The Best Homemade Spaghetti Sauce Recipe
This easy, one-pot meat spaghetti sauce recipe is packed with familiar flavors of Sunday night dinners. It’s loaded with tender ground beef, hearty canned tomatoes, and fresh and dried herbs.
The Best Homemade Spaghetti Sauce Recipe
- Spaghetti meat sauce is a staple in our house, and I always have a jar in the fridge or freezer for an easy dinner. We like to eat it with plain old noodles or add it to some of our other family favorites like cottage cheese lasagna, baked ravioli, lasagna roll-ups, or spaghetti casserole.
- It rivals your favorite store-bought brand – PROMISE! And the best part is that it’s super easy to throw together because it all cooks together in one pot and is made with pantry staples!!
Ingredients to Make Spaghetti Sauce
- Onion & Garlic: Use white or yellow onion. You could also substitute 3/4 teaspoon of garlic powder for the fresh garlic if you don’t have any on hand.
- Herbs & Spices: Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, fresh basil, and fresh parsley are my favorite herbs and spices to add to homemade spaghetti sauce. You can also add dried thyme, dried oregano, and a pinch of red pepper flakes to taste.
- Ground Beef: I use an 80/20 ground beef. Don’t forget, fat equals flavor, so skip the lean ground meat (like ground turkey or ground chicken) for this tomato sauce recipe. You could also use Italian sausage instead of ground beef or a mixture of the two.
- Tomato Paste: Will help enrich the tomato flavor and thicken the pasta sauce. If you don’t have any on hand, it’s okay to omit it, but it will add a delicious depth of flavor and give the sauce that “cooked all day” flavor.
- Crushed Tomatoes: The perfect consistency for this sauce. If you want a chunkier sauce, use fire-roasted diced tomatoes, regular diced tomatoes, or crushed San Marzano tomatoes.
- Tomato Sauce: Canned tomato sauce is the perfect consistency for homemade spaghetti meat sauce. Use your favorite brand of tomato sauce.
- Granulated Sugar: Regular sugar or even brown sugar will work for this recipe. Sugar helps cut the acidity of the sauce, but a little goes a long way.
- Worcestershire Sauce: Can be substituted with soy sauce or tamari sauce.
- Bay Leaves: Adds a delicious, peppery flavor. If you don’t have these on hand, no worries, but they definitely add to the flavor profile and give the sauce a nice, herby finish.
Canned vs. Fresh Tomatoes for Spaghetti Sauce
While fresh summer tomatoes are delicious, I prefer to use canned tomatoes for my spaghetti sauce recipes because:
- They are consistent!
- They always have the same flavor and texture no matter the season.
- This means you can make a delicious tomato sauce in the middle of winter!
- Fresh tomatoes are delicious but unless you are in peak tomato season they are not going to have enough flavor to stand up to the rest of the ingredients in this spaghetti sauce.
- Canned tomatoes are super affordable as well which makes them a more cost-effective option compared to fresh tomatoes.
How to Make Easy Spaghetti Sauce
Heat oil in a large sauté pan or skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion for 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Add garlic, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and onion powder along with a couple pinches of salt and pepper. Sauté for another minute or so.
Add ground beef along with a few large pinches of salt and pepper. Cook, crumbling with a spatula until browned.
Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute.
Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, sugar, and Worcestershire, along with a few large pinches of salt and pepper. Add bay leaves. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer over low heat for 30-60 minutes.
Stir in fresh basil and parsley.
Season to taste with salt and pepper. Enjoy!
Tips for Making the Best Meat Sauce
- You can simmer the sauce for longer than an hour if you prefer, but in my experience, it doesn’t add a ton more flavor.
- Add a splash of dry red wine while you’re simmering the sauce. This will add more dimension to the sauce and give it a slightly richer flavor.
- Add a Parmesan cheese rind into the sauce while it’s simmering to add a delicious nutty flavor.
- Salt this sauce moderately. The ingredients are super simple, so adding an ample amount of salt is going to go a long way in boosting the overall flavors of the dish.
- Make a double batch over the weekend and freeze the leftovers so you’re never too far away from a homemade spaghetti dinner!
- Omit the meat altogether for a vegetarian option more akin to marinara sauce. Or replace the meat with sautéed vegetables – finely diced carrots, celery, and onion cooked in about a tablespoon of olive oil and butter are a delicious option.
Use the Leftovers to Make:
Make Spaghetti Sauce Ahead of Time
- This is the best make-ahead spaghetti sauce!
- It’s made with simple ingredients, it all cooks together in one pot, and the flavors just get better with time.
- You can cook a batch over the weekend and enjoy homemade meat sauce all week!
- This spaghetti sauce will stay good in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- You can also make it a couple of hours ahead and then keep it warm in a slow cooker.
Storing Leftover Spaghetti Sauce
Store leftover spaghetti sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Freezing Spaghetti Sauce
- To freeze the sauce, let it cool to room temp before transferring it to a freezer-safe Ziploc bag or airtight container.
- Freeze this sauce for up to three months.
- Thaw sauce in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Reheating Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
- Reheat sauce in a large saucepan on the stovetop over medium-high heat, stirring until warmed through.
- Season to taste with a couple pinches of salt and pepper before serving.
Try these easy pasta recipes next!
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Homemade Spaghetti Sauce Recipe
This easy, one-pot meaty spaghetti sauce recipe is packed with familiar flavors of Sunday night dinners. It’s loaded with tender ground beef, hearty canned tomatoes, and fresh and dried herbs.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
- 1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 (29 oz.) can tomato sauce
- 1-2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/4 cup fresh chopped basil
- 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
- Kosher salt
- fresh cracked pepper
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium heat.
