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Brian Sunter

Tomato Meat Sauce

A rich and flavorful meat sauce perfect for pasta dishes, lasagna, or any recipe calling for a hearty tomato-based sauce.

1 hour 15 minutes cook 15 minutes prep 1 hour 30 minutes total 8 servings
sauce pasta italian dinner make-ahead
Scale
Units

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 0.50 pound ground pork
  • 1 large onion
  • 3 carrots
  • 3 stalks celery
  • 5 cloves garlic
  • 0.50 cup red wine
  • 2 28 oz cans crushed tomatoes
  • 1 6 oz can tomato paste
  • 2 tbsp dried basil
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 2 bay leaves
  • to taste salt
  • to taste black pepper
  • 0.25 cup fresh basil

Equipment

  • dutch oven

Instructions

1

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the 1 pound ground beef (80/20 lean-to-fat ratio) and 0.50 pound ground pork , breaking it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Cook until browned, 6 minutes .

2

Add the 1 large onion , finely chopped, 3 carrots , finely grated, and 3 stalks celery , finely chopped to the meat. Cook for 5 minutes , stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened.

3

Add the 5 cloves garlic , minced, and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.

4

Pour in the 0.50 cup red wine and let it simmer for 3 minutes , until mostly evaporated.

5

Add the 2 28 oz cans crushed tomatoes , 1 6 oz can tomato paste , 2 tbsp dried basil , 2 tsp dried oregano , 1 tsp sugar , and 2 bay leaves . Stir well to combine.

6

Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer, partially covered, for at least 60 minutes (or up to 180 minutes for deeper flavor), stirring occasionally.

7

Taste and adjust seasoning with to taste salt and to taste black pepper as needed.

8

Remove bay leaves before serving. Garnish with 0.25 cup fresh basil , chopped.

View Cooklang Source
recipe.cook 
---
title: Tomato Meat Sauce
description: "A rich and flavorful meat sauce perfect for pasta dishes, lasagna, or any recipe calling for a hearty tomato-based sauce."
servings: 8
total time: 1 hour 30 minutes
prep time: 15 minutes
cook time: 1 hour 15 minutes
tags: [sauce, pasta, italian, dinner, make-ahead]
cuisine: Italian-American
difficulty: easy
---

Heat @olive oil{2%tbsp} in a large #dutch oven{} over medium-high heat. Add the @ground beef{1%pound} (80/20 lean-to-fat ratio) and @ground pork{1/2%pound}, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Cook until browned, ~{6%minutes}.

Add the @onion{1%large}, finely chopped, @carrots{3}, finely grated, and @celery{3%stalks}, finely chopped to the meat. Cook for ~{5%minutes}, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened.

Add the @garlic{5%cloves}, minced, and cook for ~{1%minute} until fragrant.

Pour in the @red wine{1/2%cup} and let it simmer for ~{3%minutes}, until mostly evaporated.

Add the @crushed tomatoes{2%28 oz cans}, @tomato paste{1%6 oz can}, @dried basil{2%tbsp}, @dried oregano{2%tsp}, @sugar{1%tsp}, and @bay leaves{2}. Stir well to combine.

Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer, partially covered, for at least ~{60%minutes} (or up to ~{180%minutes} for deeper flavor), stirring occasionally.

> For extra depth of flavor, add a Parmesan rind while simmering or stir in a pat of butter at the end. The longer you let the sauce simmer, the more the flavors will develop and meld together.

Taste and adjust seasoning with @salt{to taste} and @black pepper{to taste} as needed.

Remove bay leaves before serving. Garnish with @fresh basil{1/4%cup}, chopped.

> This sauce can be served immediately over pasta, or cooled and stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.