As I said in the how to can tomatoes post that I did not too long ago, we go through a truly insane amount of tomatoes in our house. I try not to buy too much from a jar or can, but that means that I have to make everything we use homemade. That doesn’t bother me much though since I love to cook. That doesn’t mean that I don’t love an easy recipe when I find one. This simple homemade pasta sauce with meat recipe is one of my favorites for two reasons. One? It’s simple! Two? It’s delicious!
The best part about this is that it cooks up in 2-3 hours if that is all the time you have. Obviously, the longer you let it cook, the better the flavor, but hey, this Momma has to work full-time, clean, homeschool and somewhere in between there sleep and shower too. I would love to be able to stand over this, stirring gently for 8 or 10 hours but in my life? That just ain’t happening. This recipe however can be made quick enough that I really don’t have to worry about it and it tastes fantastic!
Homemade Pasta Sauce with Meat Recipe
This recipe can be preserved too. It can be made up and then frozen in freezer baggies or an airtight food storage bowl and it cans well too. Just follow the canning instructions that you normally use for canned pasta sauce and enjoy later on!
You will need:
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 onion, chopped
- (2) 28 oz. cans tomato sauce or puree
- 1 tsp. Oregano
- 1 tsp. Thyme
- 1 tsp. Rosemary
- 1 ½ tsp. Garlic salt
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- drizzle of olive oil
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (shhhhh! It’s a seeecret ingredient!)
Chop the onion roughly. Then, in a heavy bottom pot, drizzle a little bit of olive oil and saute the onions until golden brown using medium heat.
Add the tomato sauce and Parmesan cheese and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the oregano, thyme, rosemary, garlic salt, and pepper then stir well. Reduce the heat to low and simmer stirring occasionally.
Brown and crumble the ground beef in a skillet and drain well.
Add the browned ground beef to the tomato sauce mixture. Stir well and simmer for 2-3 hours.
You can eat this as soon as it’s hot, but the longer you let it simmer, the better it will taste. Hopefully, you have more time than I do and can let it simmer like it needs to! Serve with your favorite pasta dish and enjoy!
Simple Homemade Pasta Sauce with Meat

- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 onion (chopped)
- 2- 28 oz. cans tomato sauce or puree
- 1 tsp. Oregano
- 1 tsp. Thyme
- 1 tsp. Rosemary
- 1 ½ tsp. Garlic salt
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- drizzle of olive oil
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- In a large pot drizzle olive oil to coat the bottom.
- Dice onions and add them to hot pot, saute until soft and golden brown over medium heat.
- Pour in tomato sauce/puree and grated parmesan.
- Toss in oregano, thyme, rosemary, garlic salt, and pepper-stir well.
- Reduce heat to low/simmer.
- Brown ground beef in a separate pan, drain oil.
- Add ground beef to tomato mixture.
- Simmer for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally.