Hearty Sausage and Vegetable Spaghetti Sauce Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 0.25 cup olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 12 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• 2 carrots, shredded
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 zucchini, quartered and sliced
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
• 4 ounces fresh basil, julienned
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon fresh oregano
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 (28 ounce) cans peeled and diced tomatoes

Instructions

1. Brown Italian sausage and ground beef in a skillet over medium heat for 7 to 10 minutes, until cooked through and crumbly. Drain off any excess grease.
2. Heat olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté for about 5 minutes, until softened. Stir in sliced mushrooms, diced carrots, bell peppers, and zucchini; cook for an additional 3 to 5 minutes, until slightly tender.
3. Return the cooked sausage and beef mixture to the pot. Stir in spinach, basil, minced garlic, thyme, oregano, sugar, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 2 to 5 minutes, then add crushed tomatoes and stir to combine. Reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 3 hours, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.

Nutrition

• Calories: 339 kcal
• Fat Content: 21 g
• Fiber Content: 5 g
• Sugar Content: 11 g
• Sodium Content: 803 mg
• Protein Content: 19 g
• Cholesterol Content: 45 mg
• Carbohydrate Content: 18 g
• Saturated Fat Content: 6 g
• Unsaturated Fat Content: 0 g