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5.0 from 114 votes

Meat Sauce

This homemade Meat Sauce recipe is easy to make with ground beef and serve with spaghetti or your favorite pasta! It has classic Italian flavors that come together quickly for an easy family dinner idea.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr 10 mins
Servings: 9 cups
Calories: 250 kcal
Course: Condiments
Cuisine: Italian , American

Ingredients

Sauce
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion diced
  • 2 lbs. ground beef see notes
  • Salt/Pepper
  • 1 green bell pepper finely diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 3/4 cup dry red wine see notes
  • 6 oz. tomato paste
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce 
  • 2 teaspoons hot sauce
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 28 oz. crushed tomatoes
  • 14.5 oz. diced tomatoes undrained
  • 8 oz. tomato sauce
  • 2 bay leaves
Seasonings
  • 2 teaspoons each: dried parsley, basil, mustard powder, salt
  • 1.5 teaspoons oregano
  • 2 pinches red pepper flakes

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and let them soften for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  2. Season the ground beef with salt and pepper. Increase heat to medium-high. Add the ground beef and cook and crumble it for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and bell peppers and cook for 3 more minutes.
  3. Drain excess grease. Add the wine and use a silicone spatula to “clean” the pot with the liquid. Cook for 5-6 minutes, or until just a little liquid remains and the alcohol smell is gone.
  4. Add the seasonings, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and sugar. Toss to evenly coat the beef.
  5. Add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover partially and let it simmer over medium-low heat for 45 minutes, or until desired thickness and consistency is obtained. Stir occasionally throughout cooking to lift any meat that settles to the bottom.
  6. Serve with pasta of choice and garlic bread with cheese.

Notes

  • Pro Tips:
  • Quantity of Sauce:
  • Slow Cooker Method:
  • Follow steps 1-3 as outlined above. Transfer to the slow cooker and add in the remaining ingredients, stir to combine. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours.
  • Storage:
  • A combination of ground sausage, pork, and/or veal can be added to the ground beef in this recipe as well.
  • Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Pinot Noir are the best kinds of red wines for this recipe. If needed, you can substitute the red wine with an equal amount of beef broth + 1 Tbsp. of Red Wine Vinegar.
  • Up to 4 oz. of softened cream cheese is a really nice addition to this sauce, it balances everything out. Up to ¾ cup heavy cream can also be added.
  • The Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and mustard powder are all flavor enhancers that you can’t taste outright, the hot sauce doesn’t make it spicy. I use Frank’s hot sauce for this recipe.
  • 📘 Find this recipe on page 152 of my 2nd cookbook, Let's Eat!
  • This is a great recipe to make it bulk because it freezes and reheats so well for easy weekday meals.
  • This makes about 9.5 cups of sauce, which can easily satisfy 3 lbs. of pasta at approximately 25 oz. per pound.
  • The number of servings are at the top of the recipe card in the middle. Hover over the servings and a slider will appear, which will allow you to adjust the number of servings up/down as needed. The ingredient quantities will automatically adjust.
  • Leftover meat sauce is great with Easy Lasagna, Lasagna Roll Ups, Baked Ravioli, Pasta Bakes, and Stuffed Shells.
  • Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. This meat sauce freezes really well.
  • Reheat in the microwave or over low heat on the stove top. If it's frozen, it thaw overnight first for best results.
  • Nutritional facts are per 1 cup of sauce. This recipe makes 9.5 cups total.

Nutrition Information

Calories 250kcal (13%) Carbohydrates 18g (6%) Protein 24g (48%) Fat 8g (12%) Saturated Fat 3g (15%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g Monounsaturated Fat 4g Trans Fat 1g Cholesterol 59mg (20%) Sodium 970mg (40%) Potassium 986mg (28%) Fiber 4g (16%) Sugar 11g (22%) Vitamin A 673IU (13%) Vitamin C 29mg (32%) Calcium 80mg (8%) Iron 5mg (28%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 9cups

Amount Per Serving

Calories 250

% Daily Value*

Calories 250kcal 13%
Carbohydrates 18g 6%
Protein 24g 48%
Fat 8g 12%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g 6%
Monounsaturated Fat 4g 20%
Trans Fat 1g 50%
Cholesterol 59mg 20%
Sodium 970mg 40%
Potassium 986mg 21%
Fiber 4g 16%
Sugar 11g 22%
Vitamin A 673IU 13%
Vitamin C 29mg 32%
Calcium 80mg 8%
Iron 5mg 28%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.