The Best Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
This Homemade Spaghetti Sauce is so easy and delicious, you will never buy the jarred kind again! Try it and you will see why I call it the Best Ever!
For more delicious Dinner Recipes, be sure to check out my Mississippi Pot Roast, Slow Cooker Cilantro Lime Chicken Tacos, and Air Fryer Meatloaf.
This homemade spaghetti sauce recipe comes from my mother-in-law, and it is one that I have kept and used ever since she first made it for us.
I love that it is so easy to make, has a delicious rich flavor, and uses real ingredients.
It’s better than any jarred sauce you can find at the store, and there is always plenty left over to freeze for another meal or two in the future.
Ingredients for The Best Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
- lean ground beef
- onion
- green bell pepper
- garlic
- canned diced tomatoes
- tomato paste
- brown sugar
- Dried spices: oregano, basil, thyme, salt, bay leaf
- water or beef broth
How to Make Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
Step 1: Cook meat and vegetables
In a dutch oven cook meat, onion, green pepper, and garlic until meat is browned and vegetables are tender. Drain off fat.
Step 2: Add tomatoes and spices
Stir in undrained tomatoes, tomato paste, brown sugar, oregano, salt, basil, thyme, and bay leaf.
Step 3: Simmer
Stir in the water or beef broth. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 1 ½ to 2 hours or until sauce is of desired consistency, stirring occasionally. Remove bay leaf. Serve over hot cooked spaghetti.
Tips and Notes for Making The Best Spaghetti Sauce
- Try to use good quality tomatoes if you have access to them. My favorite brand of tomatoes is Tuttorosso tomatoes, Muir Glen, or Pomi tomatoes. I like the Pomi tomatoes because they come in a box rather than a can, which is nice if you’re looking to avoid BPA.
- Don’t skip the brown sugar. Adding a bit of sugar to your homemade spaghetti sauce helps to cut the natural acidity of the tomatoes and helps to balance the sauce.
- For an extra kick, add a sprinkling of red pepper flakes to your sauce. Only add this if you like some spice, though!
- Meat substitutions: you can replace the lean ground beef with ground turkey or pork sausage. You can also leave it out completely for a meatless, vegetarian spaghetti sauce.
- Let it simmer. I like to let my sauce simmer for at least an hour and a half, but longer is better (up to 2-3 hours.) The more time you allow your sauce to simmer, the richer the flavor will be. You can also transfer the sauce to a crockpot after preparing it on the stove and allow it to cook over low heat for a few hours. If your sauce is too thick after cooking, add a little more water to thin it out.
What to do with leftover spaghetti sauce
If you have leftover spaghetti sauce, here are a few ideas to help you put it to good use:
- Make baked meatballs and serve with leftover homemade spaghetti sauce, or turn them into meatball sandwiches.
- Use it for lasagna! We love zucchini lasagna and easy skillet lasagna for busy nights.
- Bake up some garlic bread and use the leftover spaghetti sauce as a dip.
- Stuff it into bell peppers and bake in the oven, or top cooked spaghetti squash with leftover sauce.
FAQs
Freshly made homemade spaghetti sauce will last for about 4-5 days when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Tomato paste acts as a flavor enhancer and also a thickener in the sauce. Also, your sauce will thicken as it simmers on the stove. If you’ve given your sauce plenty of time to simmer but would still prefer a thicker sauce, you can add a cornstarch slurry (1 part cornstarch to 1 part water whisked together; I’d start with 2 Tablespoons of each). Make sure to mix the slurry into your sauce very well to prevent any lumps.
Yes, and this homemade spaghetti sauce recipe makes enough to freeze leftovers for another meal. To freeze, allow the sauce to cool completely before transferring to a freezer safe container with a lid, or to freezer safe ziplock bags. If using ziplock bags, make sure to remove as much air as possible before sealing. Freeze for up to 6 months. Allow your frozen spaghetti sauce to thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating on the stove.
Not exactly. While both sauces are tomato based and slow-simmered to develop flavor, marinara sauce is meatless and includes fresh herbs and garlic. Spaghetti sauce usually contains a ground meat like beef, and also includes vegetables like onions, green pepper, mushrooms, etc.
More delicious Pasta Recipes You Should Try!
If you try this recipe, please leave a comment and rating below. I love to hear from you and always appreciate your feedback!
Recipe: The Best Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds ground beef or pork sausage
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 large green pepper, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 (15 oz) cans diced tomatoes
- 1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cups water, or beef broth
Instructions
- In a dutch oven cook meat, onion, green pepper, and garlic until meat is browned and vegetables are tender. Drain off fat.
