Hearty Italian Meat Sauce
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
A slow-simmered, hearty meat sauce with a rich balance of savory spices and fresh vegetables. Features a blend of sweet and spicy Italian sausage with lean ground beef. Includes diced carrots, celery, onions, and garlic softened in olive oil, merging with a trio of tomato products and beef broth. Simmered for over three hours with oregano and cloves infuses deep layers of flavor. Slightly altered spice amounts and ingredient swaps add a unique touch. Yields a large batch suitable for family gatherings or batch cooking for the week. Gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, and egg-free.
Prep:
42 min
Cook:
Total:
Servings:
20 servings
#Italian
#meat sauce
#slow simmer
#batch cooking
#gluten free
#dairy free
#family meal
Meat and tomatoes. Vegetables sitting in olive oil, their natural sugars coming out. Sauté the garlic hot, then add tomato paste, spices — smoke in paprika, sharpness in red pepper. Two meats browned to lock in fat. Cloves poking around, small surprises. Hours later, sauce thick with the taste of time passing slowly on the stove. It’s chunky but smooth, bright but deep. Not rushed. Large quantities to feed a crowd or a week’s worth of dinners. The kind of dinner you remember. Basil fresh, almost thrown in at the end like a secret. It’s hearty, rustic, with bite and comfort. No dairy, no gluten, no fuss. Just a pot simmering away.
Ingredients
- 600 g (1 1/3 lb) mixture of sweet and spicy Italian sausages, casings removed
- 750 g (1 2/3 lb) lean ground beef
- 80 ml (5 tbsp + 1 tsp) extra virgin olive oil
- 2 to 4 ml (1/3 to 3/4 tsp) crushed red pepper flakes
- 3 medium onions, finely chopped
- 5 medium carrots, peeled and diced
- 3 celery stalks, diced
- 5 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 small can 140 ml (5 oz) tomato paste
- 2 cans 710 ml (25 oz) diced Italian tomatoes
- 2 cans 710 ml (25 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 600 ml (2 1/2 cups) beef stock
- 12 ml (2 1/2 tsp) dried oregano
- 2 to 3 whole cloves
- 5 ml (1 tsp) smoked paprika (replaces some heat)
- Fresh basil leaves (added at end for aroma)
About the ingredients
The mix of meats, Italian sausage and lean beef, balances sweeter and spicier flavors with a grounded beefiness. Olive oil is generous for sautéing vegetables, uplifting the base without heaviness. Onion, carrot, and celery create the soffritto foundation. Fresh garlic sharpens the aroma. Tomato paste is the umami heart, cooked slightly for richness. Swapping out some tomatoes for crushed instead of diced gives a thicker texture that’s less watery. Beef broth adds depth compared to water. Oregano is classic, warm. Cloves are subtle but key for a slightly sweet and aromatic background note. Smoked paprika replaces a bit of heat with a smoky edge. Fresh basil is added last, keeping its brightness alive.
Method
- Heat 40 ml olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat.
- Cook sausage mixture in batches, breaking apart, until browned, about 6 minutes per batch. Season lightly with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Remove and set aside.
- Add remaining oil to the pot. Add onions, carrots, celery, and garlic. Season and sweat until softened but not browned, about 8 minutes.
- Stir in tomato paste and smoked paprika. Cook stirring continuously for 90 seconds to deepen flavors.
- Return meats to pot. Mix well.
- Add diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, beef stock, oregano, and cloves.
- Bring to a rolling boil, then reduce heat to very low.
- Simmer uncovered for 2 hours 55 minutes, stirring now and then. Scrape sides and bottom to prevent sticking.
- Remove cloves. Stir in fresh basil leaves.
- Let cool slightly before serving over pasta of choice or as base for other dishes.
- Optionally, refrigerate overnight. Reheat gently next day to let flavors marry further.
Cooking tips
Start by rendering the meats in batches, preventing steaming and encouraging browning for flavor. Use medium-high heat but watch for burning. Vegetables go in next — softening slowly rather than frying hard. Tomato paste must cook briefly to lose rawness, stirred constantly. Return meats while stirring to combine layers. Add canned tomatoes, stock, and dried herbs. Bring sauce to vigorous boil first, then down to a long gentle simmer. Stir every 20-30 minutes, scraping bits from the bottom for flavor, and to avoid burning as it thickens considerably over nearly three hours. Remove cloves late in cooking to avoid overpowering. Basil leaves added just before serving or after reheating next day preserve freshness. This process takes patience but yields complexity. Sauce can rest overnight and taste intensifies.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Brown meats in batches. Avoid crowding. Browning locks fats, adds flavor. Don’t rush. High heat but avoid burning. Set cooked meat aside off heat.
- 💡 Sweat vegetables low and slow. No browning. Soft but gentle to bring out natural sugars. Watch garlic carefully, stir continuously to avoid bitterness.
- 💡 Tomato paste must cook longer than you think. At least 90 seconds stirring non stop. Develops umami, loses raw tang, deeper color.
- 💡 Keep stirring during simmer. Scrape pot sides and bottom. Thick sauce sticks; prevents burnt bits. Every 20-30 minutes. Patience, not rush.
- 💡 Remove whole cloves late to stop bitterness. Basil added fresh at end, not cooked, keeps aroma bright and herbal. Don’t skip this step.
Common questions
Why brown meats separately?
Crowding traps steam. Meat doesn’t brown. Flavor lost. Batch cooking renders fat better. Avoid soggy texture. Use medium-high heat to sear well.
How long to simmer sauce?
Almost three hours uncovered. Allow thickening, flavor development. Stir, scrape regularly. Can do overnight in fridge. Reheat gentle next day to marry flavors.
Can I swap meats?
Lean beef plus Italian sausage works. Sausage brings spice and fat. Other ground meat combo possible but changes taste and texture. Adjust seasoning accordingly.
How to store leftovers?
Refrigerate covered. Lasts 3-4 days. Freeze in portions. Thaw in fridge overnight. Reheat slowly on low heat. Keeps flavors intact and texture good.
