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Despite looking slightly jaded from their Champions League exertions, Sir Bobby Robson's side were rarely tested by their north-east rivals.
Newcastle got off to a dream start with a goal after just 85 seconds from Welsh international Bellamy.
Shearer and Kieron Dyer combined well before the latter released Bellamy through the inside-left channel. He raced clear and drew Thomas Sorensen from his line before slipping the ball beyond the keeper.
Newcastle, who now hold a five-match winning advantage over their arch-rivals in these matches, were looking for only their second home win of the season in what was a basement battle.
But Newcastle's extra quality was always the deciding factor and they should have had a penalty on the quarter-hour mark when Nolberto Solano was tripped by Michael Gray.
Sunderland's spoiling plan of packing the midfield never looked like working and the nearest they came to equalising was from a couple of Tore Andre Flo headers which went over the bar.
The match was effectively settled six minutes before the break when Shearer was tripped just outside the box by Stephen Wright. Solano then teed up the free-kick for Shearer who drilled a low shot beyond Sorensen for only his second Tyne-Wear derby goal.
Newcastle ran the show in the second half and looked to have won a penalty on the hour mark when Bellamy was sent sprawling by Phil Babb, only for the striker to be booked for allegedly diving.
Sunderland sent on Niall Quinn at half-time for the ineffective Jason McAteer but the big Irishman failed to sparkle and surprisingly Peter Reid waited until five minutes from time before introducing Marcus Stewart for his other big money signing Flo