Simple Italian-Style Meat Sauce

Lately, this is my go-to, easy spaghetti sauce. It comes together quickly with minimal effort, but tastes like its been simmering on the stove all day! Oh, and the sauce gets even better the next day. For an extra veggie punch, you can put 1/2 cup of pumpkin puree in the sauce when adding the tomatoes. Serves 8-10 (feel free to freeze 1/2 of the sauce for later!).


Ingredients

1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
2 tablespoons half and half
Salt and pepper
1 pound lean ground turkey
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, chopped fine
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 14.5oz can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 28oz can crushed tomatoes (or 2 14.5oz cans diced tomatoes pulsed in the food processor about 5 times)
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
2 pounds spaghetti (I used rotini tonight)

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until softened and well-browned, 6 to 12 minutes. Stir in garlic, pepper flakes, and tomato paste and cook until fragrant and tomato paste starts to brown, about 1 minute. Stir in the tomato juice from the can of diced tomatoes and the oregano, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in meat, bread crumbs, half and half, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook breaking up any large pieces until meat is no longer pink, 3 minutes (don't brown the meat).

Stir in diced tomatoes and crushed tomatoes, bring to gentle simmer, and cook until sauce has thickened, about 30 minutes. Stir in parmesan.

Meanwhile, cook pasta. When done, toss with a cup of the sauce and serve with more sauce and more parmesan.