Why We Love Spaghetti and Meat Sauce
Nana knows a thing or two about home cooking. If you’ve been following the blog for a while, you’ve surely tried Nana’s EPIC Creamy Potato Soup Recipe and Nana’s Epic Chicken and Rice. If you haven’t yet, STOP WHAT YOU ARE DOING and add these to your dinner menu for next week. Seriously. As I was saying, my mom “Nana” is my go-to guide for all things comfort food. So when I wanted to create a hearty, savory, Sunday dinner-worthy Spaghetti with Meat Sauce recipe, I turned to Nana… This fabulously easy and delicious sauce is a play off my mom’s old-timey spaghetti and meat sauce recipe. It’s not meant to be an authentic Italian Bolognese recipe, but is more of a classic Italian-American bistro meat sauce that is heavy on tomatoes. It is similar to Sunday Gravy but without the sausage links and peppers.
The Best Spaghetti Meat Sauce Recipe
Although there are a lot of ingredients you can add to Italian meat sauce, we like to keep it simple so that the flavor of the ground meat, Italian sausage, tomatoes, garlic, and basil really shines through. It is basic but incredibly satisfying with lots of rustic flavors. Our Spaghetti Meat Sauce Recipe can be enjoyed on everything from pasta to polenta and even potatoes! This sauce is fabulous on day one, but even better after 24 hours. It’s a great recipe to make and freeze for an effortless homemade meal later in the week or month. I love preparing several batches at once to stock the freezer and give to friends. We hope you enjoy the best meat sauce with your family, too!
Ingredients You Need
Here are the ingredients needed to make our classic Italian-inspired Spaghetti Meat Sauce recipe:
Butter – to sauté the aromatics Red onion – or a white onion if you prefer Garlic – for a deep, savory flavor Ground Italian sausage – adds loads of flavor, you can choose hot or mild depending on your spice tolerance Ground beef – or substitute with ground turkey or chicken Dried oregano – for classic Italian flavor Canned tomato sauce – or 20 oz tomato paste + 36 oz water Canned crushed tomatoes – use a high-quality can of crushed tomatoes Fresh basil – fresh is best here but you can use dry in a pinch Salt and pepper – to taste
You can jazz the sauce up a bit by adding other ingredients, like shaved carrots, aged balsamic vinegar, red wine, crushed red pepper, ground veal, and/or bell peppers. These aren’t necessary, but each adds a different unique flavor that can be fun to try! Also… Sometimes canned tomatoes can be overly acidic and benefit from a little bit of sugar to balance the flavor. Only use if needed, and remember, a little goes a long way.
How to Make Meat Sauce
First, set a heavy-bottomed 6-quart sauce pot over medium heat. Add the butter and onions, and stir until the onions become soft. If they start to brown, turn the heat down to medium-low. Then stir in the minced garlic and sauté for another couple of minutes. Next add in the ground sausage, ground beef, and dried oregano. Cook the meat and break it into small pieces with a wooden spoon. Once the meat pieces are well browned, stir in the tomato sauce and crushed tomatoes. Cover and simmer for 30-60 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once the sauce is done, stir in the fresh chopped basil. Taste, then salt and pepper as needed. If the meat sauce tastes too acidic, stir in 1-2 tablespoons of sugar. Pro Tip: The ground sausage and canned tomatoes are both quite salty. It’s best to let the sauce cook a little while – at least 30 minutes – before deciding if you want to salt it.
Get the Complete Best Spaghetti Recipe + Video Below with Detailed Measurements and Instructions. Enjoy!
Tips & Tricks
Let it simmer! For a sauce that is packed with flavor, it is best to let it simmer for some time, ideally an hour! This will help all the flavors develop and deepen. Keep homemade spaghetti with meat sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. The flavors keep getting better the longer all of the ingredients sit together! The Italian sausage can sometimes be spicy, if you opt for a hot sausage. If you prefer, you can use mild sausage, or ground pork. If you use ground pork, add additional seasonings like Italian seasoning.
Serving Suggestions
While this spaghetti and meat sauce is a filling and satisfying meal on its own, you can try serving it with a variety of side dishes for a well-balanced and delicious meal. And don’t forget dessert! Here are my suggestions:
Garlic Bread Kale Caesar Salad Wedge Salad Lemon Butter Roasted Asparagus Dinner Rolls Tiramisu Salted Caramel Chocolate Tart
Looking for More Easy Classic Recipes?
Best Hamburger Patty Recipe The Ultimate Cottage Pie Recipe The Best Classic Meatloaf Chopped Steak with Mushroom Gravy The Best Chili Recipe
Check the printable recipe card below for the nutrition information including calories, carbohydrates, protein, cholesterol, sodium, potassium, fiber, vitamin c, and calcium percentages. Share This Recipe With Friends!
