Skip to Content

Looking for an Easy and Delicious Meat Sauce Recipe? This!

We eat lots of homemade meat sauce in our house.

I use it with pasta, quinoa or rice. It’s versatile and superior to anything you’ll find in a jar.

Once you learn how to make an easy and delicious meat sauce recipe, you’ll never go back!

meat sauce in a pan graphic

 

One of the great things about this recipe is how versatile it is.

Adapt to your family’s tastes and you can’t go wrong.

A quick meat sauce with endless possibilities!

In the winter, I load the sauce with hot spices and garlic to ward of the flu-debil; gotta keep us upright and fever-free.

In the spring, I go for a lighter taste, adding yellow and orange bell peppers.

Onions are a given for all seasons!

Why not just use a jarred sauce?

You can, and I did for many years, as I learned to cook and expanded my kitchen skills.

While new cooks can be intimidated making a homemade meat sauce, opting for the jarred variety, but I’m here to tell you it’s easy, my babies.

I pinky swear this is a simple meat sauce, is, um…SIMPLE!

NO MORE JARRED SAUCE!

Step By Step Instructs for a Simple Meat Sauce:

I’ve included pics for an easy visual!

1: Start by chopping an onion and mincing some garlic:

You can do a rough chop – no perfect dicing necessary.

Easy Homemade Meat Sauce

2: Grab a pound of ground meat.

Put a little oil in a pot over a medium flame and throw in a chub of lean meat (one pound or two – up to you!).

I typically use turkey or beef.

Use whatever you love.

Easy Homemade Meat Sauce

3: Open some 2 cans crushed and 1 can spicy diced tomatoes while the meat is browning.

Easy Homemade Meat Sauce

4: Brown the meat, cooking completely.

Want a Simple and Delicious Meat Sauce? This!

You don’t not want to see any pink when it’s done.

When it’s brown, it’s done!

Want a Simple and Delicious Meat Sauce? This!

5: Next, add the onions and saute lightly by stirring over a medium flame.

Want a Simple and Delicious Meat Sauce? This!

Lightly = the onions are still a bit crunchy, but not fully translucent:

Want a Simple and Delicious Meat Sauce? This!

6: Next up: garlic. Stir until lightly browned, being careful not to burn.

Want a Simple and Delicious Meat Sauce? This!

Inhale deeply – dat smell = divine!

7: Once the onions and garlic are cooked through, dump in the spicy tomatoes and stir until mixed.

Want a Simple and Delicious Meat Sauce? This!

8: Lastly, add the rest of your tomatoes, followed by spices/seasonings.

Combine well, reduce heat and simmer on low for 10 minutes.

Want a Simple and Delicious Meat Sauce? This!

Done!

Simple and Delicious Meat Sauce

(I have included a printable recipe at end of post)

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil

1 pound of lean ground meat

1 large chopped onion

3-5 cloves minced garlic

1 15 ounce can diced tomatoes with green chilies

2 15 ounce cans crushed tomatoes

1 tbsp sugar

Freshly ground salt and pepper to taste.

Instructions:

Heat olive oil over medium heat in pot.

Add meat and cook until there is no more visible pink.

Add chopped onion into meat mixture, stirring until semi-translucent, about 3-5 minutes.

Add minced garlic and cook 1-2 minutes more, being careful not to burn. If heat is too high, turn to low.

Once onions and garlic are cooked, add crushed tomatoes and diced tomatoes with green chilies.

Stir well and reduce heat.

Add tbsp of sugar.

Stir to combine and let simmer for 10 minutes over low heat.

Add seasonings.

Ready to eat!

Notes:

1: The sugar is used to cut the acidity of the tomatoes. Do not omit.

2: I typically use 2 tsp. of Kosher salt, 1 tsp. fresh ground pepper and whatever other spices jumps out at me from the rack.

Mix it up and try new thangs.

DO IT!

Happy saucin’, y’all!

meat sauce in pan graphic

 

meat sauce in pan graphic

Simple and Delicious Meat Sauce

Yield: 6 servings

A simple and delicious meat sauce recipe!

