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red meat sauce for pasta

(26 RATINGS)
4.88K Pinches 18 Photos
Renata avatar
Raleigh, NC
Updated on May 9, 2025

I am pictured here with my 100-year-old native Italian mother. She has been my life inspiration with her amazing talents in the kitchen and in all other areas. I have taken her pasta sauces over the years and added my own touch. Enjoy!

Blue Ribbon Recipe

This is a wonderful red meat sauce to keep in your recipe box. It's a very thick meat sauce that tastes oh-so authentic. Herbs like oregano, basil, and Italian parsley add to its fresh flavor. Ground beef and pork add heartiness and more flavor to the red sauce. Serve over any type of pasta you'd like, such as spaghetti, fettuccine, rigatoni, etc. It makes a huge batch of sauce, but it will freeze well. We also thought it tasted even better the 2nd day.

— The Test Kitchen
prep time 45 Min
cook time 2 Hr
method Stove Top
yield 8 serving(s)

Ingredients

  • 5 pounds roma tomatoes
  • 10 cloves garlic, divided
  • - fresh oregano
  • - fresh basil
  • - Italian parsley
  • 2 cans tomato puree (28 oz each)
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 pound ground pork
  • 1 cup diced Vidalia onions
  • 1 cup diced green bell pepper
  • 8 ounces fresh mushrooms
  • - extra-virgin olive oil
  • - salt and pepper
  • - garlic powder
  • - onion powder
  • - paprika, sweet mild
  • - Old Bay seasoning

How To Make red meat sauce for pasta

Test Kitchen Tips
Renata has left the seasoning measurements up to the cook. We used 2 tsp of the dry spices and 1/2 cup fresh basil. We subbed fresh oregano with dried oregano due to availability. Adjust to suit your taste buds.
  • Blend chopped tomatoes, garlic, oregano, basil, and Italian parsley.
    Step 1
    Wash and chop tomatoes. Peel 5 cloves of garlic. Chop oregano, basil, and Italian parsley. Put all in a blender or food processor.
  • Puree the mixture and add to a pot.
    Step 2
    Puree and add it to a large saucepan. Add the 2 large cans of tomato puree. Bring to a boil, stir, and reduce heat to a simmer. Continue to stir as needed.
  • Brown ground beef and pork.
    Step 3
    In a frying pan, cook ground beef and pork. Drain all of the grease and set it aside on a plate.
  • Brown garlic, green bell pepper, onion, and mushrooms.
    Step 4
    Peel and dice 5 cloves of garlic. Dice 1 green bell pepper, 1 Vidalia onion, and 8 oz of mushrooms. In the same frying pan, add extra virgin olive oil to coat the pan and saute the vegetables.
  • Add meat back to the frying pan and add seasonings.
    Step 5
    Put the meat back in the frying pan with the vegetables. Add salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and Old Bay seasoning to taste. Stir everything so that the meat, vegetables, and spices blend.
  • Add meat mixture to the tomato mixture and simmer.
    Step 6
    Then add to the sauce pot and stir. Simmer 1 to 2 hours.
  • Last Step: Don't forget to share! Post a picture of your finished recipe here and on your favorite social network. Don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes!

Discover More

Culture: Italian
Category: Other Sauces
Keyword: #meat
Keyword: #pasta
Keyword: #Red sauce
Collection: Mom Made It Best
Ingredient: Beef
Method: Stove Top

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