Homemade Meat Sauce

Easy Homemade meat sauce is rich and loaded with flavor. Slow cooked using ingredients you probably already have in your pantry! This recipe is a family dinner favorite!

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 10

Ingredients

To thin sauce as needed as it cooks on stovetop

▢ beef broth or water

Instructions

Stovetop Instructions

In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, sauté the ground beef and sausage until cooked through (5 to 7 minutes). Drain excess grease and return to the pan.
Stir in the onion and cook for about 2-3 minutes (until translucent). During the last 1 minute, add the garlic and tomato paste, stir to combine, and cook.
Slowly pour in red wine and deglaze the pan, scraping up anything stuck to the bottom.
Add in salt, black pepper, red pepper, basil, oregano, crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, and sugar. Stir to combine.
Bring to a hard simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce to a slow simmer over low heat and cook on the stovetop for 3 to 3 1/2 hours or more (I like to cook mine for most of the day), stirring occasionally.
If the sauce starts to thicken too much, add 1/2 cup of beef broth or water at a time until you reach your desired consistency.
Top your favorite pasta, layer in lasagna, baked ziti, or stuffed shells. Garnish with shaved parmesan, parsley, and enjoy!

Slow Cooker Instructions

In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, sauté the ground beef and sausage until cooked through (5 to 7 minutes). Drain excess grease and return to the pan.
Stir in diced onion and cook for about 2-3 minutes (until translucent). During the last 1 minute add the garlic and tomato paste and stir to combine and cook.
Slowly pour in red wine and deglaze the pan, scraping up anything stuck to the bottom.
Transfer the meat mixture to the slow cooker.
Add in salt, black pepper, red pepper, basil, oregano, crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, red wine, and sugar, and stir to combine.
Cover with the lid and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours.

Instant Pot Instructions

Using the sauté setting on high, cook the ground beef and sausage until done (about 7 minutes). I prefer to work in batches to avoid overcrowding the meat.
Drain excess grease and return to the Instant Pot.
Stir in the onion and cook for about 2-3 minutes (until translucent). During the last 1 minute, add the garlic and tomato paste, stir to combine, and cook.
Slowly pour in red wine and deglaze the pan, scraping up anything stuck to the bottom.
Add in salt, black pepper, red pepper, basil, oregano, crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, and sugar, and stir to combine.
Place on the lid to the locked position. Cook the sauce on manual high pressure for 15 minutes. You can do either a quick release or a natural pressure release. Adjust seasonings to taste.