Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

The most delicious homemade spaghetti sauce ever! This hearty recipe is rich and full of so much flavor. A delicious meat sauce that can be served over spaghetti noodles. Or if you're looking for a healthy alternative, serve this spaghetti sauce over zoodles or spaghetti squash! 

Jump to:

• Quick Recipe Overview
• ℹ️ Why This Recipe Works
• 🛒 Ingredients You'll Need
• 📋 Homemade Spaghetti Sauce - Step-by-Step Recipe Instructions
• 🙋 Frequently Asked Questions
• 💭 Expert Tips
• 📖 Different Types of Red Sauce
• Homemade Spaghetti Sauce Recipe

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Learning how to make spaghetti sauce is actually a lot easier than you might think. My mom used to make this homemade spaghetti sauce recipe for me and my sister when we were growing up. She made it once a week, typically on Thursday nights, and we looked forward to it every week. I don't know anyone who doesn't love a good pasta recipe, and this one won't disappoint! And while there are hundreds of different pasta dishes you can make, like chicken alfredo, spaghetti happens to be my all time favorite.

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🛒 Ingredients You'll Need

Mom taught me how to make her homemade spaghetti sauce recipe when I was in high school. The ingredients listed here is what mom always used.

• ground beef
• tomato paste
• onion
• garlic
• thyme
• oregano
• salt
• pepper
• brown sugar
• bay leaves
• spaghetti noodles

The only modification I've made to her meat sauce recipe is I add 3 fresh garlic cloves. When cooking onion and garlic together, it significantly enhances the flavor in this sauce. The other key ingredient I use is light brown sugar. Flavor wise, it's a game changer. I also use these same ingredients when making my lasagna recipe.

📋 Homemade Spaghetti Sauce - Step-by-Step Recipe Instructions

Start by dicing a small yellow onion on a cutting board. Add ground beef and the diced onion to a large skillet. Brown the beef over medium-high heat with the onion and add a dash of salt and pepper to season the meat. Cook until the meat is no longer pink. Once done, drain in a colander.

Once drained, add the beef back to the same skillet. Expert Tip: If using a lean ground beef, you can skip draining the fat. It will help add more flavor. Add in all the sauce ingredients (excluding the pasta) and 2 cups of water and stir until combined. The sauce will be very watery at this point.

I nurse the sauce on medium-low heat for about 2-3 hours until it’s the perfect consistency. Even though this is a simple pasta sauce, I put a lot of effort into perfecting it, by simmering, taste testing, and adjusting during the cook time. And it’s beyond AMAZING.

When this bubbly goodness thickens up, it provides an authentic Italian spaghetti sauce taste that people rave about. Expert Tip: You'll probably find yourself adding more water as it cooks down. I typically add ½ cup of water 2-3 times during the 2-3 hour simmer.

About 30 minutes before it's done, you can start making the spaghetti noodles. I love using thick spaghetti noodles, but thin spaghetti noodles also work well. In a large pot, bring 6 quarts of water to a boil. Add salt to taste.

Once the water is boiling, add the spaghetti noodles. If you want "al dente" style pasta, boil the noodles for 10 minutes. For more tender pasta, boil for an additional 1-2 minutes.

Your red sauce pasta is now ready to eat! Drain the noodles in a colander and then add a serving to a plate. Top the pasta with meat sauce, fresh grated parmesan cheese, fresh chopped basil, or parsley.

You can't beat a good spaghetti sauce recipe made from scratch and this one over the top delicious! The perfect comfort food recipe, enjoy this family favorite any night of the week!

🙋 Frequently Asked Questions

💭 Expert Tips

• If you want that authentic homemade flavor, allow time to let the sauce simmer. By simmering this spaghetti sauce recipe for a certain length of time, it really allows for the development of layers of flavor. Ideally, I let it simmer on low for 3 hours, adding water as needed. For a thicker sauce, reduce the amount of water.
• You can store leftovers in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Make sure to store the noodles and the homemade sauce in separate containers so the noodles don't soak up the sauce.
• You can easily double or triple this recipe. I always have a batch in the freezer for those nights I'm in a hurry to get dinner on the table.
• Sometimes I add a fresh tomato to this recipe. Spaghetti sauce with fresh tomatoes is delicious. Add the tomato at the same time you add the tomato paste.

📖 Different Types of Red Sauce

There are so many different types of sauces out there and a lot of them are very similar. For example, what's the difference between spaghetti and marinara sauce? Let's break these down. I'll focus on the different types of red sauces that are most commonly served over pasta.

A homemade marinara sauce is really basic, typically containing tomatoes, onion, and seasoning. It tends to be a bit more on the thin side when it comes to consistency. Homemade spaghetti sauce is usually thicker and contains meat along with more seasonings. Arrabiata sauce is very similar to marinara, but contains crushed red pepper flakes or chopped chili pepper. Pasta arrabiata is great is you love spicy food.

You may hear someone reference the term "spaghetti bolognese". This is an Americanized term and you'll typically find spaghetti with bolognese mainly outside of Italy. Ragù Bolognese is the more accurate term and is a traditional meat sauce that originates from Italy. In Bologna, the sauce is usually served on a long flat fresh pasta like tagliatelle.

Amatriciana is a delicious authentic Italian sauce that contains pancetta, pecorino cheese, white wine, tomatoes, pepper, and chilli flakes. Spaghetti puttanesca is a lighter red sauce that is made with onion, garlic, anchovy, tomatoes, dried chili flakes, capers, olives, and extra-virgin olive oil.

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Update Notes: This post was originally published in March of 2012, but was re-published with updated step-by-step instructions, pictures, and tips in January 2023.