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The Best Homemade Meat Sauce Recipe

A rich, hearty, and flavorful tomato meat sauce made with ground beef, garlic, and herbs — perfect for spaghetti, lasagna, or any pasta dish.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Italian
Calories: 370

Ingredients
  

Meat Sauce Base
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 0.5 lb Italian sausage optional
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 0.5 cup red wine optional
  • 28 oz crushed tomatoes
  • 15 oz tomato sauce
  • 14 oz diced tomatoes with juice
Seasoning & Flavor
  • 2 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 0.5 tsp crushed red pepper flakes optional
  • 1.5 tsp salt
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp sugar balances acidity
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 tbsp fresh basil or parsley for garnish
  • 0.25 cup Parmesan cheese for serving

Equipment

  • Dutch oven or large pot
  • Wooden spoon
  • Knife
  • Cutting board

Method
 

  1. Heat olive oil in a large pot. Add ground beef and sausage, cooking until browned.
  2. Add onion and cook until translucent. Stir in garlic and cook 30 seconds.
  3. Stir in tomato paste; cook for 2 minutes to caramelize.
  4. Deglaze with red wine, simmering until reduced by half.
  5. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and all seasonings.
  6. Stir well, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 45–60 minutes.
  7. Taste and adjust seasonings. Remove bay leaf before serving.
  8. Serve over pasta and top with Parmesan and basil.

Notes

Store up to 5 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer. Sauce flavor deepens overnight.