Easy Homemade Meat Sauce

There’s nothing quite like a bowl of hearty pasta with rich meat sauce to bring comfort to the dinner table, and this meat sauce with shells does just that. Tender pasta shells cradle a rich, meaty beef sauce topped with Parmesan cheese for a velvety finish. It’s hearty enough for a family dinner yet simple enough to whip up on a weeknight.

This meat sauce is almost like a "lazy or shortcut Bolognese". It has traditional Italian herbs, ground beef mince and passata (sieved tomatoes). However, where it differs is that we're skipping the sofrito (carrot, celery, and onion) and just using onions and garlic. Heavy on both. If you have more time on your hands, you can try my slow cooker bolognese.

This sauce can also be used to make my baked gnocchi recipe, the tortellini pasta bake, or used in the one-pot lasagna.

Ingredients required

1. Pasta shells: Their cup-like shape holds the sauce perfectly. However, you can also use traditional pappardelle, fusilli, or penne.
2. Ground beef mince: Provides a savoury, hearty base for the sauce. I use lean beef for this recipe, but you can use a higher-fat-content beef mince, which will add more flavour and is usually slightly cheaper.
3. Onion, garlic: Skipping the classic soffritto and using onion and garlic that add depth and natural sweetness.
4. Chopped tomatoes or passata: Forms the robust tomato base of the Bolognese. I prefer a smoother texture, but if you want something really hearty, then opt for chopped (or crushed) tomatoes.
5. Tomato purée (tomato paste): Helps to add a richer tomato flavour and adds body and thickness to the sauce.
6. Beef stock (broth): This not only adds much-needed moisture and volume to the sauce, but also richness and depth of flavour. You can use stock cubes or a stock pot for this, and just dissolve in boiling water.
7. Red wine (optional): Red wine plays an important role in tomato sauce. It helps to break down fat and therefore balance richness; its natural acidity balances the richness and creates a more balanced flavour.
8. Heavy cream (optional): A traditional bolognese uses a splash of milk, but without the long simmer time, this sauce really benefits from a drop of cream, which helps to add richness. This is completely optional, so instead of any substitutions, just skip it altogether.
9. Parmesan cheese: Adds salty richness and enhances the sauce’s body.
10. Olive oil and butter: The oil gives us a high smoke point for sauteeing, while the butter adds richness and flavour.
11. Italian herbs (oregano, basil, thyme, bay leaf): Bring out the traditional Bolognese aroma. Dried herbs are perfect for this recipe.
12. Salt and pepper: Seasonings to enhance depth and warmth.

Here's how to make meat sauce step by step

What to do with leftovers

• Storage: Keep cooled leftovers in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.
• Reheating: Warm gently on the stovetop with a splash of milk or cream to bring back the sauce’s creaminess, or microwave in short intervals.
• How to reinvent: Turn leftovers into a pasta bake — add mozzarella on top and bake until bubbly; or stuff large shells with the mixture, cover in sauce, and bake.