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Makaronia me Kima (Greek Spaghetti with Meat Sauce)

Makaronia me Kima (Greek Spaghetti with Meat Sauce)

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Makaronia me Kima (pr. Mah-kha-RHO-niah MEH Kee-MAH), which literally means “Pasta with Ground Meat”, is a pasta dish with Spaghetti and Greek Meat Sauce, similar to Bolognese but with Greek flavours.

This Greek Meat Sauce is one of the easiest Greek recipes, which apart from being served over long pasta such as spaghetti or linguini, can also be used to make moussakas, pastitsio, papoutsakia, lasagne, crepes, cannelloni etc.

I have often used any leftover meat sauce on pizza, as a filling to bread rolls and on peinirli.

Greek spaghetti with meat sauce image

When someone who has never cooked before decides to start cooking, I bet that they always start with this dish.

It is not only easy to make but only a few ingredients are required and it is so tasty.

This is probably why it took me so long to post this recipe. I thought that everybody can make this recipe, so at the beginning of blogging I decided it would be preferable to post more difficult recipes.  

Greek meat sauce image

However, I think that even for those few persons who will now start cooking it is worth while to add this recipe.

Makaronia

In Greek the word “makaronia” is equivalent to pasta, usually referring to long pasta such as spaghetti, linguine etc. 

In Cyprus the Greek recipe Pastitsio is called “Makaronia tou Fournou” which translates as long pasta baked in the oven.

It is also used as an adjective to describe how the Greek pasta “Hylopites” are. 

There are two kind of “hylopites” the long ones, which are called “Makarounotes Hylopites“, which means long hylopites and the smaller ones, which are cut into very small pieces are just called hylopites.

The Greek meat sauce (kimas) vs Bolognese

The Greek sauce is similar to Bolognese, although usually there is no wine in it nor any milk or cream.

The spices used are also very different and usually cinnamon, allspice berries (some people also use nutmeg or cloves) and the bay leaf, are the flavours that prevail.

How to make the Greek Meat Sauce

Step 1. To start, you first finely chop the onion or use a food processor to do the job.

Step 2. Then finely chop the garlic.    

Step 3. Put the saucepan on high heat and add extra virgin Olive Oil to heat.   Start by sautéing the onion, until translucent.  Then add the garlic and sauté it for a few seconds until fragrant.

Step 4.  Now add in your minced veal and using a large cooking spoon quickly get it moving in the saucepan until it starts changing colour from red to an almost grayish colour.

Step 5. While sautéing the minced veal, put the carrot and celery in the food processor and give it a couple of swirls to mince them.  (If you are not using a food processor, grate the carrot ahead before starting and finely chop the celery).  Add the grated carrot and celery into the saucepan, and using the spoon, mix them well, together with the minced meat.      

Step 6. Now add the passata.  (You can also use grated tomatoes without the skin and add a tablespoon of tomato paste as well).

Step 7.  Now add some homemade stock. You can use meat stock, chicken stock or vegetable stock.  If you don’t have any stock, you can use a bouillon and some water.

Step 8.  Add the spices:  ground black pepper, cinnamon stick, allspice berries, oregano, thyme, bay leaf and salt.

Step 9.  Cover the saucepan and simmer on low, for about an hour or until the minced meat is cooked and the sauces thickens. 

Step 10. Discard the cinnamon stick, allspice berries and bay leaf. Don’t worry how to remove them. The allspice berries always float on top and the cinnamon and bay leaf are easy to trace them.

Step 11. Once the meat sauce is ready, turn off the heat and mix in the parsley. 

Step 12. Prepare the pasta: Bring plenty of water to boil and add the salt as well as the pasta and boil according to the directions on package. Stir the pasta occasionally so that they will not stick together.

Step 13: Drain the pasta and serve immediately with some grated cheese and the meat sauce on top.

Note:

Grated cheese:

In Greece we usually use grated myzithra cheese, kefalograviera, graviera, or halloumi.

Pasta:

After cooking the pasta, if you are not serving it right away, add 2 tbsp olive oil after draining the pasta, so that they will not stick together.

Can I make the Sauce Vegan?

Some times I make a vegan version of this recipe and don’t add any meat in it.

I just omit the meat and either replace it with oyster mushrooms or if I don’t have any I use other mushrooms.

Of course, if you don’t like mushrooms, you just make a simple tomato sauce with all the remaining ingredients.   

Makaronia Linguine with dinkel and mushroom sauce image
Makaronia (Linguine) with Dinkel and Mushroom Sauce

Can I freeze the meat sauce?

Yes, of course you can. The same applies for the mushroom sauce or tomato sauce.

I always make sure to make more so that I have leftovers and store it in the freezer.

Let it cool and put it in containers or zip lock bags. Store it in the freezer up to three months.

To use it, thaw it before reheating it, either in a pot or in the microwave.

If you have a small amount which is leftover, you can use it on pizza, as a filling to bread rolls and on peinirli.