- Sauté onion for 4 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add garlic, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and onion powder along with a couple pinches of salt and pepper. Sauté for another minute or so.
- Add ground beef along with a few large pinches of salt and pepper. Cook, crumbling with a spatula until browned.
- Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute.
- Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, sugar, and Worcestershire, along with a few large pinches of salt and pepper.
- Add bay leaves. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer over low heat for 30-60 minutes.
- Stir in fresh basil and parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Enjoy!
Notes
-
- You can simmer the sauce for longer than an hour if you prefer, but in my experience, it doesn’t add a ton more flavor.
- Add a splash of dry red wine while you’re simmering the sauce. This will add more dimension to the sauce and give it a slightly richer flavor.
- Add a Parmesan rind into the sauce while it’s simmering to add a delicious nutty flavor.
- Salt this sauce moderately. The ingredients are super simple, so adding an ample amount of salt is going to go a long way in boosting the overall flavors of the dish.
- Make a double batch over the weekend and freeze the leftovers so you’re never too far away from a homemade spaghetti dinner!
- Omit the meat altogether for a vegetarian option more akin to marinara sauce. Or replace the meat with sautéed vegetables – finely diced carrots, celery, and onion cooked in about a tablespoon of olive oil and butter are a delicious option.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of the recipe
- Calories: 154
- Sugar: 7.1 g
- Sodium: 119.3 mg
- Fat: 5.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 12.7 g
- Fiber: 2.8 g
- Protein: 14.8 g
- Cholesterol: 33.9 mg
I just made this for the 2nd time. This time I used all crushed tomatoes and added some oregano. After browning the hamburger with the garlic, onion, and spices I put in the crockpot with the tomatoes, sugar, worcestershire, and bay leaves. I cooked on high about an hour, then turned to low and cooked until we are it about 4 hours later. Yummy! 😋
Thank you so much for taking the time to share how this worked out in the crock pot!! I might have to try that next time I make it!!
I hope you mean fennel seeds? Caraway doesn’t belong in Italian sauce.
Looks delicious
this sauce was really good . made as directed, my go to sauce from now on. and no heartburn !!!!! thanks.
I’m so glad to hear that you enjoyed this spaghetti sauce recipe, Chris! It’s such a classic 🙂 Thanks for taking the time to leave a review – I really appreciate it!
I add fennel to my sauce. This is a good recipe
Great idea, Roslyn! I love fennel!
First, I would never call a recipe of mine the best. It’s presumptuous and almost certainly wrong. Next, why onion powder and garlic powder when you have fresh onions and garlic in the recipe? Why all that sugar when a sofrito provides the same sweetness and more flavor? Also, I use only fresh herbs. Add them at the very end. Dried herbs add bitterness. I also add some dry red wine to meat sauces for added depth.
Well it sounds like this might not be the spaghetti sauce recipe for you then, Ron.
For sure it’s very close to my recipe but no sugar!! I also add red wine and a splash of red wine vinegar for some depth. Also some paprika and cayenne for some heat.
Love your additions, Jevin! I’m definitely going to try adding paprika and cayenne next time I make this spaghetti sauce.
Worcestershire? And all that sugar? And more sugar from tomato “sauce”. Start with a soffritto – finely diced celery, carrot, onion. Sweat that and then do the meat. Use good quality ingredients. Try passata instead of the tomato sauce. Extra virgin olive oil. Maybe some red wine.
Worcestershire adds a delicious umami flavor. There is much less sugar in this homemade sauce than most store-bought brands. Sofrito/soffritto has no place in a spaghetti sauce and is better suited for a Bolognese recipe – which I also have on the blog. Have you looked at the ingredients and nutrition facts of passata? It’s nearly identical to canned tomato sauce – the only difference is that canned tomato sauce has garlic powder and onion powder – both spices that are perfect for spaghetti sauce. And canned tomato sauce is much more widely available and affordable. Red wine is a great suggestion – and one that I made in the body of the post as well. Thanks for leaving a review, Jim!
Will try this tomorrow. Sounds very good.
I can’t wait to hear what you think, Bud! This is one of our family’s favorite recipes!
Made it tonight. The kids loved it, and I thought it was delightful (if I do say so myself)
Printed this one
Thank you
I am so glad to hear that you and your kids enjoyed this homemade spaghetti sauce! It is one of our family’s favorites too – something I know my daughter will always eat. Thank you for taking the time to leave a review – I really appreciate it 🙂
try adding a couple of minced anchovy fillets to add some umami flavor
What a great suggestion, Wayne! I am definitely going to give that a try next time I make this spaghetti sauce!!
Pretty standard recipe that’s always a winner. I suggest adding a half teaspoon of caraway seed for more umami and depth.
Interesting! I have never cooked with caraway seeds before – I am definitely going to try that next time. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review, Jan. I really appreciate it 🙂
Try fennel seeds over caraway. Delightful!
I have never used Worcestershire sauce in my recipe, just saying.
I have never used fennel seeds either! Totally going to try those as well. Thanks for the tip!! I love the Worcestershire in spaghetti sauce – it adds a little umami flavor and somehow makes the meat taste meatier to me, if that makes sense 🙂
Best meat sauce EVER!! The only I added was a cube of frozen basil pesto that I had in the freezer. So good.
I am so glad to hear that you enjoyed this, Jane! Pesto would be such a delicious addition to this meat sauce! Thanks for taking the time to write a review – I really appreciate it 🙂