• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • Categories
    • Fall Favorites
    • Copycat Recipes
    • Main Dishes
    • Pantry Staples
    • Breakfast & Brunch
    • Desserts
    • Side Dishes
    • Snacks
  • About

The Frozen Biscuit

go to homepage
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Categories
    • Fall Favorites
    • Copycat Recipes
    • Main Dishes
    • Pantry Staples
    • Breakfast & Brunch
    • Desserts
    • Side Dishes
    • Snacks
  • About
  • follow along

    • Email
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Main Dishes » Pasta Recipes » Spaghetti Meat Sauce

    Published: Jul 9, 2020 · Modified: Nov 1, 2020 by Erin · This post may contain affiliate links

    Spaghetti Meat Sauce

    74shares
    • Share
    • Tweet
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Forget about the pre-made stuff, and make this rich and hearty homemade red sauce with ground beef. The taste is so amazing, you'll never go back to store bought!

    white bowl with spaghetti pasta, meat tomato sauce and torn fresh basil leaves next to a silver fork

    What's in it?

    Tomatoes, onion, garlic, basil, a little sugar (to balance out the acidity of the tomatoes) and a splash of red wine. The red wine adds richness and bumps up the flavor, but you could opt to leave it out.

    ***This recipe uses home canned or store canned tomatoes. (If you are looking for a fresh tomato sauce recipe, try this Fresh Tomato Sauce Recipe for spaghetti from Cookie and Kate.)

    pot of ingredients for red sauce with meat with ingredients labeled

    Simple pantry ingredients a few fresh herbs is all it takes to create a fantastic spaghetti sauce.

    How to Make It

    In a large pot, add olive oil, the onion and garlic, and ground beef. Saute until beef is browned, onion is softened and garlic is fragrant.

    De-glaze the pot with the wine; this will bring up all the flavors and browned bits on the bottom of the pan. That's a whole lot of good flavor that gets cooked into the sauce that way. 

    Add the tomatoes, the remaining spices and the Parmesan rind. The Parmesan rind is also optional, but the flavor that it adds when simmered in the sauce is to die for. 

    Let the pot simmer away on a medium low simmer for anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour. The longer it cooks, the better it tastes.

    Serve with cooked spaghetti pasta, fresh basil and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. 

    Other saucy pastas to try:

    • Summer Squash Pasta
    • Spicy Sausage Kale Pasta
    • Pasta Primavera with Chicken
    • Pasta with Greens
    • Creamy Pasta with Squash and Sausage
    • Sundried Tomato Pasta with Sausage

    And, make silky ribbons of homemade pasta with this easy and delicious catch-all recipe for Homemade Pasta Dough. 

    spaghetti with meat sauce, basil ribbons, Parmesan cheese and a fork in a white bowl on white stone counter top

    Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

    Rich and hearty, with a subtle sweetness. Full of herbs, and red wine for depth, this is a delicious and perfect spaghetti with meat sauce recipe.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: dinner
    Cuisine: Italian
    Keyword: easy, sauce, tomato
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes
    Servings: 6 servings
    Calories: 230kcal
    Author: Erin
    Cost: $3

    Equipment

    • stove top
    • pot

    Ingredients

    • ½ lb ground beef turkey, pork, or mixture
    • 3 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
    • ½ sweet onion minced
    • 6 cloves garlic minced
    • ⅔ cup red wine dry
    • 30 oz canned whole tomatoes, or diced unsweetened, home canned, or good quality canned tomatoes, (such as San Marzano)
    • 1 handful fresh basil leaf thinly sliced (chiffonade), plus more for topping
    • 1 tsp onion powder
    • 1 tsp garlic powder
    • 1 tsp oregano leaf dried or fresh
    • 1 tbsp sugar
    • 1 ½ tsp salt or to taste
    • ¼ tsp pepper or to taste
    • Parmigiano-Reggiano chese rind totally optional (shred off cheese and set aside for garnish)

    Instructions

    • In a large sauce pan, saute ground beef with onion and garlic until beef is browned, onion is translucent and garlic is fragrant.
    • Add wine and scrape up everything stuck on the pan.
    • Add tomatoes (do not drain-add juice also), basil, onion and garlic powders, oregano, sugar, salt and pepper and Parmesan rind. Simmer for 30 to 60 minutes on a medium-low simmer until thickened. As the tomatoes break down in the sauce, further break them up with a wooden spoon.
    • Serve with cooked spaghetti pasta; top with freshly grated Parmesan and fresh basil.

    Notes

    • Use home canned or other quality canned whole tomatoes. Pay attention to ingredient list-there should not be added salt, sugar or spices. (If home canned contains these, just adjust ingredients.)
    • Do not drain the tomatoes. Add the juice with the tomatoes to the pot. 
    • The tomatoes will break down and become sauce-like as they simmer. Break them up with a wooden spoon while cooking. 
    • Using red wine in this sauce is highly recommended. Opt for a dry red like a basic Merlot, Syrah or even Cabernet. Avoid sweet red wine for the sauce. 
    • Parmesan cheese rind adds more incredible flavor to the sauce. When using true Parmigiano reggiano, the rind will mostly remain intact while simmering; you'll want to fish it out before serving. If using a Parmesan cheese rind, it may likely dissolve, though not always so keep an eye out for it either way.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1g | Calories: 230kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 814mg | Potassium: 453mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 166IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 3mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @TheFrozenBiscuit or tag #thefrozenbiscuit!
    Previous Post: « Pickled Radishes
    Next Post: Crispy Chicken Sandwich »

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    I'm Erin, I enjoy creating rustic, from-scratch recipes that are tasty, comforting, and use basic pantry staples. More about

    Light Pasta Dishes

    Sliced chicken breast on a bed of pasta primavera with Parmesan cheese and lemon.

    Pasta Primavera with Chicken

    Cast iron skillet with taupe towel filled with orzo in a yellow, creamy sauce, topped with chicken breast.

    Creamy Yellow Tomato Chicken Skillet with Orzo

    Linguine pasta tossed in a green vegetable pesto with pine nuts.

    Green Pasta

    Orchietta pasta with yellow squash, lemon and red pepper flakes in a skillet.

    Summer Squash Pasta

    More Posts from this Category

    This Month's Top Recipes

    Ramekin of beer cheese by a salted soft pretzel on parchment paper.

    Beer Cheese Dip

    glass jar filled with dry buttermilk powder

    How to Make Buttermilk Powder

    Round casserole dish filled with cheesy, browned casserole.

    Sausage Gravy Breakfast Casserole

    cast iron pan of homemade hamburger helper lasagna

    Homemade Hamburger Helper Lasagna

    Zip lock plastic freezer bags containing frozen fresh pasta for freezing.

    How to Freeze and Store Fresh Pasta Dough

    copy cat Arby's beef and cheddar sandwich with homemade Arby's sauce

    Arby's Beef n Cheddar with Copycat Arby's Sauce

    FeedFeed

    Footer

    Copyright © 2020 The Frozen Biscuit on the Brunch Pro Theme

    Privacy Policy

    Disclaimer

    Accessibility Statement