The best meat sauce recipe transforms your pasta with rich, hearty flavors! Made with ground beef and Italian herbs, this homemade sauce beats anything from a jar. Perfect for spaghetti, lasagna, and more!
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 30 mins Servings: 4-6
Why This Meat Sauce Recipe Will Become Your Go-To
This isn’t just another meat sauce recipe – it’s the result of countless hours of testing and perfecting to create the ultimate homemade sauce that’s:
- Rich and deeply flavored with the perfect blend of herbs and spices
- Made with simple, accessible ingredients you probably already have
- Versatile enough for any pasta dish
- Freezer-friendly for easy meal prep
- Budget-friendly and perfect for feeding a crowd
- Ready in just 30 minutes (or simmer longer for even richer flavor)
Understanding Meat Sauce vs. Bolognese
Before we dive into the meat sauce recipe, let’s clear up a common confusion. While both are delicious Italian-inspired sauces, they’re quite different:
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Key Differences:
- Meat Selection: Our meat sauce uses ground beef for accessibility and flavor, while Bolognese traditionally combines ground beef and pork
- Base Ingredients: This sauce highlights bright tomato flavors, while Bolognese includes milk and more vegetables
- Cooking Time: Our sauce is ready in 30 minutes, though you can simmer longer. Bolognese requires several hours
- Texture: This sauce is rich and chunky, while Bolognese is creamy and silky
- Versatility: This meat sauce pairs beautifully with any pasta shape, while Bolognese traditionally goes with flat pasta
Ingredients for Perfect Meat Sauce
Main Ingredients:
- 1 lb ground beef (80-85% lean)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
Seasonings:
- 1 teaspoon Better than Bouillon beef base (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Meat Sauce Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Prepare the Base
- Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat
- Add diced onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes
- Add ground beef, breaking it up with a wooden spoon
- Cook until beef is no longer pink, about 8-10 minutes
- Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds
2. Build the Sauce
- Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1-2 minutes to develop flavor
- Add crushed tomatoes, water, and all seasonings
- Bring to a gentle simmer
- Add fresh basil
- Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally
3. Simmer and Serve
- For quick meals: Simmer for 30 minutes
- For deeper flavor: Simmer up to 2 hours, adding water if needed
- Taste and adjust seasonings before serving
Pro Tips for the Best Meat Sauce
Meat Selection
- Use 80-85% lean ground beef for best flavor
- Avoid extra-lean beef as it can make the sauce dry
- For extra depth, try mixing ground beef with Italian sausage
Tomato Tips
- Use high-quality crushed tomatoes – we recommend Hunt’s
- Add a pinch of sugar to the meat sauce to help balance acidity if needed
- For natural sweetness, try caramelizing your onions longer
Flavor Enhancers
- Better Than Bouillon beef base adds rich, savory depth
- Fresh basil makes a huge difference in final flavor
- Save some pasta water to help sauce cling to noodles
Storage and Make-Ahead Instructions
How to Refrigerate Meat Sauce
- Cool completely before storing
- Keeps in airtight container for up to 5 days
- Reheat gently on stovetop or in microwave
Freezing Instructions
- Cool the meat sauce completely
- Portion into freezer-safe containers
- Label with date and contents
- Freezes well for up to 3 months
- Thaw overnight in refrigerator
Scaling the Recipe
For Large Batches
- Recipe yields 8-10 cups as written
- Double ingredients for 16-20 cups
- Perfect for meal prep or feeding a crowd
- 1 pound of pasta needs about 3 cups of sauce
Ways to Use Meat Sauce
This versatile sauce works beautifully in:
- Classic spaghetti and meat sauce
- Homemade lasagna
- Baked ziti or penne
- Meatball subs
- Over ravioli or tortellini
- Stuffed shells
- Quick pizza topping
Troubleshooting Tips
Sauce Too Acidic?
- Add sugar 1/4 teaspoon at a time
- Try adding a pat of butter
- Carrots can add natural sweetness
Sauce Too Thick?
- Add pasta water gradually
- Use beef broth for extra flavor
- Avoid adding plain water if possible
Meat Sauce Too Thin?
- Simmer uncovered to reduce
- Add extra tomato paste
- Continue cooking until desired consistency
Recipe FAQ
Q: Can I use different meat?
A: Yes! Try ground turkey, pork, or Italian sausage.