Pizza dough, meat sauce, bell peppers and halloumi pizza image
Pizza dough, meat sauce, bell peppers and halloumi pizza
Bolognese and feta filled bread image
Bolognese and feta filled bread

Scroll further down for a Chicken Mince Sauce, adjusted for Gallbladder Diet

Greek spaghetti with meat sauce image

Makaronia me Kima (Greek Spaghetti with Meat Sauce)

Yield: 5
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours

Makaronia me Kima (pr. Mah-kha-RHO-niah MEH Kee-MAH), which literally means "Pasta with Ground Meat", is a pasta dish with Spaghetti and Greek Meat Sauce, similar to Bolognese but with Greek flavours.

Ingredients

The Meat Sauce:

  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
  • 500 grams ground veal
  • ½ cup (1 large) carrot, grated
  • ½ cup celery, finely chopped
  • 500 grams passata
  • 1 cup stock or water
  • 1 tbsp sea salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1 tsp thyme
  • 1 piece cinnamon stick, about 5 cm long
  • 4 allspice berries
  • ¼ cup parsley, finely chopped (optional)

For Pasta:

  • 500 grams spaghetti pasta No. 10
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 5 litres water

Instructions

  1. Prepare the meat sauce: Sauté the onion, until translucent 
  2. Add the garlic and sauté for a few seconds until fragrant.
  3. Add the minced meat and sauté until browned 
  4. Add the carrot, celery, passata and stock 
  5. Add the spices, stir, cover and simmer on low, for about one hour, or until the sauce thickens.
  6. Remove the spices (bay leaf, cinnamon and allspice berries) and mix in
    the parsley 
  7. Prepare the pasta: Bring plenty of water to boil and add the salt as well as pasta and boil according to the directions on package. Stir the pasta occasionally so that they will not stick together.
  8. Drain the pasta and serve immediately with some grated aged myzithra or kefalotyri and the meat sauce on top.

Notes

Grated cheese:

In Greece we usually use grated myzithra cheese, kefalograviera, graviera, or halloumi.

Pasta:

After cooking the pasta, if you are not serving it right away, add 2 tbsp olive oil after draining the pasta, so that they will not stick together.

Nutrition Information
Yield 5 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 509Total Fat 24gSaturated Fat 6gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 16gCholesterol 78mgSodium 2898mgCarbohydrates 41gFiber 4gSugar 5gProtein 33g

"These values are automatically calculated and offered for guidance only. Their accuracy is not guaranteed."

Did you make this recipe?

Tried this recipe? Tag me @ivyliac and use the hashtag #kopiaste!

Chicken Mince Sauce, adjusted for Gallbladder Diet

The same recipe has been adapted for Gallbladder Diet using less olive oil, less spices and chicken mince.  The remaining ingredients are almost the same as the other recipe.

Disclaimer:   I’m not a doctor, I’m not a surgeon and I’m not a dietician. Each person may have different symptoms, so please consult your doctor before following this diet.

Spaghetti with bolognaise sauce image

Spaghetti with Low fat Chicken Mince Sauce

Yield: 6
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

This Low fat Meat Sauce has been adapted for Gallbladder Diet using less olive oil and chicken mince 

Ingredients

  • 500 grams spaghetti
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 5 litres water

Chicken Mince Sauce:

  • ½ kilo minced chicken
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 small onion, grated
  • 1/4 cup white dry wine
  • 500 grams passata
  • 1 small grated carrot
  • 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ½ teaspoon Greek oregano
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • A pinch of freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup water

Instructions

  1. In a medium sized saucepan heat the olive oil and sauté the onion for a few minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and sauté for a few seconds until fragrant 
  2. Add the ground meat and sauté until it browns.
  3. Add the wine and mix until the alcohol evaporates.
  4. In a food processor puree the tomatoes together with tomato paste, and carrot  Add it to the minced meat together with the celery, salt, pepper, oregano and thyme.
  5. Add water and bring to a boil 
  6. Lower heat and put the lid on and simmer checking it and stirring occasionally until the sauce thickens.
  7. Drain spaghetti and serve with some chicken mince sauce on top.
Nutrition Information
Yield 6 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 366Total Fat 16gSaturated Fat 4gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 11gCholesterol 78mgSodium 1660mgCarbohydrates 28gFiber 2gSugar 2gProtein 25g

"These values are automatically calculated and offered for guidance only. Their accuracy is not guaranteed."

Did you make this recipe?

Tried this recipe? Tag me @ivyliac and use the hashtag #kopiaste!

Spaghetti with bolognaise sauce image

The serving should be small with no cheese on top of pasta or with just a little low fat cheese.

Collage Greek Meat Sauce image

Kopiaste and Kali Orexi,

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Bellini Valli

Monday 11th of August 2008

I am headed over to the pizza place to get some spaghetti now..thanks for the inspiration sis..but I haven't made my own today:D

Lulu Barbarian

Monday 11th of August 2008

Now you've put me in the mood to make this again!

glamah16

Saturday 9th of August 2008

Its worth adding because its great to see everyones variations on this staple.

Michelle

Friday 8th of August 2008

Yikes! I've just realised I've become so stuck in a rut that I have never even thought of using white wine with mince. For some reason it got stuck in my brain to use red wine with beef, but I should really try white wine sometime. Thanks for reminding me!

Ivy

Friday 8th of August 2008

Lore, you're right. I forgot about scrambled eggs (who can go wrong with that) and omelets.

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