chruch supper spaghetti

Of course! A “church supper spaghetti” recipe is a beloved classic. It’s not about fancy techniques; it’s about making a huge, comforting, crowd-pleasing sauce that simmers for hours, filling the fellowship hall with an irresistible aroma.

This recipe is scaled for a family, but includes notes for scaling up to feed a crowd (50+ people).

The Hallmarks of Church Supper Spaghetti:

• Rich, Meat Sauce: Often uses a mix of meats for depth.

• Long Simmer Time: Develops deep, mellow flavors.

• Sweetness: A touch of sugar is traditional to balance the tomatoes.

• Simple Ingredients: Nothing too exotic or expensive.

• Served with: Garlic bread, green salad with Italian dressing, and iced tea or lemonade.

Family-Sized Church Supper Spaghetti (Serves 8-10)

Ingredients:

For the Sauce:

• 2 lbs ground beef (80/20 is best for flavor)

• 1 lb Italian sausage (mild or hot), casings removed

• 1 large onion, finely chopped

• 1 green bell pepper, finely chopped (optional, but common)

• 4-6 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 (28 oz) cans crushed tomatoes

• 1 (28 oz) can tomato sauce

• 1 (12 oz) can tomato paste

• 4 cups water (use to rinse out the tomato cans)

• ¼ cup granulated sugar (adjust to taste)

• 3-4 bay leaves

• 2 tbsp dried Italian seasoning

• 1 tbsp dried basil

• 2 tsp dried oregano

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• Secret Weapon: 2-3 tablespoons of butter stirred in at the end (adds richness and mellows acidity).

For Assembly:

• 2 lbs spaghetti noodles

• Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

Instructions:

1. Brown the Meats: In a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef and Italian sausage, breaking it up with a spoon. Cook until no longer pink. Drain most of the excess fat, leaving about 2 tablespoons for flavor.

2. Sauté Aromatics: Add the chopped onion (and bell pepper if using) to the meat. Cook for 6-8 minutes until softened. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute until fragrant.

3. Build the Sauce: Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste. Stir well. Rinse each can with about 2 cups of water and add it to the pot (this gets all the tomato goodness and thins the sauce perfectly for simmering).

4. Season: Stir in the sugar, bay leaves, Italian seasoning, basil, oregano, garlic powder, a big pinch of salt, and black pepper.

5. The Long Simmer: Bring the sauce to a gentle bubble, then reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Cover partially and let it simmer for at least 2 hours, preferably 3-4, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. The sauce will darken in color, thicken, and the flavors will meld beautifully.

6. Final Touch: Before serving, remove the bay leaves. Stir in the butter until melted. Taste and adjust seasoning—you might need more salt, pepper, or a pinch more sugar.

7. Cook the Pasta: Just before serving, cook the spaghetti in a large pot of well-salted boiling water according to package directions until al dente. Drain.

8. Serve: Ladle the hearty meat sauce over the spaghetti on each plate or in a bowl. Pass plenty of grated Parmesan cheese.

How to Scale Up for a Chu