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 part is it all simmers together in one pot which makes this meal totally doable, even on a busy weeknight!

The Best Homemade Spaghetti Sauce Recipe

I'm finally sharing my secret family recipe with you all! 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 spaghetti 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 storebought brand - PROMISE! And the best part is that it's super easy to throw together because it all cooks together in one pot!! Make a double batch over the weekend and freeze the leftovers so you're never too far away from a homemade spaghetti dinner!

Looking for more easy pasta recipes? Check out these family favorites!

Ingredients to Make Spaghetti Sauce

Onion and Garlic

Sauteed onion and garlic create a delicious flavor base for this sauce. I use white or yellow onion and freshly minced garlic cloves. You could also substitute ¾-1 teaspoon of garlic powder for the fresh garlic if you don't have any on hand. 

Herbs and 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 red pepper flakes to taste - or use whatever fresh or dried herbs you have on hand.

Ground Beef

I use an 80/20 ground beef for my recipes - don't forget, fat equals flavor so skip the lean ground beef for this tomato sauce recipe. You could also use Italian sausage instead of ground beef or a mixture of the two. If you want to use something lean like ground turkey or ground chicken, just keep in mind that it's not going to be quite as flavorful. To make this dish vegetarian or vegan use vegan ground beef crumbles or cooked lentils, or just omit the meat altogether.

Tomato Paste

The tomato paste will help enrich the tomato flavor and thicken the 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

Crushed tomatoes are the perfect consistency for this sauce. If you want a chunkier sauce, you could use fire-roasted diced tomatoes, or regular diced tomatoes, or crush San Marzano tomatoes yourself.

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

Worcestershire can be substituted with soy sauce or tamari sauce, but I think Worcestershire has the best, most rounded flavor, and is the best option for spaghetti sauce recipes. 

Bay Leaves

Bay leaves add 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.

Instructions

Heat oil in a large sauté 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!

Tips for Making the Best Meat Sauce

• Be sure to crumble the beef as it's cooking. This will ensure that it browns evenly and gives you the best flavor.
• Use a mixture of ground pork or Italian sausage along with the ground beef to add another layer of flavor.
• Switch up the herbs to suit your family's taste. Try adding fresh oregano or sage along with the basil and parsley.
• 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.  

What makes spaghetti sauce taste better?

One of the best ways to enhance your spaghetti sauce is to add either dried or fresh herbs or both! Basil and parsley are two traditional herbs generally used in tomato sauce, but oregano, thyme, or even sage can add delicious flavor as well. Sprinkling in a pinch or two of red pepper flakes is also a great way to add another dimension of flavor. And don't forget to salt your pasta sauce moderately! This goes a long way to boosting the overall flavor of the sauce.

What gives spaghetti sauce depth of flavor?

Dry red wine adds delicious depth. But if you don't have any on hand - don't worry! A glug of Worcestershire and a dollop of tomato paste are also going to add a ton of depth. The key is layering the flavors throughout your sauce and adding a pinch of salt each time you add a new ingredient. This meat sauce recipe is sure to give you the robust flavor profile you're looking for.

Why should you put sugar in spaghetti sauce?

Sugar, while not an essential ingredient, cuts the acidity of tomatoes and helps balance out the flavors. Just a little bit will do the trick. One to two tablespoons can take your sauce from too tangy to just right in no time!

What is the difference between marinara sauce, pizza sauce, and spaghetti sauce?

While these sauces all seem similar, there are a few key differences. Marinara is typically a dipping sauce that has a thinner consistency than spaghetti sauce or pizza sauce. Pizza sauce is typically made with uncooked, pureed tomatoes and has a simpler flavor profile and a thicker consistency than spaghetti sauce. Since the pizza is baked in the oven, the tomatoes will get cooked then. Spaghetti sauce is the most robust, complex, and flavorful of these three sauces.

Cooking Time for Spaghetti Sauce

• You should simmer your sauce, uncovered, for at least 30 minutes and up to an hour. Simmering uncovered allows the water to evaporate, giving you a thicker, richer sauce.
• You can simmer your sauce for longer, but honestly, I've found that it doesn't make a huge difference in the flavor profile.
• You can simmer your sauce for up to 4 hours but I wouldn't go much longer than that as the texture of the meat may be compromised and eventually, the sugars will start to break down and the sauce can become bitter.

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.

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

To reheat the sauce, transfer it to a saucepan on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Put a lid on the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper before serving.

Looking for something to serve with spaghetti? Try these family favorites!

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