Meat Sauce
Meat sauce is the everyday beef and tomato sauce behind spaghetti, lasagne and loaded jacket potatoes, and a good one needs only 50 minutes and a single pan. Onion and garlic are softened first, the mince is browned properly, and a short simmer in tomatoes and stock does the rest. This batch makes four generous portions of sauce, enough to coat pasta or fill a lasagne for four.
- Total
- 50 min
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Serves
- 4
- Per serving
- 290kcal
Getting the thickness of meat sauce right
A sauce for pasta should be thick enough to cling to each strand rather than pool at the bottom of the bowl. The way to get there is time and an open pan: 25 minutes of gentle simmering reduces the liquid and concentrates the tomato and beef. For lasagne, aim for the thicker end, so the layers hold their shape when cut.
Lean mince with about 10% fat browns well and leaves little to drain. With 20% fat mince, you will need to spoon off more. The tomato purée adds depth and a darker colour, and a reduced-salt stock cube keeps the sauce from becoming too salty. The figures here are for the sauce alone, without the pasta.
Making meat sauce
Tap a time to start a timer.
- Soften the onion Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for , stirring now and then, until soft and translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook for more, without letting it colour.
- Brown the mince Turn the heat up to medium-high and add the beef. Break it up with a wooden spoon and cook for , until no pink remains and the pieces are lightly browned. If a lot of fat has collected in the pan, spoon some of it off.
- Add the tomatoes Stir in the tinned tomatoes, tomato purée, the made-up stock, oregano and pepper. Bring to a gentle bubble.
- Simmer Turn the heat down low and simmer, uncovered, for , stirring every few minutes, until the sauce is thick and a spoon drawn across the pan leaves a clear trail. Taste, and add a pinch of salt only if it needs it, as the stock is already salty.
Serving, swaps and ways to use it
Spoon it over spaghetti or tagliatelle, as in pasta with meat sauce, or layer it into a lasagne. For a baked supper, it makes a good filling for cannelloni with beef.
To make it spicier, stir in 2 tsp of chilli powder and a tin of kidney beans for a quick chilli con carne. For a richer flavour, add 100ml of red wine after browning the mince, let it bubble for 2 minutes, and reduce the stock to 100ml.
Common problems and fixes for Meat Sauce
- The sauce is thin and watery.
- Keep it uncovered so steam can escape, and simmer for another 5–10 minutes. A lid traps the moisture and stops the sauce reducing.
- The sauce tastes sharp or acidic.
- Tinned tomatoes can be tart. Simmer it a few minutes longer, or stir in a grated carrot at the start, or ½ tsp of sugar at the end.
- The mince looks grey and boiled instead of browned.
- The pan was crowded or not hot enough. Leave the mince undisturbed for a minute between stirs so it can brown, or cook it in two batches in a smaller pan.
Frequently asked questions about Meat Sauce
Can you freeze meat sauce?
Yes, for up to 3 months. Cool it quickly, divide it into portions and freeze. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat until steaming hot all the way through. In the fridge, it keeps for 2 days.
How much sauce do you need per person for pasta?
About a quarter of this batch, roughly 250g of sauce, for 75–100g of dried pasta. For a lasagne, a full batch is enough to fill a dish for four.
Is meat sauce the same as bolognese?
Close, but not identical. In British kitchens the two are often used for the same thing. A traditional ragù from Bologna is cooked for hours with milk and wine and much less tomato, while this is the quicker weeknight version.
How can you make the sauce go further?
Add a grated carrot and 150g of chopped mushrooms with the onion, or stir a tin of green lentils in with the tomatoes. The sauce will stretch to six portions.
How did you like the recipe?
4.7 / 5 · 64 ratings
