Homemade Meat Sauce

This simple homemade meat sauce is flavorful and savory. It’s deliciously versatile and perfect for spaghetti, lasagna, or any pasta dish!

This meat sauce would be amazing on Spaghetti Squash, in our Upside Down Deep Dish Pizza, and on tons more of our 30 FAVORITE Pasta Recipes! 

The Best Pasta Meat Sauce

Who else totally loves Italian food? It’s one of my favorite types of food, both to eat at restaurants and to cook at home. I love that there are so many different and delicious flavor combinations! If you love cooking Italian food at home as I do, this simple and delicious meat sauce needs to be in your repertoire.

It’s simple to make, bursting with flavor, and goes with everything! I’m a huge fan of homemade sauces! Not only do they taste way better than the stuff in a jar but it’s also healthier. You are able to  control exactly what goes inside and keep all of those preservatives out. This is a classic recipe that will definitely make all of your Italian meals shine.

How To Make A Homemade Meat Sauce

This sauce has a combination of ground beef and Italian sausage for maximum deliciousness and is loaded with veggies and tomatoes to build up a great flavor base. This homemade meat sauce recipe is actually really easy to make and can be done in just a couple steps. Here’s how to do it:

Brown The Meat – Cook the ground beef and sausage over medium heat in a large pot. We’re using a large pot to save on dishes later on. Cook the meat until it is cooked throughout and you can crumble it into small pieces while it’s cooking. Once the meat has cooked, pour it out onto a plate.

Vegetable Prep – Pour the olive oil, chopped vegetables and salt into the pot. Cook everything for about 5 minutes or until the vegetables are soft.

Compile – When the veggies are done, add the meat back into the pot. You’ll also add in the remaining ingredients and stir everything until it has fully mixed together.

Simmer – Bring the pot to a simmer and then bring the heat down to medium and let it cook for at least 30 minutes. This will bring out the flavors and give the meat sauce time to thicken.

Recipe Tips & Storage

Simmering Is Key – The key is to let meat sauce simmer for at least 30 minutes, to let all of the flavors blend together. If you have time, you can simmer the sauce for up to two hours. It just gets more delicious the longer it simmers!

Servings & Doubling – This meat sauce recipe makes about sixteen servings. If you’re feeling extra ambitious, you can double the recipe and stock your freezer for later.

Freezing – I like to use half for one meal and freeze the other half for another day. It will stay good in the freezer for up to six months. Just make sure to use an extra big pot if you double the recipe since it will make a ton!

Easy Pasta Dinner Ideas

• Chicken & Broccoli Pasta Recipe
• Crock Pot Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti
• The Best Homemade Mac & Cheese Recipe
• Easy Chicken Tetrazzini
• Cheesy Baked Tortellini

This homemade meat sauce is delicious served over pretty much any pasta, or as a sauce for ravioli or tortellini. It also makes totally amazing lasagna! It’s so versatile and flavorful, and the perfect addition to any Italian meal!

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Meat Sauce

Servings: 16 servings

This simple homemade meat sauce is flavorful and savory. It’s deliciously versatile and perfect for spaghetti, lasagna, or any pasta dish!

Prep Time:10 minutes mins

Cook Time:35 minutes mins

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 pound bulk mild Italian sausage
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 3/4 cup celery, chopped
• 1 carrot, grated
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

• Add the ground beef and sausage to a large pot over medium heat. Cook, crumbling into small pieces, until browned and cooked through. Remove the meat from the pot to a plate.
• Add the olive oil, onion, garlic, celery, and carrot to the same pot, and sprinkle with the salt. Cook 3-5 minutes, until the vegetables are softened and the onions are translucent.
• Add the meat back into the pot, then add the crushed tomatoes, sugar, parsley, basil, oregano, and Worcestershire, and stir to combine.
• Bring the sauce to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium low. Cook, stirring frequently, for 30 minutes, until thickened.

Nutrition

Calories: 210 kcal · Carbohydrates: 6 g · Protein: 10 g · Fat: 16 g · Saturated Fat: 6 g · Cholesterol: 42 mg · Sodium: 448 mg · Potassium: 343 mg · Fiber: 1 g · Sugar: 3 g · Vitamin A: 844 IU · Vitamin C: 7 mg · Calcium: 41 mg · Iron: 2 mg

Other Notes

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: meat, pasta, sauce, sausage