Easy Homemade Meat Sauce
A hearty and flavorful homemade meat sauce that brings the comfort of grandma's kitchen to your table without the fuss. It's packed with nostalgic flavor and comes together quickly, making it perfect for busy weeknights or cozy family dinners.
Equipment
- Large Pot or Dutch Oven
- Spoon
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds lean ground beef
- 1 large onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 28 ounces canned diced tomatoes with their juices
- 2 cups tomato sauce
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup water
- 0.25 cup dry red wine or beef broth
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 0.25 cup fresh parsley chopped
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 0.5 tsp seasoned salt
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 2 bay leaves
Instructions
- Step 1: In a large, sturdy pot or Dutch oven, toss in your ground beef, diced onions, and minced garlic. Cook them over medium-high heat, breaking up the beef with a spoon, until the beef is fully browned and no longer pink. The onions will soften, and the garlic will become fragrant. Once cooked, carefully drain any excess fat.
- Step 2: Add the diced tomatoes (with their juices!), tomato sauce, tomato paste, water, your choice of red wine or beef broth, diced green bell pepper, fresh parsley, Italian seasoning, seasoned salt, granulated sugar, and those two bay leaves to the pot. Give everything a good stir until it's all wonderfully combined.
- Step 3: Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot with a lid, and let the sauce simmer for 1 hour. Stir it occasionally to prevent anything from sticking to the bottom.
- Step 4: After an hour, remove the lid. Continue to let the sauce simmer for an additional 15 minutes, or until it has thickened to your desired consistency.
- Step 5: Before serving, remember to fish out and discard the bay leaves. Ladle over your favorite pasta or other dishes and savor!
Notes
Make it your own! Swap ground beef for turkey, pork, or a mix with Italian sausage. Add extra veggies like finely diced carrots, celery, mushrooms, or zucchini. Elevate flavors with fresh basil or oregano in the last 10 minutes, or a pinch of red pepper flakes for heat. A handful of shredded Parmesan or mozzarella makes a great cheesy finish. For best flavor, don't rush browning the beef and aromatics, and ensure you drain excess fat. Always taste and adjust seasoning before serving. The simmering time is crucial for deep flavor. This versatile sauce isn't just for spaghetti; it's also fantastic over polenta, in a meatball sub, or as a lasagna filling. Store cooled sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days (it often tastes even better the next day!), or freeze for up to 3 months.