Tasty Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

Here is my go-to homemade spaghetti sauce recipe, with fresh garlic, onions, herbs, and tomatoes that simmer together into a rich, flavorful sauce that’s so much better than store-bought.

This spaghetti sauce is what I make whenever we’re craving comfort food on a busy weeknight. I always double the batch and freeze half for those evenings when I need dinner on the table fast. There’s nothing like the smell of homemade sauce filling the whole house, right?

What Kind of Ground Beef Should I Use?

For homemade spaghetti sauce, you’ll want to use ground beef with a fat content between 80/20 and 85/15 – this gives you enough fat for flavor without making your sauce too greasy. If you can only find leaner ground beef like 90/10, that’s fine too, but you might want to add a splash of olive oil to the pan for extra richness. The recipe also mentions using half ground Italian sausage and half ground beef, which is a great option if you want to add more flavor and spice to your sauce. Just make sure to break up the meat well as it cooks so you get nice, even pieces throughout your sauce rather than big chunks.

Options for Substitutions

This sauce recipe is super forgiving and works great with several substitutions:

• Ground beef: You can easily swap ground beef for ground turkey, ground chicken, or even plant-based ground meat. If using leaner meats like turkey, you might want to add a tablespoon of olive oil to prevent sticking.
• Italian sausage: No Italian sausage? Try adding an extra 1/2 teaspoon of fennel seeds and a pinch of paprika to your ground meat for that sausage-like flavor.
• Tomato sauce and paste: You can substitute with one 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes instead of the sauce and paste combo. Just simmer it a bit longer to thicken up.
• Italian seasoning: Make your own by mixing equal parts dried oregano, basil, and thyme. A pinch of dried rosemary works too.
• Fresh basil: Dried basil works fine – just use about 1 tablespoon instead of the fresh leaves, and add it with the other dried herbs.
• Worcestershire sauce: If you’re out, try soy sauce or balsamic vinegar instead – start with 1/2 tablespoon and taste as you go.
• Sugar: Honey or brown sugar work just as well to balance the acidity. You can also skip it entirely if your tomatoes are naturally sweet.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake people make with homemade spaghetti sauce is not browning the ground beef properly – make sure to break it up into small pieces and let it get a nice brown color before draining the fat, as this adds tons of flavor to your sauce.

Another common error is adding the tomato paste too early without letting it cook out first, so sauté it with your onions for about a minute before adding the other ingredients to prevent that raw, metallic taste.

Don’t skip the sugar in this recipe even if it seems odd – it helps balance the acidity from the tomatoes and creates a more rounded flavor, and always taste and adjust your seasonings at the end since every brand of tomato sauce has different salt levels.

Finally, resist the urge to rush the simmering process because letting your sauce bubble gently for at least 20-30 minutes allows all those flavors to meld together and creates a much richer final product.

What to Serve With Homemade Spaghetti Sauce?

This hearty meat sauce is perfect over classic spaghetti noodles, but don’t be afraid to try it with other pasta shapes like penne, rigatoni, or even ziti. A side of garlic bread is always a winner for soaking up any extra sauce, and I love adding a simple Caesar salad or mixed greens to balance out the richness of the meat sauce. For a complete Italian-style meal, serve it with some grated parmesan cheese on top and maybe a glass of red wine if you’re feeling fancy. You can also use this sauce as a base for lasagna or baked ziti if you want to get creative with leftovers.

Storage Instructions

Refrigerate: This homemade spaghetti sauce actually gets better with time! Store it in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days. The flavors really meld together nicely after a day or two, so don’t be surprised if it tastes even better as leftovers.

Freeze: I always make a double batch because this sauce freezes so well. Let it cool completely, then portion it into freezer bags or containers and freeze for up to 6 months. It’s such a time-saver to have homemade sauce ready to go on busy weeknights!

Warm Up: To use your sauce from the fridge, just heat it up in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. If it’s frozen, thaw it overnight in the fridge first, then warm it the same way. You might need to add a splash of water if it seems too thick after reheating.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1200-1350
• Protein: 75-90 g
• Fat: 75-85 g
• Carbohydrates: 55-65 g

Ingredients

For the meat sauce:

• 1 lb ground beef (or 1/2 lb ground italian sausage, 1/2 lb ground beef)
• Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 15 oz tomato sauce
• 6 oz tomato paste
• 1/2 tsp italian herbs blend
• 1 tbsp dried parsley
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
• 1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp white granulated sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped (optional)

For serving:

• Spaghetti pasta, cooked as needed

Step 1: Season and Brown the Meat with Onions

• 1 lb ground beef (or 1/2 lb ground Italian sausage, 1/2 lb ground beef)
• salt and ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced

Season the ground beef (or your chosen mix of ground beef and Italian sausage) with salt and ground black pepper to taste.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the seasoned meat along with the diced onion.

Cook, stirring and breaking up the meat, until it is browned and the onion is soft, about 7-10 minutes.

Carefully drain off any excess grease from the pan.

Step 2: Add Tomatoes and Seasonings

• 15 oz tomato sauce
• 6 oz tomato paste
• 1/2 tsp Italian herbs blend
• 1 tbsp dried parsley
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp white granulated sugar

To the browned meat and onions in the skillet, add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, Italian herbs blend, dried parsley, garlic powder, crushed red pepper flakes to taste, Worcestershire sauce, and white granulated sugar.

Stir thoroughly to combine all the ingredients.

Step 3: Add Water and Simmer

• 1 cup water

Pour in the water and stir the mixture well.

Bring the sauce to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low.

Let the sauce simmer, uncovered, for about 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the sauce to thicken.

I find stirring occasionally helps prevent sticking and ensures even cooking.

Step 4: Finish with Fresh Basil and Serve

• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped (optional)
• spaghetti pasta, cooked as needed

Just before serving, stir in the chopped fresh basil leaves, if using, for a burst of fresh flavor.

Serve the sauce hot over cooked spaghetti pasta.

For a more authentic flavor, I like to use fresh basil rather than dried, and always toss some sauce with the hot pasta before plating.

Tasty Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

Delicious Tasty Homemade Spaghetti Sauce recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 32 minutes mins

Total Time 47 minutes mins

Servings 4

Calories 1275 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the meat sauce:

• 1 lb ground beef (or 1/2 lb ground Italian sausage, 1/2 lb ground beef)
• salt and ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 15 oz tomato sauce
• 6 oz tomato paste
• 1/2 tsp Italian herbs blend
• 1 tbsp dried parsley
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp white granulated sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped (optional)

For serving:

• spaghetti pasta, cooked as needed

Instructions

 

• Season the ground beef (or your chosen mix of ground beef and Italian sausage) with salt and ground black pepper to taste. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the seasoned meat along with the diced onion. Cook, stirring and breaking up the meat, until it is browned and the onion is soft, about 7-10 minutes. Carefully drain off any excess grease from the pan.
• To the browned meat and onions in the skillet, add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, Italian herbs blend, dried parsley, garlic powder, crushed red pepper flakes to taste, Worcestershire sauce, and white granulated sugar. Stir thoroughly to combine all the ingredients.
• Pour in the water and stir the mixture well. Bring the sauce to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low. Let the sauce simmer, uncovered, for about 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the sauce to thicken. I find stirring occasionally helps prevent sticking and ensures even cooking.
• Just before serving, stir in the chopped fresh basil leaves, if using, for a burst of fresh flavor. Serve the sauce hot over cooked spaghetti pasta. For a more authentic flavor, I like to use fresh basil rather than dried, and always toss some sauce with the hot pasta before plating.