Q: Is this sauce freezer-friendly?
A: Absolutely! Freezes well for up to 3 months.
Q: Can I make it in a slow cooker?
A: Yes, brown meat first, then cook on low 6-8 hours.
Q: How long does it meat sauce keep in the fridge?
A: Up to 5 days in an airtight container.
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How to Make Rich and Flavorful Meat Sauce
The best meat sauce recipe transforms your pasta with rich, hearty flavors! Made with ground beef and Italian herbs, this homemade sauce beats anything from a jar. Perfect for spaghetti, lasagna, and more
Prevent your screen from going dark
- 16 oz box of spaghetti cooked al dente and drained
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lb ground beef chuck Use 80% fat
- 1 cup yellow onions diced
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tbsp tomato paste I used Cento brand
- 28 oz can crushed tomatoes Hunts brand
- 1/4 tsp beef base I used Better than Bouillon beef base
- 1/2 tbsp dried oregano
- 3/4 tsp garlic powder or more for taste
- 3/4 tsp onion powder or more for taste
- 1/4 tsp crushed red peppers or more for taste
- 1 tbsp fresh basil
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 1/2 tsp granulated white sugar Or up to 1 tbsp or more for taste (this helps to balance the flavor of the tomato sauce)
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter optional*
- 1 1/2 tsp salt This is an estimate. I usually add a bit more.
- 1/2 tsp pepper or more for taste
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In a large pot or dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the onions and ground beef. Cook until it’s no longer pink. Add minced garlic. Cook until garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds.
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Add the water, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, Better than Bouillon Beef Base, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, basil, bay leaf, butter, sugar, salt and pepper to the pot.
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Mix well and cover with a tight fitted lid. Cook for about 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings if you like. Serve hot over spaghetti.
Notes
Key Ingredients
- Ground Beef Selection: While 80% lean ground chuck is ideal, you can create a more complex flavor by mixing 50% ground chuck with 50% ground short rib. The higher fat content in short rib adds incredible richness.
- Tomato Tips: Hunt’s crushed tomatoes are recommended because they’re less acidic than many other brands. If using a different brand and finding high acidity, try adding 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda (not powder) to neutralize it instead of extra sugar.
- Fresh vs. Dried Herbs: While dried herbs work well, if using fresh herbs, add them in two stages – half during cooking and half at the end. This creates layers of flavor you can’t achieve with just one addition.
Technique Tips
- Meat Browning: Don’t crowd the pan when browning meat. If doubling the recipe, brown meat in batches. When meat is overcrowded, it steams instead of browns, preventing the development of crucial flavor compounds.
- Oil Temperature Test: Before adding meat, test if your oil is hot enough by dropping a tiny piece of onion in it. If it sizzles immediately, your oil is ready.
Common Issues & Solutions
- Grainy Texture: If your sauce develops a grainy texture, it’s likely due to rapid boiling. Keep it at a gentle simmer and stir occasionally from the bottom up.
- Bitter Taste: If your sauce tastes bitter (common with some brands of tomatoes), add 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1 tablespoon of butter first before adding sugar. Often, it’s not sweetness that’s missing, but richness.
Make-Ahead & Storing
- Optimal Resting: For best flavor, let the sauce cool completely, then refrigerate overnight. Reheat gently the next day. This rest period allows flavors to mature and meld.
- Freezing Tip: When freezing, leave 1 inch of headspace in containers as the sauce expands when frozen. Thaw in fridge 24-36 hours for best texture.
- Reheating Secret: When reheating, add 1 tablespoon of fresh butter per 2 cups of sauce to refresh the flavor and restore silky texture.
Pro Tips
- Building Umami: For extra depth without artificial ingredients, add 1 finely diced mushroom during cooking. It disappears completely but adds incredible savory notes.
- Temperature Control: Keep sauce at the “lazy bubble” stage – a bubble should break the surface every 2-3 seconds. Any faster cooking doesn’t improve flavor and can damage the texture.
- Seasoning Strategy: Season in stages – add half the salt when browning meat, and the remainder 5 minutes before finishing. This creates more complex flavor than adding it all at once.
Special Dietary Modifications
- Lower Fat Version: If requiring less fat, use 90% lean beef but add 2 tablespoons of grated carrot and 1 tablespoon of olive oil to maintain moisture and flavor.
Blog post updated January 2025. No changes to the recipe.
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