The Best Ever Meat Sauce

Everyone likes their spaghetti a certain way (and the amount on their spaghetti)! In our family, we like our sauce to be hearty and flavorful. So, if that’s how you prefer your sauce, look no further because as Levi says: “this is it”! With just a tiny hint of heat to it, this hearty BEST ever meat sauce is sure to be a crowd-pleaser! This sauce is absolutely perfect over pasta. It also freezes very well so it can be reheated at a later time. Of course, there’s nothing I like better than making life easier for my future self :-).

Check out my other MAIN DISH recipes or my SAUCES and SEASONINGS board on Pinterest!

Best Ever Meat Sauce

A delicious, hearty meat sauce packed full of veggies and fresh herbs.

5 from 1 vote

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Course Main Dish

Cuisine Italian

Ingredients

  

• 1 lb ground beef (browned, can be substituted with ground bison, turkey or venison)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion (chopped)
• 4 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 small zucchini or yellow squash (chopped)
• 1 cup fresh mushrooms (sliced (optional))
• 1 stalk celery (chopped)
• 5 medium tomatoes (diced (or 1, 15oz can diced tomatoes))
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil (chopped)
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 heaping tablespoon italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 15 oz cans tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley (chopped)

Instructions

 

• Cook the ground beef until browned, using a spatula or hamburger chopper to break it into small pieces. Set aside.
• Heat oil over medium high heat in large sauce pan and sauté onion, garlic, squash, mushrooms and chopped tomatoes for 5 minutes.
• Stir in sugar, salt, fresh basil, red pepper, Italian seasoning, black pepper, tomato sauce, water and cooked ground beef.
• Bring to a boil and then turn heat to low. Simmer for 30 minutes.
• Stir in parsley and serve over pasta.

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Other Serving Suggestions for the BEST Ever Meat Sauce

Tired of pasta? Serve this meat sauce over:

• Polenta
• Baked Spaghetti Squash
• Roasted Red Pepper Halves
• Veggie “Noodles”
• Baked Potato
• Toasted Italian Bread

Tips for Freezing the Sauce:

If you would like to freeze a batch of sauce or your leftover sauce, make sure that you let it cool completely before you get started. BUT don’t let it sit out for too long though. Bacteria can start to contaminate the food if it’s left. I wouldn’t leave it out any longer than 2 hours.

Once the sauce has cooled, Divide it up into quart sized freezer bags, freezer safe plastic containers, or glass mason jars (my personal choice). Leave room for the sauce to expand as it freezes. Place in the freezer. Once the sauce is frozen, it’ll be good for up to 3 months!