Pasta and Easy Italian Meat Sauce

Rating: 3.27 stars
253 Ratings
  • 5 star values: 43
  • 4 star values: 55
  • 3 star values: 95
  • 2 star values: 47
  • 1 star values: 13

Here is an easy dinner recipe. This Pasta and Italian Meat Sauce doesn't need to cook for a long time to be delicious. The sauce is based on the famed Ragu alla Bolognese (sauce in the style of Bologna). The addition of milk might seem unusual, but it's traditional in northern Italy—where butter and cream, as well as milk, are essential to the cuisine.

Everyday Food, January/February 2003

Gallery

Read the full recipe after the video.

Recipe Summary

prep:
15 mins
total:
30 mins
Servings:
4
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Ingredients

Directions

  • Heat butter and oil in a large saucepan over medium. Stir in carrot, onion, and garlic. Add ground beef, and cook until it turns from pink to brown, about 5 minutes.

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  • Add tomatoes and their liquid, crushing them with the back of a large spoon. Stir in milk, bay leaf, thyme, nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Simmer 20 minutes.

  • Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook fettuccine until al dente according to package instructions, about 12 minutes. Reserve about 1/2 cup of the cooking water; drain fettuccine, and return to the warm pot. Add meat sauce, and toss. Add pasta water as needed if the sauce seems dry. To serve, sprinkle with Parmesan.

Cook's Notes

Reserve some of the pasta cooking water, and add a little to the sauce if it seems too thick. The water is ideal for adjusting the consistency of the sauce, and the starch in the water helps the sauce adhere to the pasta.

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Reviews (25)

253 Ratings
  • 5 star values: 43
  • 4 star values: 55
  • 3 star values: 95
  • 2 star values: 47
  • 1 star values: 13
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
01/21/2015
A greasy mess, sadly. I even halved the butter called for. It was so unappetizing!
Anonymous
Rating: 5 stars
09/20/2014
I have made this twice and everyone LOVES it. My family says this is the best spaghetti sauce I have ever made. The recipe is super easy & quick. I make this now when my sons show up with a whole crew of friends who are hungry. I will try it with some italian sausage in it next time just to see. Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Anonymous
Rating: 4 stars
08/02/2012
I really enjoyed the flavors of this sauce. For something that simmers 20 minutes I felt it was a great option for a quick dinner after work. The leftovers the next day were awesome! www.cookeverydayfood.com
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Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
06/20/2010
I just made this and it came out very nice!
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
06/14/2010
Everyone really liked this dish. I also took the suggestions and added a small can of tomato paste... I did have to add a little of the pasta water. But - I will make it the same way next time. I added some basil. Very yummy - it is on the keep list.
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
06/09/2010
This turned out really well! I followed some of the suggestions of others - a little more nutmeg, a tin of tomato paste - and the results were great. Would definitely make this again.
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Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
03/24/2010
This was so good, I had to come back and get the recipe to make it again! It's very simple. I left out the nutmeg (not a fan), and this go-round I'll be adding a bit more tomatoes and bought low-fat ground beef to use. It was very fatty the first time. Perhaps ground turkey would be good as well.
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
11/08/2008
This was SO good. I did a lot more seasonng cause that's what I do. I added more nutmeg, 2 sage leaves, oregano, basil, tarragon, crushed red pepper. I would like it to be a little more tomatoey - maybe with some tomato paste, But really so good.
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
10/12/2008
This turned out great! We used farfelle pasta instead of fettuccine. My boyfriend loved it!
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
08/28/2008
Love this pasta, it has become a staple in our home. Quick and easy.
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
06/29/2008
I loved this! It is easy and makes a lot for lunch or dinner the next day. I added a couple more things like salt and pepper, red pepper flake and some grated parm and it was awesome.
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
03/25/2008
sorry that some of you didn't like this. Hard to compare a 30 minutes sauce with the real deal but I think adding some red-pepper flakes, wine, enough salt, and Parm would make everyone happier.
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
03/14/2008
This was nothing like I know of this sauce. I altered it. You need a true trinity, carrot, onion and celery to start, finely chopped, 2 cups full mixed, then garlic. Next should be a mixture of sausage and beef. Before adding tomato there should have been a good wine, simmered and reduced, then tomato puree, not whole tomatoes. After simmering 20 min the milk (or cream) goes in to sweeten the sauce and simmer till reduced. Adding chopped basil at the end adds to the flavor as does the wine.
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
01/27/2008
I also found this recipe very bland, with not much flavor.I felt it needed more tomatoes,sauce or something. I shared with my adult children who thought it was okay. I've never had a Martha recipe that I wasn't thrilled with. I tossed the recipe in my paper recycling.
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
01/08/2008
Bland Indeed! This was so much fun to make, the ingredients held so much promise, but fell completely flat in the end. I went back to the pot and added another clove of garlic another small handful of salt and 3/4 can of tomato paste to add some punch. Needs more improvements. Maybe italian sausage? Hey Martha!?
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
01/02/2008
Very bland. Was nothing like what I was expecting. Is more like a chili without the chili powder.
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
12/19/2007
As with my daughter she hates onion, she'll find the tiniest little bit and spit it out...mind you she is 27yr old. So just after I've added the tomatoes, just whiz it with a hand held wand/bamix and wha...la no onion. You need to keep the onions because when the onions cook they caramalise and sweeten and reduce the acid in the tomatoes. Hope you find this helpful.
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
12/19/2007
As with my daughter she hates onion, she'll find the tiniest little bit and spit it out...mind you she is 27yr old. So just after I've added the tomatoes, just whiz it with a hand held wand/bamix and wha...la no onion. You need to keep the onions because when the onions cook they caramalise and sweeten and reduce the acid in the tomatoes. Hope you find this helpful.
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
12/17/2007
Not a favorite. We didn't think it had enough tomatoes. It was good, but missing something.
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
12/16/2007
This is one of my weekly staples when it comes to dinner. So easy and delicious! My family and frieinds LOVE It. One thing....I don't like onions, so I reduce the onion by at least half, you may want to reduce the oil and butter if you aren't going to use the correct amount of veggies. First time I made this, it was quite oily. Now that I've got it down, it's awesome!
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
11/28/2007
This recipe looks delicious and I plan to try it this week. I've followed other recipes in the past, and I thought the meat was simmered in the milk, and then the other ingredients were added? (just making sure I get the taste right).
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
11/28/2007
easiest dinner i have ever done and everybody liked it
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
11/27/2007
We had this for dinner tonight and it was great. Even the kids liked it. I used non-fat milk but I think next time I would use whole or half and half. It was also a little watery so I would put in less of the juice from the tomatoes and add it in as needed.
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
11/27/2007
WOW! I absolutely loved this sauce, Martha. I had some time off from work and decided to make something special. Used your sauce with my homemade pasta and it was delish! Thanks so much! Johnny Yeung - Toronto, Ontario
Anonymous
Rating: Unrated
11/27/2007
real good
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