Veggie-Packed Meat Sauce
This is one of those big-batch meals I make again and again. The sauce is packed with finely chopped vegetables, but still feels like a hearty, familiar meat sauce that works with pasta, rice, and more.
I usually make it with my Freezer Veggie Mix for Easy Family Meals to make prep especially quick, but fresh vegetables work just as well.
Recipe at a Glance
*Prep time assumes your vegetables are already cooked or you are using the freezer veggie mix. Fresh vegetables will need a little extra prep and cooking time.
A Few Helpful Notes
Fresh vegetables work too. If you are not using the freezer veggie mix, finely chop the vegetables and cook them first until softened and beginning to brown. Remove them from the pan, brown the beef, then add the vegetables back in.
Brown the beef well. Letting the meat get some real color before adding the rest of the ingredients gives the finished sauce more flavor.
Keep the lid slightly ajar. I simmer the sauce partially covered so it can cook slowly for a long time without losing moisture too quickly, while still gradually thickening.
Soy sauce is optional. I like the little bit of extra depth it adds, but you can leave it out and season with salt instead.
Ingredients
- 2 lb ground beef (about 900 g)
- 14–18 oz finely chopped vegetables (about 400–500 g), or Freezer Veggie Mix for Easy Family Meals
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 lb crushed tomatoes (about 16 oz / 450 g)
- 3 bay leaves
- 3 teaspoons onion powder
- 3 tablespoons garlic powder
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 3 teaspoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce, optional
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Visual Guide
A quick look at the main stages before you start.
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Instructions
1. Prepare the vegetables. If you are using fresh vegetables, finely chop them and cook them first until softened and beginning to brown. Remove them from the pan and set aside. If you are using the freezer veggie mix , you can skip this step.
2. Brown the beef Add the ground beef to a large pot or deep pan and cook until well browned, breaking it into smaller pieces as it cooks. Letting the beef get some good color here adds more flavor to the sauce.
3. Add the vegetables Add the cooked fresh vegetables back to the pan. If using the frozen veggie mix, add it directly to the browned beef and cook until it has thawed and mixed through.
4. Add the sauce ingredients Add the chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, bay leaves, onion powder, garlic powder, fresh garlic, basil, oregano, tomato paste, and soy sauce if using. Add a little salt and black pepper, then stir everything together.
5. Simmer slowly Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, then lower the heat and cover with the lid slightly ajar. Simmer for about 1 hour, or longer if needed, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has cooked down and thickened.
6. Finish and season. Remove the bay leaves. Taste and add more salt and black pepper as needed. Serve right away, or let the leftovers cool before freezing for another meal.
FINISHED RESULT
The Finished Meat Sauce
After the long simmer, the sauce should be thick and hearty, with the finely chopped vegetables mixed throughout. It is easy to use as a familiar pasta sauce, but it works for plenty of other meals too.
Sunny Table note: I make this as a big batch on purpose. We use it for dinner, then I freeze the leftovers so I already have the base for another easy meal.
Sunny Table Notes
- Pack in the vegetables. I use about 14–18 oz (400–500 g), but this sauce is flexible and can handle even more if you want to add them.
- Fresh vegetables are completely fine. Cook them first, remove them from the pan, brown the beef, then add the vegetables back in.
- Do not rush the browning. Getting some color on the beef adds a lot of flavor before the sauce starts simmering.
- Soy sauce is optional. It adds a little extra depth, but salt alone works too.
- Use it more than one way. We eat this with pasta, spoon it over rice, and I have even used it as a filling inside cheesy bread.
- Freezer-friendly. I usually make a big batch and freeze the leftovers for another meal.
