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–+ servings
A pan of Italian meat sauce.

Sugo di carne (Italian meat sauce)

Robyn
This rich Italian meat sauce recipe is made with minced beef and minced pork and is rich and comforting. It is perfect for serving with spaghetti, polenta, or using in lasagna.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 16 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 26 minutes
Course dinner
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4 people
Calories 466 kcal

Equipment

  • medium heavy based pan with lid

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 small onion finely diced
  • 4-5 small sage leaves finely chopped
  • 1 carrot finely diced
  • 1 stick celery finely diced
  • 250g (8½ oz) minced beef
  • 250g (8½ oz) minced pork
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 tablespoon tomato puree
  • 120ml (½ c) red wine
  • 400g (14 oz) passata
  • 660ml (2¾ c) water
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Instructions
 

  • Heat the oil in a medium sized heavy based saucepan over a low-medium heat and cook the onion, carrot and celery and chopped sage until soft, with the lid on, for around 10 minutes.
  • Turn the heat up and add the minced beef and minced pork and cook until browned, breaking up with a spoon as it cooks.
  • Add the garlic and cook for a minute before adding the tomato puree.
  • Pour in the red wine and let it bubble for 1 minute.
  • Pour in the passata and water, season with salt and turn the heat down to a very gently heat (you want the sauce to be barely simmering).
  • Cook, covered, for 1½ hours.
  • Take the lid off, turn the heat up slightly and simmer for 30 minutes.
  • Serve with pasta or polenta, use to make lasagna or top a baked potato.
  • Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze.

Notes

INGREDIENTS
  • Minced beef – together with the minced pork, creates the perfect rich meaty sauce.
  • Minced pork – using half pork mince adds extra juiciness and rich flavour. If you don’t want to use pork, substitute with more minced beef.
  • Fresh sage leaves – sage adds a slightly peppery, earthy flavour. Substitute with a bay leaf, couple of sprigs of thyme, or a sprig of rosemary.
  • Vegetables – onion, carrot and celery make up the soffritto, the traditional flavour base for many Italian dishes, including sauces, stews and soups.
  • Red wine – adds a richness and depth of flavour to the meat sauce. Leave it out if not wanting to use alcohol.
  • Tomato puree / tomato paste – adds a richness to the sauce.
  • Passata – or use a tin / can of crushed tomatoes or plum tomatoes and blend with a stick blender until smooth.
TIPS
  • Cook the vegetables until tender before adding the meat – to release their flavour. You don’t want any colour on them.
  • Simmer the sauce gently – the sauce should be barely bubbling. This creates a sauce with a great depth of flavour.
  • If serving with pasta – reserve some of the starch-rich pasta cooking water, and toss the cooked pasta in the sauce, adding a little of the pasta water. This helps the sauce stick to the pasta, creating a silky sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 466kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 23gFat: 33gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 17gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 89mgSodium: 426mgPotassium: 947mgFiber: 3gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 3128IUVitamin C: 14mgCalcium: 61mgIron: 4mg
Keyword Italian meat sauce

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