Spaghetti Sauce

Rich with tomatoes and herbs, this classic Italian recipe for from-scratch spaghetti sauce may become a family tradition in your home. A pot of spaghetti sauce simmering on the stove will have everyone coming to the kitchen to see what’s cooking.

At a glance

What stands out: It’s straightforward to mix and tastes rich and velvety.

How long it takes: 1 hour 30 minutes, but a lot is hands-off
Equipment you’ll need: large pot, spoon
Servings: 14 servings

What’s more rich than a big bowl of spaghetti smothered in hearty red tomato sauce? If you asked our dad, he would probably say he couldn’t think of anything he likes better. Whenever our mom asks him what sounds good for dinner, his first and immediate reply is “Spaghetti!” Our grandma always made her famous spaghetti sauce (with her secret recipe) for his best birthday dinner.

From-scratch spaghetti sauce is surprisingly uncomplicated and straightforward to mix. Lots of tomatoes, onions, garlic, and herbs comprise the ingredient list. You may have everything you need right in your pantry. In no time, you can be simmering this delectable and classic sauce in a pot on your stove. The only attention it requires is a stir now and then.

Our only question is: What are you waiting for? Open a bottle of Pinot Noir or another medium bodied red wine and raise a toast to the cook!

About this from-scratch spaghetti sauce

We use four different forms of canned tomatoes to make this from-scratch spaghetti sauce: tomato paste, crushed tomatoes with their juice, tomato sauce, and diced tomatoes with their juice.

Although from-scratch spaghetti sauce requires a nice long simmer on the stove, most of that time is hands-off. You could also use a slow cooker to simmer the spaghetti sauce on low for 8 hours.

Listen for the “Grazie” (thank you!) that’s sure to come your way. The correct response to that is “Prego!”(meaning: you’re welcome!).

How it comes together

It’s simple! Sauté onions and garlic in olive oil, add a couple tablespoons of tomato sauce and heat it up for a minute or so, then add the tomatoes.

Add the dried spices: oregano, thyme, bay leaf, a tablespoon of sugar, and red pepper flakes.

Stir well and simmer for at least one hour, but up to three hours. Just before serving, remove the bay leaf, and stir in a little butter, and some fresh basil and parsley.

Serve over your favorite pasta with a sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Buon appetito!

How it comes together

• If you have a garden full of tomatoes, that’s wonderful! You can easily substitute peeled fresh tomatoes for the crushed and diced tomatoes. Roma tomatoes or another meaty variety work best. You’ll need about four pounds.
• Add more veggies: Chopped bell peppers or mushrooms can be added. Sauté them with the onions. Or stir in a few handfuls of baby spinach right before serving.
• We like to serve this sauce with from-scratch meatballs or baked turkey meatballs. Frozen meatballs are so handy. Just add them to the sauce about halfway through the simmering time so they get heated through.
• If you would like to make a spaghetti sauce with meat, sauté ground beef or turkey, or Italian sausage with the onions, and then continue the recipe as directed.
• If you happen to have a rind of Parmesan cheese, put that in the sauce as it simmers to enhance the flavor.
• Make this sauce vegan or Whole30 simply by omitting the butter and sugar.
• Don’t have any fresh herbs? Simply add a tablespoon of dried basil and parsley instead.
• If you prefer a sauce made without tomatoes, maybe this isn’t the recipe for you. Try this creamy chicken spaghetti or chicken Marsala pasta.

Before you start

Reheating and Storage Tips

Leftover spaghetti sauce will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days. Store in a resealable container. Reheat gently in a saucepan on the stove when ready to serve.

From-scratch spaghetti sauce is a meal preppers’ dream. You can make a big batch of this sauce when you have extra time and freeze it in freezer containers indefinitely. Preferably, you should allow time for it to thaw overnight in the fridge before using.

Or, make a big batch of sauce on Saturday or Sunday, and plan meals around it for the rest of the week. It’s reliable for more than spaghetti and meatballs. Use it for this straightforward skillet lasagna, pizza stuffed spaghetti squash, or pizza quesadillas, or as a dipping sauce for air fryer mozzarella sticks or chicken strips.

Other pasta sauce recipes

Looking for more rich ways to top your favorite pasta?

• Crockpot Spaghetti Sauce with or without meat (stovetop directions, too!)
• Turkey Bolognese — with ground turkey and turkey Italian sausage
• Fresh tomato cream sauce with angel hair pasta
• Baked Feta Pasta Recipe (with vegan option)
• Instant Pot Bolognese
• Instant Pot spaghetti and meat sauce
• Skinny Alfredo sauce made with cauliflower
• Vegan Bolognese — it has a meaty texture with quinoa and lentils
• Carrot pesto
• Lemon cream sauce with spinach

• Yield: 14
• Prep: 15 minutes
• Cook: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Total: 1 hour 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup finely diced yellow onion ( 1 medium onion)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced ( 1 tablespoon minced garlic, more if desired)
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
• 1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) petite diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 tablespoon granulated white sugar
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (more if desired)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon butter
• ¼ cup chopped fresh basil (or 1 tablespoon dried basil)
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley (or 1 tablespoon dried parsley)

Method

1. Heat oil in a large deep pan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until translucent. Add garlic and continue to cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until fragrant.
2. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until it coats the onions and garlic, and darkens slightly, about 1 minute.
3. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, sugar, oregano, thyme, red pepper flakes, and bay leaf. Stir to combine.
4. Bring to a simmer, then lower heat and simmer, partially covered, for at least 1 hour or up to 3 hours. Stir occasionally to make sure the sauce isn't sticking to the bottom of the pan. Adjust heat if necessary.
5. Carefully remove the bay leaf and stir in butter, basil, and parsley until butter is melted.
6. Taste the sauce, and season with additional salt and pepper if desired. If you like a sweeter sauce, add a little more sugar.

Notes

Add meat: For a sauce with meat, add 1 pound ground beef, turkey, or Italian sausage. Brown in pan with onions before adding the garlic. If you like meatballs, try from-scratch meatballs or baked turkey meatballs, adding them to the sauce about halfway through the simmering time. You don’t have to thaw the meatballs first.

Variations: Adjust the seasoning to your preference; add more sugar if you like a sweeter sauce, more red pepper flakes for a spicier sauce. Additional vegetables can be added; try chopped bell peppers, mushrooms, or finely diced or shredded carrots (they’ll make the sauce less acidic, too!). Fold in chopped baby spinach right before serving if you like.

Less sodium: Many commercial spaghetti sauces are high in sodium. To reduce sodium in this recipe, use no-salt-added canned tomato products.

Slow cooker spaghetti sauce: Once you’ve prepped the sauce, it can be transferred to your crockpot to cook on low for up to 8 hours. (Try our crockpot spaghetti sauce.)

Storage & reheating: Leftover sauce can be refrigerated for up to 5 days. Reheat in a saucepan over medium low heat until sauce is hot and steaming.

To freeze: From-scratch spaghetti sauce is freezer-friendly. Consider making a double batch so you’ll have extra to freeze (this recipe makes 7 cups). Allow the sauce to cool, then transfer to freezer containers or sturdy ziplock freezer bags, leaving head room for expansion. It will keep for at least six months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.