Freeze This Basic Meat Sauce Recipe for a Pasta Dinner Any Night of the Week (2024)

Our basic meat sauce recipe will be your go-to for serving with pasta or using in lasagna. It uses a few simple ingredients: ground beef, canned tomatoes, tomato paste, onion, garlic, and olive oil. It's simple to make and is ready in a little over an hour—plus, it simmers without needing a lot of stirring. Make it a day ahead because the flavors only get better. You can double the recipe and make a big batch, then freeze portions so you can pull them out whenever you need a quick dinner.

Meat Sauce vs. Spaghetti Sauce vs. Sunday Gravy vs. Bolognese

There are endless variations on a meat-based sauce with Italian origins. We don’t claim this is an authentic sauce, rather it’s an easy sauce you’ll make when you’re pressed for time. The more traditional sauces like Bolognese use two or three types of ground meat and cook slowly on the stovetop. They are also not as tomato-based as more American takes like spaghetti sauce or the tomato ragu with braised beef or spicy sausage that is the "Sunday gravy" of many Italian-American cooks. Like all of the sauces mentioned here, it varies depending on the cook.

Ways to Use Meat Sauce

Use this meat sauce anywhere you need a beefy punch:

• It’s a great option for lasagna or other baked pasta
• Use it with pasta, perhaps with sautéed vegetables or a salad
• Serve it over polenta and sautéed vegetables
  

1. Cook onion and garlic:

   Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook until softened, 3 to 5 minutes.

   See Also

   15-Minute Creamy Pesto Pasta Recipe - Her Highness, Hungry Me

   

2. Add beef and cook:

   Add beef and cook, breaking up with a spoon until no longer pink, 4 to 5 minutes.

   

   

3. Add tomato paste and cook:

   Add tomato paste and cook 1 to 2 minutes.

   

4. Add tomatoes and simmer:

   Add tomatoes and juice, breaking up tomatoes. Simmer over medium heat until thickened and saucy, 45 to 60 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

   

Storage

To store this basic meat sauce, let it cool completely before transferring to airtight containers or freezer bags. Meat sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for up to four days.

Freezing

This sauce freezes well. We suggest dividing the sauce into smaller portions to freeze because you can always defrost two containers should you need more sauce. Freeze the sauce for up to three months; it will last much longer than that, but the quality may deteriorate after that time.

Other Meat Sauce Recipes to Try:

• Sunday Sauce
• Bolognese Sauce
• Sausage Meat Sauce
• Grandma’s Bolognese
• Turkey and Mushroom Bolognese