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Hearty Meat Sauce Recipe

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★★★★★

4.8 from 88 reviews

This rich and flavorful Meat Sauce recipe features ground beef simmered with a blend of tomatoes, herbs, and spices to create a hearty sauce perfect for pairing with pasta or garlic bread. Slow-simmered to develop depth, it balances savory, spicy, and tangy elements with a hint of red wine and Worcestershire sauce for complexity.

Ingredients

Scale

Meat Sauce Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 2 lbs. ground beef (see notes)
  • Salt and Pepper, to taste
  • 1 green bell pepper, finely diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3/4 cup dry red wine (see notes)
  • 6 oz. tomato paste
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 teaspoons hot sauce
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 28 oz. crushed tomatoes
  • 14.5 oz. diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 8 oz. tomato sauce
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 teaspoons dried parsley
  • 2 teaspoons dried basil
  • 2 teaspoons mustard powder
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1.5 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 2 pinches red pepper flakes

Instructions

  1. Heat Oil and Sauté Onions: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 8 minutes until they soften and become translucent.
  2. Cook Ground Beef and Veggies: Season the ground beef generously with salt and pepper. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the beef to the pot. Cook and crumble the meat for 5 minutes until browned. Then add the minced garlic and finely diced green bell pepper; cook together for 3 more minutes to build flavor.
  3. Deglaze with Wine: Drain any excess grease from the pot. Pour in the red wine and use a silicone spatula to scrape and loosen browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Cook the mixture for 5-6 minutes until most of the liquid evaporates and the alcohol aroma dissipates, leaving concentrated flavor.
  4. Add Seasonings and Tomato Paste: Stir in tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, sugar, and all dried seasonings (parsley, basil, mustard powder, salt, oregano, red pepper flakes). Mix thoroughly to evenly coat the beef and vegetables.
  5. Add Tomatoes and Simmer: Add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes with juice, tomato sauce, and bay leaves to the pot. Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Partially cover and let simmer gently for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking and to lift settled meat, until the sauce thickens to your preferred consistency.
  6. Serve: Remove bay leaves and serve the meat sauce piping hot with your choice of pasta and optional side of garlic bread topped with cheese for a complete meal.

Notes

  • For best flavor, use high-quality ground beef with moderate fat content (80/20) to keep the sauce rich but not greasy.
  • If desired, substitute the red wine with beef broth for a non-alcoholic version.
  • The longer simmering time allows deeper flavor development and thicker sauce consistency.
  • This sauce can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
  • Adjust hot sauce and red pepper flakes to control the heat level according to your preference.

Keywords: meat sauce, ground beef sauce, Italian meat sauce, pasta sauce recipe, homemade tomato sauce, slow simmered sauce

Find it online: https://ellaeatsdaily.com/hearty-meat-sauce-recipe/