After years & years of searching for that 1 perfect Homemade pasta sauce, I have finally found the “one’! This Ragù is a total keeper, if not the ONLY red sauce I will make again.

Homemade Ragù

1/2 onion
1 stalk celery, cut into 4 pieces
1 small carrot, cut into 4 pieces
1 clove garlic
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound ground organic beef
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes with oregano
1/2 cup whole milk
1 cup stock (water will work too)

Pulse the onion, celery, carrot, garlic and rosemary in a food processor until finely chopped. It’s okay if it turns into a puree vs. chopped.

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the chopped vegetables and cook, stirring, until softened and golden, 3 to 5 minutes.

Add the beef, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, milk, 1 cup water and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until slightly thickened, about 20 minutes or longer for a thicker sauce.

Pour on top of your favorite cooked pasta. It’s great the next day & freezes well!

Recipe Source: Adapted by Food Network
Photos: by Jen Grove