Budget Friendly Homemade Meat Sauce

Have you ever wanted a pasta night, but didn’t have any pasta sauce in the cabinet?  I have made this recipe many times and each time it just seems to be better and better.

I love homemade pasta, but making an entire pasta meal can be too much.  Over the last year, I’ve been making many different individual freezer meals, including cheesy stuffed shells with meat sauce and baked ziti.

Homemade doesn’t always have to be difficult.  This is one of the easiest sauces to make and I’m sure you have everything in your pantry right now!  It is thick, hearty and super meaty!  You can use your favorite combination of ground beef, Italian sausage or ground chicken.  Serve it over spaghetti, use it in a baked ziti or in a lasagna for an extra special meal for a potluck!

The longer you let this sauce simmer, the more flavorful it gets!  That’s actually the real secret to making an amazing sauce.  The longer you let this simmer on the stover, the flavors can develop and the meat can get nice and tender.  The sauce will thicken up nicely.

Once you brown the onion, garlic and meat, just let it sit and enjoy the smell as the flavors develop!  This recipe makes a lot of sauce, so if you are like me, you will probably be freezing it. I like to use it in a baked ziti in individual servings so I can just pull it out and throw it in the oven on a busy night.

For a healthier dinner, you can also use it over spaghetti squash, over a baked potato, sweet potato or even rice.  So many options!

I also keep homemade garlic bread in the freezer!  I make them in individual servings, so I can just pull one out and throw it in the air fryer to heat up!  

The Prefect Budget Friendly Homemade Meat Sauce

This budget friendly meat sauce is think, hearty and super meaty!  It uses your favorite combination of ground meats for the most amazing flavor.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 2 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Ingredients

  

• Olive oil for cooking the onion and meat
• 1 large white onion, finely diced
• 5-6 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1.5 lbs ground beef
• 1 lb ground Italian sausage You can use sweet, mild or hot
• 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
• 16 oz can of tomato sauce
• 6 oz can of tomato paste
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 tsp dried basil use fresh basil if you have it
• 2 tsp italian seasoning
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper (optional)

Instructions

 

• In a large dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the diced onion and minced garlic. Toss around with a wooden spoon and cook until onions are softened and browned, about 3-4 minutes.
• Once onions are cooked, add the ground meat. Cook until it's no longer pink, breaking it up with your spoon.
• Once the meat is browned, drain any juices in the pot. Return to the heat, pour in the crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce. Add a little water to the cans and pour back into the mix.
• Add tomato paste and all of the seasonings. Stir to make sure everything is combined. Turn the heat to low and simmer for 1.5-2 hours to reduce the water and enhance the flavors. Stir occasionally, tasting along the way and adjusting the seasonings to your preference.

Notes

To freeze – allow it to cool completely, then pour it into large freezer bags and stack them in the freezer. Pull out a bag and put it in the refrigerator to thaw overnight before you have your dinner, then reheat on the stove.

Keyword italian