Italian sausage and ground beef are simmered with crushed and fire roasted tomatoes to make this the absolute BEST Spaghetti Meat Sauce recipe. Serve over pasta with a side of garlic bread for an easy weeknight dinner.
There are a few pasta sauces that every cook should have a solid recipe for – pomodoro sauce, alfredo sauce, and spaghetti meat sauce.
This spaghetti meat sauce is a huge hit with my family. It’s flavorful and hearty, with both sausage and ground beef. Every bite is perfectly seasoned and filled with rich, savory flavor. The base is a combination of crushed tomatoes and fire roasted tomatoes, which add just a bit of heat, with a handful of spices. The best part is that while it can simmer for hours, it can also be ready in just over an hour. It’s one of my favorite recipes for a quick but hearty dinner to feed the family.
Why We Can’t Get Enough of This Spaghetti Meat Sauce
- Ready in as little as 90 minutes. This Spaghetti Meat Sauce can be done in as little as 90 minutes, simmering while you prepare the rest of your dinner, or you can let it cook for up to four hours which allows the meat to get extra tender and the flavors of the sauce to intensify.
- Beef AND pork. I used a combination of ground beef and mild Italian sausage in my spaghetti sauce with meat, which I think is key to getting the absolute best sauce. It adds layers of depth to the overall flavor. Feel free to use spicy sausage for an added kick!
- Hearty and satisfying. With two pounds of ground meat, this sauce is incredibly hearty and filling – even for growing teenage boys. Add a side of garlic bread and it’s an easy dinner everyone can get behind.
Key Ingredients
This sauce is made with sausage, beef, and a handful of other ingredients. Scroll down to the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
- Italian sausage – I used a mild Italian sausage, but sweet or spicy sausage also works.
- Ground beef – I like to use a 80/20 or 90/10 lean ground beef to avoid excess grease.
- Onion & garlic – The aromatics add more flavor to the meat. I like to use a sweet onion, such as Vidalia, and fresh minced garlic.
- Granulated sugar – Sugar adds a hint of sweetness to the sauce and also helps to cut the acidity of the tomatoes.
- Italian seasoning blend – Using a blend helps keep the ingredients list short and sweet. Click here to see our recipe for Italian Seasoning.
- Salt & black pepper
- Fresh parsley – You can use 1-2 teaspoons of dried parsley instead.
- Tomato paste – Adds intensity to the tomato flavor.
- Tomatoes – Regular crushed tomatoes are the base of the sauce, while fire roasted tomatoes help add even more flavor and a bit of heat to the sauce.
- Chicken broth – Broth slightly thins the sauce to the right consistency while also adding flavor.
How to Make Spaghetti Meat Sauce
This homemade spaghetti sauce recipe is very easy to make, with the primary hands-on step being cooking the meat. The printable instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
- Cook the meat. Heat a large pot to medium-high heat. Cook the sausage and beef, breaking it into small pieces with a wooden spoon. Stir in the onion. Cook, stirring often, until the beef and sausage are fully browned. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Drain any excess grease.
- Season. Reduce the heat to medium. Stir in the sugar and seasonings.
- Add the tomato & broth. Stir in the tomato paste then add the crushed tomatoes, fire roasted tomatoes, and broth. Stir to combine.
- Simmer. Cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 1 to 4 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Enjoy. Serve over pasta as desired.
Tips for Success
Here are a few tips for making the best spaghetti meat sauce.
- Use both meats. In a pinch, you CAN make meat sauce with just ground beef or pork sausage. However, I find that the flavor is so much better by using both. The mild sausage adds a bit of heat that you just don’t get from ground beef.
- Taste the sauce. After the sauce has simmered a bit, give it a taste. Add more salt, pepper, or Italian seasoning as needed.
- Thin the sauce. If the sauce becomes too thick while simmering, just add chicken broth in ¼ cup increments until the desired consistency is achieved.
- Let it simmer. Letting the sauce simmer for at least an hour is key to getting the best flavor in the meat sauce. Longer is better, though more than 4 hours is unnecessary.
Serving Suggestions
The most obvious way to serve spaghetti meat sauce is with, well…spaghetti. I love to serve this over spaghetti noodles with garlic bread and a side salad for an easy dinner.
I’ve also used this meat sauce in lasagna, to make stuffed shells, and over cheese filled ravioli. It works in pretty much any recipe that calls for spaghetti sauce.
Leftovers are also great served with garlic bread for dipping as an appetizer.
How to Store Leftovers
- Fridge. Store leftover spaghetti meat sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It’s best enjoyed within three days.
- Freezer. The sauce can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Allow to cool completely, then transfer to a freezer-safe container. Thaw in the fridge, then reheat and enjoy.
More Easy Pasta Recipes
Spaghetti Meat Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 pound Italian sausage
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 large sweet onion peeled and diced
- 5 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/3 cup fresh parsley chopped
- 12 ounces tomato paste
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 15 ounces diced fire roasted tomatoes
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
Instructions
- Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and beef into the pot and break it up with a wooden spoon or spatula. Add in the onion and cook, stirring often, until the meat is fully browned and no pink remains. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Drain off the excess fat.
- Reduce heat to medium and add in the sugar, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and parsley.
- Add in the tomato paste and stir to well to combine.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes with the liquid, and chicken broth. Stir well until combined.
- Bring the sauce to a simmer, then cover the pot with a lid and reduce heat to low. Simmer the sauce for at least 1 hour or up to 4 hours for the best flavor and consistency. Stir occasionally to prevent the sauce from burning at the bottom of the pot.
- Tip: if the sauce becomes too thick, add more chicken broth 1/4 cup at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
- Serve the sauce hot over pasta.
Last Step:
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25 comments on “Spaghetti Meat Sauce”
Is this able to be canned and shelf stable?
I have made this many times, this is not fancy at all but my family loves it. My Mom is so picky and it’s her favorite by far. I always throw a parmesan rind in as well. That’s the only addition/change.
Thank you Della!
How many quarts does this recipe make?
Hi Toni. The recipe yields approximately 3 quarts.
Does this freeze well?
Hi Ann. Yes, this sauce will freeze well in an airtight container.
If using only 1lb beef, do I halve the ingredients??
Hi Anna. You could halve the recipe if you are only using 1lb of beef or use the full amounts. It would still taste the same but not be at “meaty” if you use the full amounts of other ingredients. Really depends on how many you are feeding.