5.0 from 48 votes
Meat Sauce
Spaghetti with meat sauce is the perfect weeknight dinner! My meat sauce recipe packs a punch of flavor and even freezes well for future meals. Recipe includes a how-to video!
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
45 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 435 kcal
Course:
Condiments , Dinner
Cuisine:
Italian , American
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup finely chopped yellow onion (about 1 medium onion)
- 2 Tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 lb ground beef 85 or 90% (may substitute bulk Italian sausage, sweet or spicy)
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon cracked pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup dry red wine (or substitute chicken, beef, or vegetable broth or stock)
- ¼ cup water
- 28 oz canned whole peeled tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons dried basil or 10 torn basil leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 8-12 oz pasta for serving - I like spaghetti
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat.
- Once shimmering, add onion and cook until softened (about 3 minutes).
- Add garlic and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds).
- Add ground beef and sprinkle the salt, black pepper, and crushed pepper overtop. Cook, crumbling, until meat is browned. Drain excess grease if/as needed.
- Add tomato paste and sugar to the pan and cook, stirring near-constantly until tomato paste is browned/caramelized (about 1-2 minutes).
- Drizzle red wine into the pan, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen any browned bits. Cook until the wine is reduced by about half and you can no longer smell the alcohol so strongly (about 3-5 minutes).
- Add water and tomatoes, breaking/crushing the tomatoes with a wooden spoon or metal spatula as you cook.
- Add basil, parsley, and oregano and bay leaf and stir until combined and bay leaf is submerged. Simmer at least 30 minutes with an offset lid, stirring occasionally.
- If serving with pasta, begin cooking pasta according to package instructions while the sauce is simmering. You can serve the meat sauce over the portioned pasta or combine the two together before serving. If mixing together, reserve ¼ cup pasta water then drain remaining water from the pasta. Add pasta to meat sauce along with a splash of pasta reserved pasta water, stir well, and simmer until sauce clings to noodles (just several minutes).
- Serve, topped with parmesan cheese if desired.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. This dish also freezes well for several months (best to freeze without pasta).
Nutrition Information
Serving
1serving
Calories
435kcal
(22%)
Carbohydrates
40g
(13%)
Protein
20g
(40%)
Fat
21g
(32%)
Saturated Fat
7g
(35%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
1g
Monounsaturated Fat
10g
Trans Fat
1g
Cholesterol
54mg
(18%)
Sodium
578mg
(24%)
Potassium
646mg
(18%)
Fiber
3g
(12%)
Sugar
8g
(16%)
Vitamin A
256IU
(5%)
Vitamin C
16mg
(18%)
Calcium
80mg
(8%)
Iron
4mg
(22%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 6servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 435
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1serving | |
| Calories | 435kcal | 22% |
| Carbohydrates | 40g | 13% |
| Protein | 20g | 40% |
| Fat | 21g | 32% |
| Saturated Fat | 7g | 35% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 10g | 50% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 54mg | 18% |
| Sodium | 578mg | 24% |
| Potassium | 646mg | 14% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 8g | 16% |
| Vitamin A | 256IU | 5% |
| Vitamin C | 16mg | 18% |
| Calcium | 80mg | 8% |
| Iron | 4mg | 22% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.