- Stir in undrained tomatoes, tomato paste, brown sugar, oregano, salt, basil, thyme, and bay leaf.
- Stir in the water or beef broth. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 1 ½ to 2 hours or until sauce is of desired consistency, stirring occasionally. Remove bay leaf. Serve over hot cooked spaghetti.
Notes
- Try to use good quality tomatoes if you have access to them. My favorite brand of tomatoes is Tuttorosso tomatoes, Muir Glen, or Pomi tomatoes. I like the Pomi tomatoes because they come in a box rather than a can, which is nice if you’re looking to avoid BPA.
- Don’t skip the brown sugar. Adding a bit of sugar to your homemade spaghetti sauce helps to cut the natural acidity of the tomatoes and helps to balance the sauce.
- For an extra kick, add a sprinkling of red pepper flakes to your sauce. Only add this if you like some spice, though!
- Meat substitutions: you can replace the lean ground beef with ground turkey or pork sausage. You can also leave it out completely for a meatless, vegetarian spaghetti sauce.
- Let it simmer. I like to let my sauce simmer for at least an hour and a half, but longer is better (up to 2-3 hours.) The more time you allow your sauce to simmer, the richer the flavor will be. You can also transfer the sauce to a crockpot after preparing it on the stove and allow it to cook over low heat for a few hours. If your sauce is too thick after cooking, add a little more water to thin it out.
Made this tonight and it was great. I’m sure it’ll be even better tomorrow after the seasonings have set.
The sauce was delicious! I use 1 can of Fire Roasted dice tomatoes and 2 cans of Regular dice tomatoes…I made half spaghetti and half lasagna with this recipe
Everything is smelling wonderful now that i have it on the stove, it looks a little watery maybe because i used crushed tomatoes instead of paste, but im trusting that the hour and a half cook time will give me the texture i need
Thanks for the great recipe !
You have to use some tomato paste as that’s what thickens the sauce!🤦
I have been making spaghetti sauce for over 40 years. I have learned that ground beef really doesn’t add much flavor to the sauce. I used Johnsonville Hot and Sweet Italians but if I am freezing, I don’t add until It is ready to be served. Freezing Italians takes the flavor away.
Can you use this sauce for Turkey meat
Sure!
My fault for not reading the last line until I started cooking, but your total time should say 2-2 1/2 hours and 30 minutes for Prep Time. I put it in the instant pot instead. We’ll see how it turns out!
Can you please update? I am debating if I should use my instant pot for this!
Love this sauce and so easy to make. I used all beef broth and a little tomato sauce to make it saucier. Don’t skimp on the herbs. They make it so flavorful!!!
So glad you’re enjoying it, Amber! Thanks for letting me know!
This is a great recipe! My husband and kiddos loved it. The only thing I’d change would be the “cook time” at the top. You say it takes 10 minutes to prep, and 20 minutes cook time…but in the recipe, you instruct to simmer 1 1/2-2 hrs. Could be misleading when someone is searching for a quick sauce recipe!
Thanks for the great recipe, though… otherwise it’s a keeper!
Thanks for bringing that to my attention,Marissa! I will fix that. Glad y’all enjoyed it!
this still needs to be corrected as I didn;t notice the 1.5 hours of simmer time until too late to cook for dinner tonight
Fixed! So sorry!
Is there a way to make this in a crock pot?
Hi Colleen, you could cook the meat and veggies on the stove then transfer it to the crockpot, add other ingredients, and cook over low for a few hours.
Can I make this without the meat? Would I have to change anything?
Sure you can make it without the meat. I’d keep everything else the same.
Have you tried this as lasagna sauce?
I have not, but I think it would be delicious!
Delicious! Used with zucchini noodles.
I made this sauce tonight….smell and taste soooo good. And, I’m no cook. Lol !!
So glad to hear that, Sheri!
We’re moving in a week so im using up toamtoes,etc in my pantry. This recipe is perfect for that and it tastes delicious! Thanks, Ashlyn!
Yay Karen! Happy to help you clean out your pantry! I know how that goes! Good luck with your move!
Got tired of store bought sauce. I’ve tried dozens of homemade spaghetti sauce recipes and I always come back to this one! It truly is : Best ever homemade Spaghetti sauce 🙂
Yay Donald! So happy to hear that!!
I made this tonight… I added a tbsp balsamic, Olive oil, and a few sliced mushrooms…The result was the best sauce I’ve ever made. This is an incredible recipe that isn’t overly complicated. Thank you for sharing! Will recommend to my daughter who is a die hard spaghetti fan!
So glad to hear that, Tanya!!!