Old-School Meat Sauce (With a Few Upgrades) + Protein Rotini

This one goes straight back to my childhood — simple red sauce, beef, pasta, cheese. Nothing fancy. But over the years I’ve made a few quiet upgrades that deepen the flavor without turning it into a “project.”

Grass-fed beef, real tomatoes, a splash of wine, and time. That’s it.

Served over protein rotini and finished with Locatelli, cracked pepper, and red pepper flakes — this is comfort food that still eats clean.

Why This Sauce Works

• Grass-fed beef keeps it rich but not greasy
• Hand-crushed tomatoes give you texture and control
• Wine + time do the heavy lifting
• Finishing the pasta in sauce makes it eat like a restaurant plate

Ingredients

Meat Sauce

• 1 lb 93/7 grass-fed ground beef
• 3 cans Mutti whole tomatoes, hand-crushed
• 1/2 cup Merlot
• 1/2 sweet onion, finely diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 10 oz white mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp dried basil
• Kosher salt & black pepper, to taste
• Olive oil, for the pot

To Serve

• 1 box Barilla Protein Rotini
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter (to finish the pasta)
• Locatelli cheese, for topping
• Crushed red pepper flakes, optional

How to Make It

1. Brown the beef. Preheat a Dutch oven (or heavy-bottom sauce pot) over medium heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil. Season the beef with salt and pepper, then brown it, breaking it up as it cooks.
2. Build the base. Add the diced onion and cook until softened. Stir in the oregano. Add the garlic and cook just until fragrant (about 30 seconds).
3. Deglaze. Pour in the Merlot and bring to a simmer. Scrape the bottom of the pot to pull up all those browned bits — that’s where the flavor is.
4. Tomatoes in. Add the hand-crushed tomatoes. Bring it back to a gentle simmer, then stir in the dried basil.
5. Add mushrooms + simmer. Add the sliced mushrooms and let the sauce simmer uncovered for about 90 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Cook the pasta. Boil protein rotini according to the box (about 7–9 minutes). Drain well.
7. Finish the pasta the right way. Add the hot pasta back to the pot (or a big bowl). Ladle in a few scoops of sauce and add 2 tbsp unsalted butter. Mix until glossy and coated.
8. Serve. Plate, top with extra sauce, then finish with Locatelli, fresh cracked pepper, and red pepper flakes.

Chef Notes

• Hand-crushing the tomatoes keeps the sauce rustic and thick without needing paste.
• Let it simmer. 90 minutes is the sweet spot where everything tastes “one.”
• Butter finish is the move — it rounds out acidity and gives the pasta that silky coating.

Estimated Macros (Per Serving)

Based on 6 servings, using 1 box of Barilla Protein Rotini and 2 tbsp butter to finish. Locatelli topping not included.

• Calories: ~525
• Protein: ~31g
• Carbs: ~67g
• Fat: ~11g
• Fiber: ~9–10g

Storage & Reheat

• Fridge: 4 days, sealed tight
• Freezer: freeze the sauce up to 3 months (best texture)
• Reheat: warm sauce gently on the stove. Add a splash of water if it thickens up.

If you make this one, tag me — this is comfort food that always hits.