Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

This Homemade Spaghetti Sauce is rich, hearty, and packed with slow-simmered flavor without the long cook time. It’s an easy one-pot sauce to serve over your favorite pasta with homemade garlic bread on the side.

Whether topping spaghetti or using it in lasagna or baked ziti, this sauce adds rich homemade flavor.

Holly’s Recipe Highlights: Spaghetti Sauce

• Why I Love This Recipe: This sauce is quick to prepare, easy to customize, and so versatile. Plus, it’s made in one pot for easy clean-up!
• Flavor: Rich and savory, with meaty flavor from the beef and sausage, balanced by sweet tomatoes, garlic, and Italian herbs.
• Prep Note: Make a double batch to freeze (your future self will thank you!).
• Tools: Use a Dutch oven (or large pot) to simmer the sauce, and my favorite meat chopper to break up the beef and pork easily.

Cook Time: 40 Mins Servings: 8 Cooking Method: Stovetop

Ingredient Notes

• Ground Beef: Use lean ground beef and drain off any excess grease to keep your sauce from getting oily. Swap for ground turkey, chicken, or pork, though very lean meats may produce a slightly less rich sauce.
• Italian Sausage: Use mild or hot Italian sausage, or make your own homemade Italian sausage. For an all-beef sauce, increase the Italian seasoning and add oregano and red pepper flakes.
• Diced Tomatoes: Choose regular or petite diced tomatoes depending on how much texture you want in the sauce.
• Crushed Tomatoes: For a rich tomato base, add crushed tomatoes or replace it with tomato sauce for a smoother, slightly thinner consistency.
• Tomato Paste: Let the tomato paste cook in the pot for about a minute to help thicken the sauce before adding the other tomatoes.
• Shredded Carrot: Balances the acidity of the tomatoes and adds subtle natural sweetness. Swap for finely diced red bell pepper, or a small pinch of sugar.

How to Make Spaghetti Sauce

1. Cook the ground beef, sausage, onion, and garlic. Drain excess fat.
2. Stir in the remaining ingredients and let simmer uncovered (full recipe below).

Before serving, taste and adjust the seasonings. Then stir in fresh herbs, saving some to sprinkle on top once plated.

Storing Leftover Spaghetti Sauce

• Refrigerator: Keep leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Store the sauce separately from cooked spaghetti when possible.
• Freezer: Freeze the sauce in an airtight container for up to 4 months.
• Thawing: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or defrost gently in the microwave. Then warm over medium-low heat on the stove, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of water if the sauce has thickened.

Love Your Leftovers! Use leftovers to make baked spaghetti, serve them over garlic bread sloppy joe-style, or spoon the sauce over baked spaghetti squash for an easy lunch.

Did you enjoy this Spaghetti Sauce Recipe? Leave a comment and rating below.

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

• In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook the beef, sausage, onion, and garlic over medium-high heat until no pink remains, about 5 to 6 minutes. Drain fat.

• Add diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, water, carrot, Italian seasoning, basil, salt, and pepper.

• Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let simmer uncovered for 30 minutes or until thickened.

• Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if desired. Stir in fresh parsley if using.

• Serve over spaghetti or cooked pasta.

*If substituting Italian sausage for another ground meat such as ground beef or pork, increase the Italian seasoning to 2 teaspoons and add ½ teaspoon oregano and a pinch of red pepper flakes.

• Do not rinse the spaghetti after draining or add butter or oil to the pasta. The starches will help the sauce to cling to the noodles.
• Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days and in the freezer for up to 4 months. 

Calories: 251 | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 57mg | Sodium: 691mg | Potassium: 1003mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 1327IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 95mg | Iron: 5mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Main Course, Pasta, Sauce

Cuisine American, Italian

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