Homemade Meat Sauce

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Homemade Meat Sauce is so easy to make that you'll never buy it again! It's thick and rich, and perfect for spaghetti, polenta or veggie noodles!

Prep Time10

Cook Time1 30

Additional Time0

Total Time1 40

Course: Sauces

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: servings

Calories: 224kcal

Author: Marcie

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef
16 ounces baby bella mushrooms stemmed and sliced; see note 2
1 large onion peeled, and chopped
4 cloves garlic minced
4 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup dry red wine
28 ounces crushed tomatoes sub with tomato sauce or tomato purée; use San Marzano for best quality
28 ounces tomato purée sub with tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes; use San Marzano for best quality
1 tablespoon dried basil or sub with twice the amount of fresh chopped basil
2 teaspoons dried oregano or sub with twice the amount of fresh chopped oregano
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the ground beef and break up into chunks. Cook about 2 minutes, then add the onions and mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms have released their liquid and the onions have softened. Drain excess grease as needed. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook 30 seconds longer.
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 1 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef, 16 ounces baby bella mushrooms, 1 large onion, 4 cloves garlic, 4 tablespoons tomato paste
Add the red wine and cook for 3-5 minutes or until reduced by half. Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato purée, herbs and bay leaf, and stir well to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 1-2 hours with lid slightly ajar, stirring often, until the sauce is thick and rich.
1 cup dry red wine, 28 ounces crushed tomatoes, 28 ounces tomato purée, 1 tablespoon dried basil, 2 teaspoons dried oregano, 1 bay leaf
Remove from heat and discard the bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper, to taste and add 1-2 more tablespoons of olive oil as desired for a richer texture. Serve and enjoy!
salt and pepper

Pro tip: The longer the sauce simmers, the thicker and richer it gets. I like to get a batch going when I have time and let it simmer on the stove top for a good hour or two.
If you're not a fan of mushrooms, substitute with another 1/2 lb. of ground beef or diced carrot or celery.
This makes a large batch of sauce. I like to use half and freeze the other for busy week nights.
Store the meat sauce in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.