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 pound of lean ground meat
  • 1 large chopped onion
  • 3-5 cloves minced garlic
  • 1 15 ounce can diced tomatoes with green chilies
  • 2 15 ounce cans crushed tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • Freshly ground salt and pepper to taste.

Instructions

  1. Heat olive oil over medium heat in pot.
  2. Add meat and cook until there is no more visible pink.
  3. Add chopped onion into meat mixture, stirring until semi-translucent, about 3-5 minutes.
  4. Add minced garlic and cook 1-2 minutes more, being careful not to burn. If heat is too high, turn to low.
  5. Once onions and garlic are cooked, add crushed tomatoes and diced tomatoes with green chilies.
  6. Stir well and reduce heat.
  7. Add tbsp of sugar.
  8. Stir to combine and let simmer for 10 minutes over low heat.
  9. Add seasonings.

Notes

1: The sugar is used to cut the acidity of the tomatoes. Do not omit.

2: I typically use 2 tsp. of Kosher salt, 1 tsp. fresh ground pepper and whatever other spices jumps out at me from the rack.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 303Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 67mgSodium: 667mgCarbohydrates: 18gFiber: 3gSugar: 9gProtein: 24g

Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.

Originally Posted: February 27, 2017  ~  Updated Post: January 21, 2020

Share It!

Click here to cancel reply.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Roberto

Sunday 22nd of August 2021

I also add sliced mushrooms and 1/2 cup of red wine

Patti Tucker

Friday 27th of August 2021

YUM! Great additions.

Lyn

Monday 27th of April 2020

To each his own I guess but I have to disagree on putting sugar in meat sauce, totally ugh, I also do not cook my meat first but let it cook in the tomatoes, I prefer this taste as opposed to having the meat cooked beforehand, I find the taste better and I am vey particular about taste, I like for ingredients to meld so that the taste of all ingedients comes thru. I also like to add my own oregano. THAT'S ITALIAN as my mother-in-law use to say, she was a super cook.

Mary Nolan

Wednesday 25th of October 2023

@Lyn, Not a bad idea re the meat... Now I know why a mother-in-law’s sauce took so long! ;) As for the sugar, acidic foods do not agree with me, so I will use the sugar (Prego does). Also, instead of hot peppers, I will use traditional Italian seasonings, which I love.

Rick Boucher

Sunday 11th of October 2020

@Patti Tucker, I totally agree that sugar is needed to cut back the acidity from all the tomatoey ingredients. Any good cook knows that! But as such everybody has their own interpretation (opinion) and you cannot be wrong about your own opinion! By definition a recipe is a mere starting point to rev up the creative juices of the mind and from it are spawn new and great tastes & recipes! Kudo’s to all for thinking creatively as such...

Patti Tucker

Wednesday 29th of April 2020

The sugar is minimal, and is used to cut the acidity - and you're right: to each his own! Thanks for an alternative.

Charlie

Saturday 25th of January 2020

In my spaghetti sauce I use italian seasoning, basil, and oregeno and eat it for a couple of days then add chili powder and chili type seasonings and eat it like chili. It isn't exactly like chili but it is sort of like chili, spicy and tasty.

Patti Tucker

Sunday 26th of January 2020

Sounds like I'd eat it!

Kristi

Wednesday 11th of September 2019

I tried this recipe tonight. It’s is by far one of the easiest and delicious meat sauce that I’ve ever tried. This is my new GO TO SAUCE.

Patti Tucker

Wednesday 11th of September 2019

YAY! This makes me so happy. Thanks for popping in and letting me know - enjoy!

Gina

Monday 27th of February 2017

That looks delightful! One of my fav cooks to watch is Lydia Bastianich. Through her I was inspired to make my own marinara. The secret ingredient is a bit of anchovy and some anchovy oil. I also use crush tomatoes and plenty of garlic. No one realizes there is anchovy in there and the sauce is really rich and wonderful. Adding ground turkey to it for a meal would make it just right!

Patti Tucker

Monday 27th of February 2017

I love these kinds of sneaky adds. Thanks. I'm adding to my grocery list to try, Gina!

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Skip to Recipe