, red onion, garlic, Parmesan cheese, Italian cooking herbs, butter, olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.
Tomatoes are critical here, and you want to peel and de-seed them. You only need that bright red flesh. If you want to leave the peels on, please do. I sometimes do, and it’s no biggie; some people, though, prefer their spaghetti sauce smooth and peel-free.
The other thing to consider is the overall quality of the ingredients. If the olive oil is nice and the Parmesan is freshly grated, the spaghetti sauce will be restaurant-quality. You also want the beef to be of premium quality, I like mine with a 75/25 lean-to-fat-ratio. Italian food is always made with few ingredients, so the quality matters most!
How to Serve the Keto Spaghetti Sauce?
This tomato sauce is obviously delicious over spaghetti, but if you’re looking to avoid carbs, then you must be a bit more creative. Here are a few alternatives you’ll love.
- Zucchini noodles. When cut thinly and blanched, zucchini noodles become springy and almost starchy, so they’re fantastic substitutes for regular spaghetti.
- Soybean spaghetti is the new kid on the block, it’s super trendy, and it’s because it looks, feels and tastes almost like regular spaghetti.
- Black bean spaghetti is a thing too, and I love it. It’s dark like squid ink pasta and quite flavorful. This is one good spaghetti that has a visual impact along with an intense pasta flavor.
- Almond flour pasta is gaining popularity; I’ve tried some tube-shaped ziti pasta and found it fantastic. Look for a brand called Almond Love With.
- Also, look out for Natural Heaven pasta, these folks are making spaghetti with hearts of palm, and that’s exciting! I haven’t tried this yet but trust me; I will.
Make Spaghetti Sauce Your Signature Dish
Let’s talk a bit about substitutions because there’s lots of room for creativity with spaghetti sauces. Add capers, olives, chopped basil or some red chili flakes for exciting new versions. You can also add some mushrooms or various veggies. Isn’t that fun?
Spaghetti Sauce
Give your low carb spaghetti a charming personality with meaty ground beef and tomatoes for a whole meal! This is what Italians call a Bolognese sauce, and you’ll love it!
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/2-pound ripe tomatoes
- 1/4 red onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp Parmesan
- 1 tsp Italian cooking herbs
- 1 tbsp butter
- Olive oil as needed
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a hot skillet, roast the tomatoes turning often until slightly charred. Carefully remove and peel under a stream of cold
water. - Slice the tomatoes in half and remove the seeds.
- Finely dice the tomatoes and set them aside.
- Mince the garlic and dice the onions.
- In a skillet, add two tablespoons of olive oil, heat over medium flame and sauté the onion and garlic until the onion is translucent, and the garlic is roasted.
- Add in the ground beef and brown.
- Add the beef mixture to the crockpot and incorporate the tomatoes, butter, Parmesan, cooking herbs, salt and pepper to taste. Cook on High for 4 hours.
- Once fully cooked, taste and adjust the seasoning, add a splash of olive oil and serve over your favorite zucchini or low-carb noodles! Top with extra Parmesan and enjoy!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 195Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 55mgSodium: 124mgCarbohydrates: 2gFiber: 0gSugar: 1gProtein: 16g