You are in luck if you have ever been left with a pot of meat sauce after a hearty pasta supper! Meat sauce leftovers can be transformed into various mouthwatering dishes that are both time-saving and immensely tasty. Don’t let that savory sauce go to waste; let’s explore some fantastic methods to repurpose it and satisfy your palate.
What Can Be Done With Meat Sauce Leftovers?
Adding leftover meat sauce to a dish with a similar flavor profile is the most effective method to utilize it. For instance, you could use leftover meat sauce to create pizza or pasta the following day. If you have leftover chicken fajita marinade, use it in taquitos or on top of tacos.
Consider adding your residual sauce to a soup or stew if you don’t want to make a completely different dish but would like to add flavor.
You can also store your sauce for up to 5 days in the refrigerator in a secure container.
Leftover Meat Sauce Pasta Recipe
The finest pasta dishes for reusing leftover Bolognese or meat sauce include additional ingredients in or with the sauce. These recipes are not only a pleasant alternative to pasta with meat sauce but also work well if you don’t have enough sauce to serve alone. The recipes listed below are some of my favorite ways to utilize leftover ragu.
These formulas are compatible with any ground meat pasta sauce but not with sauces containing larger cuts of meat. The latter is ideal when served with freshly prepared pasta. However, you can always alter the pasta shape to make the dish unique!
1. Creamy Beef Ragu In Pesto
This delicacy is called pasta Montecarlo by the Italians. Modern Italian beef ragu is traditionally prepared by combining a simple ground beef ragu with fresh cream and basil pesto. However, any leftover Bolognese or meat sauce will also work. This sauce, which can be served with short or long pasta, is immensely flavorful and luxurious.
2. Tortellini Bolongo Pasta Pie
This pasta pie can be prepared with other varieties of ground meat ragu in addition to the traditional Bolognese. This family favorite is a pastry-wrapped pasta pie filled with tortellini, beef sauce, and grated Parmigiano. It is excellent, both warm and cold. Additionally ideal for outings and potlucks.
3. Rigatoni Pasticciti
Rigatoni pasticcio is a pasta pie made with pastry from Trentino Alto-Adige, a mountainous region of Northern Italy that borders Austria. It is made with rigatoni, minced meat ragu, sautéed mushrooms, and grated cheese within a shortcrust pastry shell. It is a fantastic method of utilizing remaining meat sauce or Bolognese!
4. Pasta Alla Pastore.
This second traditional dish from Trentino-Alto Adige includes meat sauce or Bolognese, peas, ham, cream, and shallots. It is typically served with pasta cylinders such as rigatoni, helicoidal, penne rigate, or sedan.
5. Touscan Pasta Tordellata
This Tuscan pasta dish with two sauces is a unique and delectable way to utilize leftover ragu. Known as Tuscan pasta tordellata, this deconstructed version of a traditional tortilla recipe tastes just as delicious as the stuffed version but requires less effort! Contains ragu, mascarpone, and Swiss chard.
6. Prepare Meatball Subs
These are also a wonderful way to use up any leftover meatballs in your refrigerator, but if that sounds too complicated, simply grab some leftover spaghetti and toss it with some cooked meatballs and mozzarella cheese (or whatever toppings you desire).
Then, simply place them all under the broiler until everything is piping hot and melted!
7. Spoon On Pasta
If you’re not in the mood for pizza but still have residual meat sauce, try mixing it with some pasta!
You can use penne or any other type of pasta you prefer, and if you’d like to add some vegetables, try adding mushrooms or broccoli florets.
Simply sauté the vegetables until tender, combine them with the sauce, and stir until everything is hot!
8. Cook a Soup
We enjoy soup, but preparing homemade soups at work or school can be difficult, as they typically require a lengthy preparation time.
But if you have leftover meat sauce in the refrigerator, you must add some vegetables and pasta to create a delectable dish that will warm your stomach on a cold day!
9. Quesadillas with Meat Sauce: A Fusion Delight
Use your meat sauce as a filling for quesadillas to combine the flavors of Italian and Mexican cuisine. Spread meat sauce on a tortilla, sprinkle with cheese, and divide the tortilla in half. Cook until the tortilla and cheese are crisp and dissolved, respectively. Serve with a sprinkling of sour cream to create a flavor fusion.
10. Use It As a Sauce For Vegetables
If you’re not into creating your pizza but still want to get creative with the leftover sauce, try using it as a dip for vegetables like carrots, celery, and cucumbers!
A small amount goes a long way when dunking, so don’t be afraid to be generous!
11. Cook lasagna
Lasagna is a wonderful way to use up leftover meat sauce because it consists primarily of layers of pasta and meat sauce; therefore, if you have both of these ingredients on hand, it’s easy to prepare:
Begin by simmering some noodles; then layer them with cheese and meat sauce between each layer until everything is used up; cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes at 350° F remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes before serving (or consuming directly from the pan).
What’s The Difference Between Bolognade And Meat Sauce?
In Italy, ragu is the generic term for a meat-based pasta sauce. However, there are numerous varieties of Italian ragù. Bolognese is a variety of ragu or meat sauce originating in Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, thus the name!
Curiously, the residents of Bologna typically refer to their version of meat sauce as simply “ragu.” Restaurant menus there refer to it as tagliatelle al ragu alla Bolognese or simply tagliatelle al ragu. In Bologna, tagliatelle, not spaghetti, is the pasta for ragu.
