I recently made this veggie and meat packed sauce and immediately knew I needed to add it to the blog. It’s packed flavor and truly can level up just about any pasta or spaghetti squash dish. My whole family loved it and I’m confident it will be a crowd-pleaser in your household too.
If you’re stumped on what to add to your pasta (or you’re sick of plain marinara sauce), this will be your new go-to!
Meat Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb organic ground beef
- ½ lb bulk mild Italian sausage
- ¼ lb bulk hot Italian sausage, (omit if cooking for kids; sub more mild instead)
- 1 whole yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 carrot, finely diced
- 1 zucchini, finely diced
- 1 yellow squash, finely diced
- 2 stalks celery, finely diced
- 1 jar (32 oz) tomato sauce
- 1 jar (18 oz) crushed/diced organic tomatoes
- 1–2 Tbsp olive oil (as needed)
- 1 Parmigiano-Reggiano rind (optional, adds depth and creaminess)
- Seasonings: kosher salt & black pepper, onion powder, Italian seasoning
Note: I’d suggest starting with 1 tbsp salt, ½ tsp pepper, 1 tbsp onion powder, 2 tsp Italian seasoning — adjust to taste while simmering.
Instructions
- Brown the meat finely. In a large and heavy pot, add ground beef, mild sausage, and hot sausage. Cook over medium-high heat, using a wooden spoon to break the meat down into very small crumbles as it browns. Cook until evenly browned, about 8 minutes. (Don’t drain unless there’s a lot of excess fat.)
- Add onion. Stir in the finely diced onion and cook until softened, roughly 3–4 minutes.
- Add remaining veggies. Add carrot, zucchini, squash, and celery — all finely diced so they melt into the sauce. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook 5–7 minutes, stirring often, until veggies are soft and starting to caramelize.
- Season and add tomatoes. Sprinkle in onion powder and Italian seasoning. Stir well. Add the 32 oz jar of tomato sauce and the 18 oz crushed/diced tomatoes. Mix thoroughly.
- Blend for creaminess. Ladle out about half the sauce (carefully — it’s hot) and blend until smooth. Work in batches if needed. Pour the blended portion back into the pot and stir to combine.
- Parmigiano-Reggiano rind (optional but amazing.) Drop in a Parmigiano-Reggiano rind and let it simmer with the sauce. It’ll slowly melt flavor into the pot and make the sauce extra savory and velvety.
- Simmer low & slow. Reduce heat to low and let the sauce gently simmer, partially covered, for at least 1–2 hours (longer if you have the time). Stir occasionally and taste near the end, adjusting salt, pepper, or Italian seasoning.
- Cook pasta (or spaghetti squash.) Toward the end of simmering, cook pasta in well-salted water until al dente. If using spaghetti squash, roast ahead of time and reheat strands in a skillet.
- Serve and enjoy! Toss pasta or squash with sauce, making sure every strand is coated. Remove and discard the Parmigiano rind. Top generously with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.
More Recipe Ideas:
- Tortilla-less Beef Enchilada Casserole
- Chicken Tortellini Salad
- Instant Pot Potatoes
- Trader Joe’s Bruschetta Chicken
- The Perfect Homemade Smash Burger
- Greek Chicken and Rice Bowls
- The Easiest Afternoon Snack
- My Favorite Egg-Free Breakfast Bowls
- Homemade No Noodle Chicken Soup
- My Go-To Poached Chicken Breast
