Homemade Spaghetti Sauce Recipe
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 homemade sauce over zoodles!
Prep Time20 minutes mins
Cook Time3 hours hrs
Total Time3 hours hrs 20 minutes mins
Course: dinner
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 5 people
Calories: 590kcal
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme, ground
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 6oz can tomato paste
- 3 garlic cloves
- 3-4 cups water, divided
- 1 Tablespoon brown sugar, light or dark
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 lb box of spaghetti noodles
Start off by dicing a small yellow onion on a cutting board. Add the diced onion to a large skillet.
Place 1 lb of thawed ground beef into the skillet with the onion. Brown the ground beef, adding a pinch of salt and pepper to season the meat. Cook the ground beef until the meat is no longer pink.
Once browned, drain the meat in a colander.
Once the ground beef has been drained, add the beef back to the same skillet. Add in 1 ½ teaspoon dried oregano, ¼ teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon black pepper, 3 garlic cloves, 6 ounce can of tomato paste, 1 Tablespoon brown sugar, 2 bay leaves, 3 cups of water. Stir to combine.Note: Your sauce will be very watery at this point. Cook at a slow rolling boil on medium-low heat for 2-3 hours, adding water as needed.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 the sauce is done, you can start making the spaghetti noodles. 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. Note: If you want "al dente" style pasta, boil the noodles for 10 minutes. For more tender pasta, boil for an addition 1-2 minutes. Once the noodles are done, drain them and add a serving to a plate. Top with a serving of the spaghetti sauce.
Top with fresh grated parmesan cheese, fresh chopped basil, or parsley. Enjoy!
- Simmering is Key: If you want that authentic homemade flavor, allow time to let the sauce simmer. By simmering it for a certain length of time, it really allows for the development of a lot flavor. Ideally, I let it simmer on low for 3-4 hours, adding water as needed. If you don't have that much time, simmering around 2-3 hours will work.
- Storing Leftovers: You can store leftovers in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Make sure to store the noodles and the sauce in separate containers so the noodles don't soak up the sauce.
- To Freeze: It freezes really well. I often double or triple the recipe so that I always have a batch in the freezer for those nights I'm in a hurry to get dinner on the table. Before freezing, let it completely cool. Once cooled, pour it into a gallon freezer bag and seal. Lay the bag on a flat surface in the freezer and store for up to 6 months. Make sure you label the freezer bag with the date you placed it in the freezer. When you're ready to use it, place the frozen bag in a pot of water and reheat until warm.
Calories: 590kcal | Carbohydrates: 73g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 64mg | Sodium: 542mg | Potassium: 494mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 10IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 3mg