This amazing meat sauce recipe hails from my father-in-law's kitchen and is the best; it’s everyone's favorite. It's thick, hearty, and has phenomenal flavor thanks to a combination of beef, veal, and pork, as well as traditional seasonings that you can adjust as you’d like. Get a pot simmering on the stove this Sunday!

Overhead photo of a pot of meat sauce with a wooden spoon in the pot.

Sunday dinners at my grandma’s always involved some type of pasta; she would make anything from lasagna to stuffed shells, rigatoni with sausage and peppers, or simple spaghetti noodles with sauce.

To accommodate those who didn't like chunks of anything in sauce, she typically made a simple marinara sauce (and had spare ribs simmering in there for extra flavor); I loved her sauce, though I have always had a huge soft spot for a super chunky meat sauce.

At some point in the early months of dating my husband, I had the chance to taste his dad's meat sauce after it had spent a Sunday afternoon simmering away on the stove. I fell madly in love with that sauce.

I've been enjoying it for years (both when he makes it and when I make it!), and the second time that I made it, my husband walked into the kitchen as I was just getting it to a simmer and said that it smelled like his parents' house on a Sunday.

Success.

The Ingredients

This homemade spaghetti meat sauce recipe builds wonderful flavor with these basic ingredients:

  • Meat – This sauce uses a mixture of ground beef, ground pork, and ground veal; the combination is sometimes labeled “meatloaf mix”. I have also often done half ground beef and half ground Italian sausage, which is delicious.
  • Onions and Garlic – Classic building blocks for a fantastic sauce!
  • Basil – This is the only herb used in the sauce and I love it, but feel free to throw in a dash of oregano or any other classic herbs you like. This recipe calls for dried basil, but if you prefer fresh herbs, my father-in-law often substitutes fresh basil from the garden in the summer.
  • Red Wine – This gives the sauce some body and little oomph. I use whatever red wine we have available at home, usually something like cabernet sauvignon or pinot noir. This simmers out, but you can omit it if you are unable to consume wine.
  • Crushed Tomatoes – These are chunkier than tomato sauce, but more finely processed than diced tomatoes. It lends a wonderful fresh tomato flavor to the sauce.
  • Tomato Puree – This is thicker than tomato sauce, but not nearly as thick as tomato paste. It gives great body and smoothness to the sauce.
Overhead photo of a pot with browned meat, onions, garlic, and seasonings.

Meat Sauce vs Bolognese Sauce

Many people interchange meat sauce and bolognese sauce, which is understandable since they are both a chunky, meaty sauce, but there are some significant differences.

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While the meats used are the same, the aromatics differ; bolognese has a base that starts with carrots, celery, and onions. In addition, there is very little tomato product used in a traditional bolognese – it is meaty and thick, often uses beef broth, and always some type of dairy such as milk or cream.

Recipes Notes

Here are a few extra tips on making this amazingly meaty homemade spaghetti sauce recipe:

  • The Tomatoes – My father-in-law swears by Tuttorosso crushed tomatoes and tomato puree. He said he loves prefers it because they are both nice and thick, which makes for a heartier sauce. This brand is primarily sold in the Eastern part of the U.S. (though you can sometimes get it on Amazon, from Target, or Walmart), so if you can't find it, feel free to use your favorite or whatever is available. He did note that he has found some brands of crushed tomatoes are a little watery compared to the Tuttorosso brand, so if this happens to be the case, you might want to add a small can of tomato paste to thicken up the sauce.
  • Meatless – If you prefer a meatless sauce, you can simply omit the meat and make the sauce as directed below. I've done that multiple times when I've made baked ziti, and it's just as fabulous.
  • Extra Flavor – As I’ve mentioned above, you can use different/extra herbs, and even a pinch or two of red pepper flakes for an extra pop!
  • Long and Low Simmer – For the best-tasting sauce, once it is simmering on the stove, let it go for at least 2 or 3 hours so that all of the flavors meld and intensify.
  • Storage – Allow the sauce to cool to room temperature, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
  • Freezing Instructions – This sauce freezes beautifully! Once the sauce is cooled and in an airtight container, store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat in a saucepan over low heat.
A bowl of spaghetti with meat sauce and two forks and a sprig of fresh basil in the bowl.

I urge you to run, not walk, into the kitchen and get a pot of this started.

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Homemade Meat Sauce

Yield: 3 ½ quarts
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours
Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
This amazing meat sauce recipe hails from my father-in-law's kitchen and is everyone's favorite. It's thick, hearty, and has phenomenal flavor thanks to a combination of beef, veal, and pork.
4.94 (98 ratings)
Print Pin Rate

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons  olive oil
  • 8 ounces ground beef
  • 8 ounces ground pork
  • 8 ounces ground veal
  • 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 tablespoons dried basil
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • ½ cup (120 ml) red wine
  • 2 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes
  • 1 28-ounce can tomato puree

Instructions 

  • Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. When it is shimmering, add the ground beef, pork and veal, and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until the meat is browned.
  • Add the onion and garlic to the meat mixture and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent, about 7 to 10 minutes. Stir in the dried basil and season with salt and pepper.
  • Stir in the red wine and let simmer for about 1 minute, until mostly evaporated.
  • Reduce the heat to low and add the crushed tomatoes and tomato puree to the pot, stirring to incorporate. Reduce the heat to the lowest simmer possible, and place a lid on the pot slightly ajar. Simmer for 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally.

Notes

  • Equipment – An 8-quart pot or a 7.25-quart Dutch oven is perfect for this sauce!
  • The Tomatoes – My father-in-law swears by Tuttorosso crushed tomatoes and tomato puree. He said he loves prefers it because they are both nice and thick, which makes for a heartier sauce. This brand is primarily sold in the Eastern part of the U.S. (though you can sometimes get it on Amazon, from Target, or Walmart), so if you can't find it, feel free to use your favorite or whatever is available. He did note that he has found some brands of crushed tomatoes are a little watery compared to the Tuttorosso brand, so if this happens to be the case, you might want to add a small can of tomato paste to thicken up the sauce.
  • Wine: I use whatever red wine we have available at home, usually something like cabernet sauvignon or pinot noir. It can also be omitted if you are unable to consume wine.
  • Meatless – If you prefer a meatless sauce, you can simply omit the meat and make the sauce as directed below. I've done that multiple times when I've made baked ziti, and it's just as fabulous.
  • Extra Flavor – As I’ve mentioned above, you can use different/extra herbs, and even a pinch or two of red pepper flakes for an extra pop!
  • Long and Low Simmer – For the best-tasting sauce, once it is simmering on the stove, let it go for at least 2 or 3 hours so that all of the flavors meld and intensify.
  • Storage – Allow the sauce to cool to room temperature, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
  • Freezing Instructions – This sauce freezes beautifully! Once the sauce is cooled and in an airtight container, store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat in a saucepan over low heat.
Nutritional values are based on half a quart of sauce
Calories: 877kcal, Carbohydrates: 70g, Protein: 58g, Fat: 42g, Saturated Fat: 12g, Cholesterol: 163mg, Sodium: 944mg, Potassium: 3685mg, Fiber: 17g, Sugar: 37g, Vitamin A: 2525IU, Vitamin C: 80.9mg, Calcium: 390mg, Iron: 19.8mg

Did you make this recipe?

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Author: Michelle Lettrich
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian

Update Notes: This recipe was originally published in February 2014.

[photos by Ari of Well Seasoned]