Sausage and Meatball Red Sauce
Sausage and Meatball Red Sauce is a medium Italian-American recipe that serves 6. 520 calories per serving. Recipe by THE WADS on YouTube.
Prep: 8 min | Cook: 37 min | Total: 55 min
Cost: $13.93 total, $2.32 per serving
Ingredients
- 1 lb Mild Italian Sausage (removed from casing, broken up)
- 1 lb Ground Beef (80% lean)
- 1 medium Onion (diced)
- 3 cloves Garlic (minced)
- 0.5 stick Unsalted Butter (cut into pieces)
- 0.5 cup Dry Red Wine (any inexpensive dry red (e.g., Cabernet Sauvignon))
- 2 tbsp Italian Seasoning
- 1 tsp Salt (kosher or table salt)
- 0.5 tsp Black Pepper (ground)
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
- 2 tbsp Tomato Paste (canned)
- 0.5 cup Water (tap water)
- 0.5 cup Parmesan Cheese (freshly grated)
Instructions
Prep Ingredients
Dice the onion, mince the garlic, measure out all spices, butter, wine, tomato paste, and Parmesan.
Time: PT8M
Brown the Meats
Heat the large skillet over medium‑high heat. Add the sausage and ground beef, breaking them up with the wooden spoon. Cook until fully browned, about 8 minutes.
Time: PT8M
Sauté Onion
Add the diced onion to the browned meat and sauté until translucent, about 3 minutes.
Time: PT3M
Add Butter
Add the half‑stick of butter to the pan and let it melt, about 1 minute.
Time: PT1M
Cook Garlic
Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Time: PT1M
Deglaze with Wine
Pour in the red wine, scraping up any browned bits. Simmer for 2 minutes to reduce the alcohol.
Time: PT2M
Season the Sauce
Add Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Stir to combine.
Time: PT1M
Add Tomato Base
Stir in tomato paste and the ½ cup of water, mixing until the paste is fully incorporated.
Time: PT2M
Simmer the Sauce
Reduce heat to low and let the sauce simmer gently for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Time: PT20M
Finish with Parmesan
Stir in the freshly grated Parmesan cheese until melted and the sauce is glossy. Adjust salt/pepper if needed.
Time: PT2M
Serve
Serve the hearty sauce over cooked pasta, rice, or with crusty bread. Garnish with extra Parmesan if desired.
Time: PT0M
Nutrition Facts
- Calories
- 520
- Protein
- 30 g
- Carbohydrates
- 20 g
- Fat
- 30 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
Dietary info: Contains meat, Gluten‑free (if served without pasta), High protein
Allergens: Dairy, Alcohol
Last updated: March 18, 2026






