A Navy cook who prepared this for presidents at Camp David, Maryland, showed me the recipe. It is definitely suited for a president, and I have served it to my family numerous times. Ideal with a hearty garden salad and garlic toast.
| Prep Time: | 15 mins |
| Cook Time: | 1 hr 40 mins |
| Total Time: | 1 hr 55 mins |
| Servings: | 8 |
| Yield: | 8 servings |
Ingredients
- 2 Italian sausage links, casings removed
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
- 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ¼ cup chopped fresh oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 (16 ounce) package uncooked spaghetti
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Slice the sausages lengthwise, leaving them attached along one side. Spread them out flat in a large skillet. Cook over medium heat for 15 minutes, turning once, until the sausages are browned and cooked through. Remove from skillet and set aside.
- Place the ground beef, olive oil, onion, and garlic in the skillet, and cook and stir over medium heat for about 10 minutes, until the onion is translucent and the beef is browned and crumbly. Drain all but 2 tablespoons of fat. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato sauce, salt, pepper, basil, oregano, and bay leaf. Simmer uncovered over low heat for 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until the flavors have blended. Remove the bay leaf.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil, drop in the pasta, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Drain the pasta, and mix it into the sauce.
- Place servings of hot pasta with sauce on oven-safe plates, place a cooked, opened sausage over each serving, and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Place plates in the preheated oven for 5 to 10 minutes, until the cheese has melted and begun to brown.
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 439 kcal |
| Carbohydrate | 48 g |
| Cholesterol | 53 mg |
| Dietary Fiber | 4 g |
| Protein | 25 g |
| Saturated Fat | 6 g |
| Sodium | 985 mg |
| Sugars | 4 g |
| Fat | 17 g |
| Unsaturated Fat | 0 g |
Reviews
There are only two in our family so, I only used one sausage, and eight ounces of ground turkey, but went according to recipe for the amounts of tomato sauce and canned tomatoes. The sauce did cook down considerably, and there was definitely enough meat. Other than cooking the two meats together, I made it according to recipe. The flavor was really good, so I will be making it again. It really did surprise me how tasty it was with so few ingredients, but it was a very pleasant surprise. It is on my “tried it, loved it!” list.
Made this recipe for my husband and I tonight and served it with some tasty texas toast. 10/10 would recommend!
Made according to recipe… I really loved it but I made it for people that don’t like hunks of tomato so they didn’t eat what I thought was one of the best parts!….but, all the more tomato for me! My husband grabbed a handful of fresh chopped green onion and freshly fried crispy bacon that I had out for another dish and added to top of his serving and he said that really upped the flavor profile….ok, Mr husband President.
Amazing recipe. Changed a few things due to not having all the ingredients. I used 1lbs ground beef & 1/2lbs of hot sausage (ground). I didn’t have spaghetti noodles so I used butterfly noodles. Also didn’t have whole peeled tomatoes so I used Ragu with meat. Also didn’t put it in the oven; didn’t want it to dry out. It’s really meaty but I really enjoyed it! Delicious meal!!
I made this tonight and the sauce tasted pretty salty before laying over the pasta, but together it tasted very good. I’m just not crazy about the texture/oiliness of the sauce itself. I, like others prefer a more tomato type sauce and I don’t feel like doctoring this up to where I like it. Will keep searching.
it’s simmering on the stove as we speak! it’s tasting very good. I even peeled three mediumish locally grown tomatoes. This was fun! Thanx!!!
Best home-made spaghetti I have ever made. Recipe was also pretty simple and straight forward. I will definitely make again.
Other than the flavor of the sausage, I felt this sauce really lacked any taste. Since it did not call for many spices, I was skeptical and rightly so. I would not make this again as I had to change the recipe quite a bit by adding a multitude of Italian spices to suite our taste.
I made this mainly just for the sauce. Instead of putting the sausages on top and baking, I just crumbled the sausage, browned it, and added it to the sauce. The sauce is sooooo delicious. I added it to my angel hair pasta and was good to go!
Fantastic!! Fresh oregano is a must, easy great spaghetti sauce everyone has loved. I do simmer the sauce for a lot longer than recipe calls for.
this was super good. I used Fresh Market mild Italian sausage from the meat dept. so tasty
This was excellent. Spaghetti for grownups!
I used 1/2 lb of 90% ground beef and just one large fresh Italian sasauge removed from casing and cut into pieces. I then fried up the meats, onions and garlic and added rest of ingredients using freshly sliced basil. I simmered about one hour. Excellent! I Will surely make this again!
This I have made it, and now the family wants it every week, really fabulous.
Family loved it. Easy to make. Will make again
Excellent flavor and very easy to make!
This was amazing. I did add 1/2 cup red wine, 15 oz diced tomatoes in addition to the whole tomatoes and sauce, 2 TBS tomato paste with herbs and a sprinkle of thyme. I hand crushed the whole tomatoes.
Followed recipe but used RAO marinara will make it again
Added 14 cup dried parsley, 1 can 8 0z. mushrooms, (fresh, sauted in butter first would be better) I cut the sausage into bite sized pieced before adding to sauce. Layered the pasta, sauce, cheese. Baked as directed. The hour cooking, uncovered is a must do. I did not have spaghetti pasta. Substituted wide egg noodles. Could not wait for another trip to the grocery. Will use spaghetti next time. Did not have oven proof plates. Used one 9 x 13 LeCruset casserole. Grandson Said, “Oh, a casserole.” He ate like any 18 year old growing 6’2″ boy. Will make again.
Outstanding!!
This was so tasty and so delicious and with every mouthful thought..wow I’m eating the same food as previous Presidents… a must try from a Aussie girl