Meaty Mushroom Marinara Sauce

Meat and Mushroom Marinara Sauce

Last week, Mr. Mom’s Kitchen wondered who kidnapped his wife; I had spiraled into a carpool-induced psychosis.

It started when the reality of my weekday afternoons began to sink in. All three of my kids have to be at three places in three corners of the city (some not easily accessed by bus) all at the same time.

It led to dark thoughts….and under-the-breath cursing…

–over the distant location of the soccer field
–the amount of construction blocking intersections
–the madness of starting sports practices when we usually start dinner
–the Google buses crowding the streets

And then this ugly thought tripped across my consciousness

At least a year from now I’ll only have two kids at home.

I feel a little sick just thinking about it, since

1) What kind of mother thinks that?

and

2) The truth is, a year from now, I’m going to be wishing I were driving my oldest across town instead of across the country to a freshman dorm.

That terrible thought snapped me back to my senses. I emerged from the carpool trenches and regained perspective. Time in the car is time with my kids, after all, even if it’s in ugly traffic, crowded with Google buses, to far off places, at dinnertime.

The tricky part, is the last bit: dinner. Coming home after seven with three hungry kids puts me in a pickle. And so, freezer meals like this Meaty Mushroom Marinara, are a lifesaver. The recipe makes enough for two or maybe three dinners. One for tonight, and the rest to tuck in the freezer when you need it.Roasted Cauliflower and Meaty Mushroom Marinara

I’ve taken to serving this sauce over vegetables instead of pasta (or a combination of the two). I’ll roast cauliflower or a whole mess of eggplant and peppers tossed with olive oil and salt at 450 degrees until just tender. Spoon the sauce over and finish with grated Parmesan. It’s tasty enough that you may even forget, just for a little while, all about the carpool.

 

Meat and Mushroom Marinara Sauce

Mushroom Marinara
5 from 1 vote
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Meaty Mushroom Marinara Sauce

This flavorful sauce gets it's meatiness, in part, from ground beef, but also from an equal amount of fresh mushrooms. To save time, chop the mushrooms in a food processor or buy pre-sliced ones. Whatever sauce you don't use, pack into a freezer-friendly container where it will keep for several months.
Course Dinner
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Author Katie Morford

Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • 3/4 pound white or cremini mushrooms, sliced or chopped
  • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
  • 3/4 pound ground beef or turkey
  • Two 28-ounce cans (or 26-ounce boxes) diced tomatoes
  • 1/3 cup red wine
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (more if you want a kick)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • Black pepper
  • 1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh basil
  • Cooked pasta or vegetables (or a combination) for serving

Instructions

  1. In a large skillet or dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium. Add the onion and saute until transluscent and tender, about 5 minutes.
  2. Add the garlic, fennel seeds, and mushrooms, turn the heat to medium-high, and saute for 3 to 4 minutes until the mushrooms begin to soften and shrink a bit.
  3. Add the beef and cook, breaking it up in the pan, until it is no longer pink.
  4. Add the tomatoes, wine, and red pepper flakes, stir, and adjust the heat so that the sauce is at a lively simmer. Cook for about 30 minutes until the sauce thickens and the tomatoes are cooked.
  5. Add the salt, several cracks of black pepper, and the basil. Stir well, taste, and adjust seasoning if needed.
  6. Serve over pasta or vegetables.

 

Comments

09.21.2015 at3:17 AM #

Jill

Katie,

It’s 5 am and I just returned from dropping my dot off to swim practice. After years of carpooling at all hours of the day, mostly after school, I thought today that Mondays at 5 am aren’t so bad. I get 15 minutes alone with my dot (who happens to be chipper and alert in the morning), who otherwise is sequestered in her room doing homework all night!

This, after dropping my first off to college a few weeks ago…:)

Hang in there! That’s why there are crockpots and freezer meals and leftovers!

09.21.2015 at3:17 AM #

Katie Morford

5 am? You win the prize.

And that dropping off to college line? Made me cry on the spot.

09.21.2015 at6:04 AM #

Lauren Harris-Pincus

Sounds like my kind of meal, Katie! Yum!!

09.21.2015 at8:49 AM #

Hayley

These are great recipes for the Thompson household especially given our current situation. Will definitely get my daughter on cooking up a couple of these freezer meals on the weekend!

09.21.2015 at8:49 AM #

Katie Morford

Smart lady…harness your labor force 🙂

09.21.2015 at6:49 PM #

Katie @ Mom to Mom Nutrition

Two things: 1. I can picture the construction in the city and can only imagine trying to be at 3 places at once and 2. I teared up just thinking about your oldest going off to college! Time flies, right?!

09.21.2015 at6:49 PM #

Katie Morford

I know. I’m trying to hang onto every precious moment…but it’s hard sometimes!

02.24.2019 at3:32 PM #

Lorraine

Hi Katie,
I am going to try your meaty mushroom marinara sauce tonight; it looks great!
In reading about you – you mention Google buses. I have to deal with them too in my daily commute on 101 to and from work. I live in the SF bay area. Just wondering where about you live?

🙂 Lorraine

02.24.2019 at3:32 PM #

Katie Morford

I live in San Francisco!

11.11.2019 at7:29 AM #

Michael Keller

My only question is concerning the grease released from Browning the Ground Beef. How can it be drained off if you immediately add the tomatoes ?

11.11.2019 at7:29 AM #

Katie Morford

Good question. I tend to buy extra-lean ground beef or ground turkey, which don’t produce as much fat as other types of ground beef. That said, if you feel you have excessive grease, you can always drain it before adding the tomatoes.

05.24.2020 at7:14 AM #

Linda S Murphy

Would this be good with no meat or meat substitute?

05.24.2020 at7:14 AM #

Katie Morford

I’ve made it with Beyond Meat burgers and Beyond Meat sausage and it’s very tasty. And you could also try with tempeh or just more mushrooms.

11.27.2022 at7:43 PM #

Kara Eckhardt

Love this! Huge with my family. I made some over cauliflower and some over pasta

11.27.2022 at7:43 PM #

Katie Morford

That’s how we like it too! Glad it was a success.

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