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Meat Sauce is the rich, hearty, simmered all afternoon flavor that makes any pasta night feel special, and this version comes together fast enough for a busy weeknight. I make a big pot so Maddie and Lizzie can pile it over noodles and there is always extra to freeze. If you love a cozy Italian dinner, you will want this right next to our spaghetti and meatballs.
Browned ground beef simmers with tomato sauce, paste, garlic, and Italian herbs into a thick, savory sauce that clings to every noodle.
Meat Sauce Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 30 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 40 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 8 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 288kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Rich, savory, herby, and deeply tomatoey
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, on par with our baked ziti
Quick Answer
Brown ground beef in a large pot and drain the excess fat. Stir in minced garlic, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and a pinch of red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant. Add tomato sauce and tomato paste, stir well, and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thick and rich. Stir in parmesan and serve over your favorite pasta.
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Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Browning the beef builds flavor. Letting the ground beef get deeply browned creates savory, caramelized bits that give the whole sauce a richer taste.
- Tomato paste adds body and depth. A few spoonfuls of concentrated tomato paste thicken the sauce and add a deep, almost sweet tomato flavor.
- A simple herb blend tastes slow simmered. Italian seasoning, garlic, and a pinch of red pepper flakes give this quick sauce that long cooked flavor.
- It thickens as it simmers. A gentle simmer reduces the sauce so it clings to pasta instead of sliding off into a watery puddle.
- Parmesan finishes it off. Stirring in grated parmesan at the end adds a savory, salty richness that ties everything together.
- Freezer friendly. This meat sauce freezes beautifully, so a big batch means easy dinners for weeks.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It is a hearty, comforting sauce that comes together in about 40 minutes.
- A big batch feeds a crowd and freezes perfectly for fast future dinners.
- It is endlessly versatile over any pasta, just like our baked ziti.
Key Ingredients
Here is what makes this meat sauce so rich and hearty. See the recipe card below for the exact amounts.
- Ground beef: The hearty base of the sauce. Use 80/20 for flavor, or a leaner blend and drain well.
- Tomato sauce and paste: The sauce builds the body while concentrated paste adds deep, rich tomato flavor and thickness.
- Garlic and Italian seasoning: Fresh garlic plus dried Italian herbs give the sauce its classic savory, herby backbone.
- Parmesan: Stirred in at the end for a salty, savory richness that rounds out the sauce.
- Seasonings: Garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and a pinch of red pepper flakes deepen the flavor.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
Here are a few easy ways to make this meat sauce your own.
- Use ground turkey, chicken, or Italian sausage in place of, or alongside, the ground beef.
- Add diced onion, bell pepper, mushrooms, or shredded carrot for extra veggies and texture.
- Stir in a splash of red wine or beef broth and simmer longer for an even richer sauce, like the base of our ground beef stroganoff.
- Add crushed tomatoes for a chunkier sauce, or a pinch of sugar to balance the acidity.
How to Make Meat Sauce
- Add the ground beef to a large pot or deep skillet over medium high heat.
- Brown the beef, breaking it up as it cooks, then drain any excess fat.
- Stir in the garlic, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant.
- Add the tomato sauce and paste, stir well, and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes until thick. Stir in parmesan and serve.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Brown the beef well before adding liquid. Those caramelized bits are where a lot of the flavor comes from.
- Drain the excess fat after browning so the sauce is rich but not greasy.
- Let it simmer. Even 20 minutes of gentle simmering deepens the flavor and thickens the sauce.
- Season to taste at the end. Add a pinch of sugar if the sauce tastes too acidic.
- Save some pasta water. A splash helps the sauce cling to the noodles when you toss them together.
- Make a double batch and freeze half, the same way we meal prep our Italian meatballs.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
Meat sauce is the ultimate cozy dinner. Spoon it generously over spaghetti, penne, or rigatoni, top with extra parmesan and fresh basil, and serve with garlic bread and a salad.
It is the base for so many meals. Layer it into our baked ziti or lasagna, or pile it over noodles with a side of Italian meatballs for a hearty feast.
Beyond pasta, spoon meat sauce over polenta, baked potatoes, or zucchini noodles. Store leftovers in the fridge for a few days, or freeze in portions for fast weeknight dinners.
Meat Sauce FAQs
Meat sauce is a quicker, simpler American style tomato and ground beef sauce. Bolognese is a slow simmered Italian sauce made with a mix of meats, soffritto vegetables, wine, and milk or cream. This meat sauce gives you that rich flavor in far less time.
Simmer the meat sauce uncovered so the liquid reduces, and add a few spoonfuls of tomato paste for body. The longer it gently simmers, the thicker and richer it becomes.
Yes, meat sauce is great for making ahead. The flavor actually improves after a day in the fridge. Store it in an airtight container for up to 4 days and reheat gently on the stove.
Absolutely. Meat sauce freezes beautifully. Cool it completely, then freeze in airtight containers or freezer bags for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stove, adding a splash of water if needed.
Meat sauce clings best to sturdy pasta shapes like spaghetti, rigatoni, penne, and pappardelle. It is also perfect layered into baked pasta dishes like ziti and lasagna.
Ground beef is classic, with an 80/20 blend giving the most flavor. You can also use ground turkey, chicken, pork, or Italian sausage, or a combination, depending on your taste.
Looking for more cozy pasta dinners? Try our spaghetti and meatballs next, then come back and tell us how your meat sauce turned out.
Meat Sauce
Ingredients
For the meat:
- 1 ½ pounds lean ground beef
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
For the sauce:
- 6 ounce can tomato paste
- ¼ cup dry red wine
- 1 head roasted garlic or 4 cloves garlic minced
- 30 ounces tomato sauce
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Kosher salt to taste
Instructions
- Place the ground beef, garlic powder, onion powder, parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper into a large bowl and mix it together until combined.
- In a dutch oven or heavy bottom skillet with deep sides brown the meat over medium-high heat. Break up the meat into crumbles and try to get a sear on the meat as best you can. Do not drain the fat (this is a personal preference, it adds a lot of flavor to the sauce, drain if you have to!).
- Add the tomato paste and red wine to the pan and stir it into the meat, let this cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Turn the heat down to medium-low. If using the roasted garlic, remove the cloves from the papery outside and add them directly to the pan. If not using roasted garlic, add the minced fresh garlic now along with the tomato sauce, parmesan cheese, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. Stir everything together until combined.
- Let simmer for at least 30 minutes, covered, stirring occasionally. Taste and add salt if needed. Serve over pasta or whatever recipe you need for meat sauce.
Notes
- Nutritional value is for sauce only.
- We like to use a lean ground beef for this as we do not drain the grease.
- You can switch you your meats, see above for some options.
- Easily double this recipe to serve more people or to save for a later date.
- Use your favorite drinking wine for this, it makes all the difference.
- This can be frozen, see above on how to do that.
- This can go in so many dishes, see above for some options.
- The longer you let it simmer the better it gets, just make sure to let it simmer for a minimum of 30 minutes.
- Add chopped fresh ¼ cup Italian parsley or basil right at the end for a pop of herby freshness.
Nutrition
Love This Recipe?
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Yummy sauce. Cute dog! Thanks for linking up!
Thanks so much!
I love the idea of keeping it simple but flavorful by mixing the meatball recipe but not forming them. Looks like a wonderful sauce! Thanks for sharing.