Onion and garlic are blended in beef broth then simmered with ground beef, tomato paste, and a few other seasonings to create this Magic Meat Sauce for pasta, a layer in lasagna, or even as a topping for nachos. True to its name, every bite of this meat sauce recipe is magical and loaded with flavor!
Homemade Meat Sauce Recipe
Nothing can beat our ever-popular and highly rated spaghetti sauce, but this magic meat sauce is fantastic in its own right. The veggies and broth get blended until smooth and then simmer low and slow with the ground beef to create magic!
This meat sauce also cooks much quicker in under an hour. The blended broth helps infuse the flavors throughout easily, so there’s no need for hours of simmering.
Why You’ll Love This Meat Sauce for Pasta
- Magic sauce. Blending the onion and garlic with the broth creates the “magic sauce” that adds incredible flavor throughout the sauce.
- Ready in under an hour. This sauce is so flavorful due to the magic sauce that it doesn’t need to simmer for hours. 30 minutes is plenty of time.
- Different uses. This meat sauce is great over any type of pasta, used for a layer in lasagna, or even as a topping for nachos!
- Freezes well. Feel free to make a double batch and keep some in the freezer so that you always have some on hand for a quick and easy dinner.
Ingredients Needed
This meat sauce recipe requires just a few basic ingredients.
(Scroll down to the recipe card below for details and measurements.)
- Olive oil – For sautéing the beef.
- Ground beef – I recommend a lean ground beef for less grease.
- Onion & garlic – Wonderful aromatics that are blended with the broth to add flavor to the meat sauce.
- Beef broth – Thins the meat sauce and adds a rich flavor.
- Tomato paste – Adds the tomato flavor to the base.
- Seasonings – Paprika, salt, pepper, dried Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes add more depth to the flavor of the sauce.
How to Make Magic Meat Sauce
This pasta meat sauce recipe comes together in under an hour.
(Scroll down to the recipe card below for more detailed instructions and don’t miss the video below.)
- Blend the aromatics. Blend the onion, garlic, and beef broth until smooth and saucy.
- Cook the beef. Brown the ground beef in olive oil until no longer pink. Drain off the grease.
- Simmer. Stir the tomato paste and seasonings into the beef, then pour in the magic sauce until combined. Bring to a bubble then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cover and simmer for 30 to 45 until the beef has absorbed the sauce and thickened, stirring once or twice.
- Enjoy. Serve over pasta as desired.
Tips & Variations
- Other ground meat options. This sauce will work with all ground beef or a 50/50 combination of ground beef and ground pork. You could also swap the beef with ground turkey, but note that it’s a leaner meat and the sauce also won’t be as flavorful.
- Adjust the cook time. The longer it cooks, the deeper the flavors will be. I recommend 30 minutes as a minimum so the beef can absorb the sauce, but feel free to simmer longer, stirring occasionally and adding more broth if necessary to avoid it from drying out.
- Thin the sauce. If the sauce is thicker than you’d like when you finish simmering, you can thin it out by adding an extra splash or two of beef broth.
- Add a bit of cream. Try adding in a splash of heavy cream at the end of cooking for a richer, creamier result.
Video: Magic Meat Sauce
Serving Suggestions
Magic meat sauce can be enjoyed over any type of pasta, including spaghetti, elbow noodles, rotini, and more. I like to serve this with some grated parmesan on top and some crusty bread, breadsticks, or garlic bread to soak up every last bit of sauce. A side salad is also a great addition to any pasta dinner.
Proper Storage
- Fridge. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freeze. You can also freeze leftovers in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
- Reheat. Reheat leftover meat sauce in a covered saucepan on the stove over low heat or in the microwave. Stir in a splash of broth to loosen it up.
More Homemade Pasta Sauce Recipes:
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Magic Meat Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 medium onion , ends trimmed, peeled and quartered
- 4 cloves garlic , roughly chopped
- 1 cup beef broth
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Pinch red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Add the onion, garlic, and beef broth to a blender. Blend until smooth and saucy.
- Warm olive oil in large nonstick pan. Add the beef and brown, breaking it up into tiny crumbles until no pink remains. Drain off the grease.
- Stir in the tomato paste and all the seasonings until incorporated.
- Then pour in the magic sauce until combined and no longer white. Bring to a bubble, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer (about medium-low.)
- Cover with the lid slightly cracked and gently simmer for 30 to 45 minutes until the liquid has mostly been absorbed, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking to the pan. (You can let it simmer longer, if desired. The longer it cooks, the thicker it will get and the deeper the flavors will be.)
- If your meat sauce is thicker than you'd like it to be, thin it out with a bit of extra beef broth.
- Enjoy over pasta, for a layer in lasagna, or as a topping for nachos.
This one was fantastic! I must admit that I was skeptical at first, but the ease and ingredients made sense. Doesn’t really make enough for a full pound of spaghetti, so I made another half batch tonight for leftovers
This was delish! Different way to make meat sauce and my family loved it. I served over spaghetti and also made the garlic bread recipe from this website which was GREAT!