Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

There’s no need to purchase store-bought sauce, with this hearty and flavorful Homemade Spaghetti Sauce. Simple ingredients such as ground beef, onion, garlic, and spices of oregano and basil bring a bold flavor to this simple sauce.

This recipe is extremely simple. If you like easy Italian-inspired recipes then make sure to also try this Cajun Chicken Alfredo Pasta or this Prosciutto Mozzarella Pizza recipe.

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

Homemade spaghetti sauce is a classic recipe that can be prepared quickly and one everyone will love. This simple sauce is not only nostalgic but classic for a good reason. Everyone has their favorite recipe, but the best sauces are often the most basic. You can easily prepare this sauce and have plenty for leftovers or for freezing and using later.

Ingredients in Spaghetti Meat Sauce

• Olive Oil: choose a high-quality olive oil to brown the meat and sauté the onions and garlic. This will only add to the flavor.
• Ground Beef: the type of ground beef is entirely up to and you can also switch out the ground beef for ground sausage.
• Yellow Onion: the onion brings a mild bite to the sauce which is a key flavor in spaghetti sauce.
• Garlic Cloves: these minced cloves bring the most powerful flavor that is so common in Italian recipes. Using freshly minced garlic will also bring about the best flavor.
• Tomato Paste: adding the tomato paste helps to thicken the sauce, but it also brings a strong flavor that is heightened when stirred in and cooked after the onions and garlic are cooked.
• Diced Tomatoes or Crushed Tomatoes: for a smoother sauce use crushed tomatoes and for a chunkier sauce go with diced tomatoes. Either one makes a delicious sauce.
• Water: this helps to bring the sauce together and you can use more or less to thicken it.
• Italian Seasoning: this classic spice adds a peppery flavor to the sauce.
• Grated Parmesan Cheese: Adding parmesan cheese is optional, but strongly suggested for that delicious cheesy flavor.
• Fresh Basil: the fresh aroma of this peppery-flavored leaf also adds a small hint of mint.

How to Make Spaghetti Sauce

1. Brown the Meat: Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and Italian sausage and cook until no pink remains, breaking up the meat as it cooks. Use a slotted spoon to remove the meat from the pan and drain the fat, except for a couple of tablespoons you may leave in the pan.
2. Sauté the Onions and Garlic: Add the remaining olive oil and the onions to the pan and cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, until the onions turn translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, until the garlic is very fragrant.
3. Simmer the Sauce: Stir in the tomato paste and cook for an additional minute. Once the tomato paste becomes fragrant, add the meat and the remaining ingredients except the parmesan cheese and basil. Cook until boiling. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes.
4. Stir in Cheese: Stir the parmesan and basil into the finished sauce and serve over your choice of noodles.

How to Store Spaghetti Sauce

Place the spaghetti sauce in an air-tight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze it for up to 18 months.

Can I make spaghetti sauce without the meat?

You can easily leave the meat out of this sauce for more of a marinara-type sauce. If you choose to leave out the meat I suggest using both 1 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes and 1 28-ounce can of diced tomatoes.

Can I freeze this spaghetti meat sauce?

Yes. This sauce can easily be frozen and saved for later. To freeze the sauce let it come to room temperature before placing it in a ziptop bag or an air-tight storage container. Make sure to include the date. The sauce will last for about 6 months stored in the freezer.

Can I make this spaghetti sauce in the Instant Pot?

Yes. To make this easy spaghetti sauce in the Instant Pot,

• Push the “sauté” button to heat the olive oil. Brown the meat and use a slotted spoon to remove it.
• Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and then sauté the onion for 4 minutes and then add the garlic to cook for an additional 1 minute.
• Add the remaining ingredients except for the parmesan and basil.
• Cover and seal the lid. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 10 minutes. When the time is up let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes and move the valve to vent.
• Remove the lid and stir in the grated parmesan.

Tips for making the best Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

• Use crushed tomatoes for a smoother sauce that has a thicker base to it.
• For a thinner sauce, that is big on tomato chunks use canned diced tomatoes.
• You can add more than 5 cloves of garlic for added garlic deliciousness.
• You may omit the sugar if you’d like, but I find that it enhances the sweetness of the tomatoes and balances out the acidity.
• Italian seasoning has all the wonderful herbs that add flavor to this sauce, but you may add additional oregano and fresh basil if you’d like to intensify the herbs.

More delicious pasta recipes to try:

• 10 Minute Pesto Pasta
• Instant Pot Pasta with Meatballs
• Shrimp Alfredo Pasta
• Pasta Carbonara