Colonel Sanders’ Spaghetti Sauce (Allegedly)

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Way back in 1994 when I still got an actual paper copy of a newspaper a few times a week, there was an article in the food column about Harland Sanders.

Long before KFC, and before he opened his own roadside cafe, Colonel Sanders worked at a restaurant in Seattle called the Twin Teepees, that was owned by an old Army buddy.

There is a lot of speculation that the Colonel perfected his chicken recipe while working there, but there’s not enough evidence to prove that theory.

He did allegedly leave behind this spaghetti sauce recipe. I have tweaked it a little–I use ground turkey instead of ground beef because of my red meat allergy, and I make it in a crock pot and let it cook while I’m at work.

What you’ll need:

2-1/2 pounds ground beef or ground turkey

1 large onion, diced

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons minced garlic

2 tablespoons salt

1-1/2 teaspoons black pepper

1-1/2 teaspoons paprika

3 tablespoons chili powder

1-1/2 tablespoons cumin powder

9 ounces tomato paste

In a skillet, saute the onions and garlic in oil (the original recipe called for bacon grease).

After 2-3 minutes, add the beef or turkey and cook until the meat is no longer pink.

Pour the mixture into a crock pot and add the paprika, chili powder, cumin, and tomato paste.

I also add about a cup of water, even though the original recipe doesn’t call for it.

Cook on low for 4-5 hours.

Because of my work hours, mine ends up cooking on low for 8ish hours, so I just add water or tomato juice and give it a good stir to loosen it up once I get home.

Serve over cooked pasta–whatever shape you like.

I usually also serve salad and garlic bread.

This is a southwest style sauce (which you probably figured out from the chili powder and cumin), so it’s a nice change from traditional Italian seasonings.

You can also add bell peppers, mushrooms, or any other vegetables that you like, but I suggest trying it according to the recipe first.

I sometimes add shredded cheese, sour cream, and a sprinkle of chopped cilantro on top.

As we always say–it’s your food, so make it the way you like it!

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