Spaghetti Sauce
This is for you MariAnne! MariAnne is a fellow soccer mom who asked for my spaghetti sauce recipe after her son ate over and told her “it was the best spaghetti he’d ever had”. The fact is when she told me her son had complimented my “sauce” and asked me for the recipe I was dumb founded, because the truth is I really don’t have a recipe…..or didn’t. I always just throw my sauce together, doing alot of tasting along the way.
So since then I set out to figure out just how is it that I make my “sauce”. It’s taken me a couple times of making it, taking notes each time. I found that it comes down to is the cooking time. The longer you cook it the thicker and richer the sauce. You can cook this sauce for as little as 1/2 hour and as long as…..well as long as you want really. Most of the time when I make sauce it is in under an hour. When I cook it longer I season a bit differently, not necessarily more or less, I just spread out the seasoning. Half in the beginning and the other half near the end. Just a few ingredients to chop and a few cans to open, it’s really easy. So with out further ado….
Spaghetti Sauce
Easy meat with red sauce made from scratch. This recipe comes together quickly the key is to low and slow cooking.
Equipment
- 1 6 quart pot
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup white onion diced
- 3 whole garlic cloves minced
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 lb lean ground beef 90%fat
- 56 oz. diced tomatoes
- 28 oz. tomato puree
- 12 oz can tomato paste + 1 can of water
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning blend
- 1 tbsp dried basil
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper optional
- 1/2 teaspoon salt taste and add more per your taste
- 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
- Saute onion and garlic in a 6 quart saucepan, add 1 teaspoon of salt, continue to cook until caramelizing starts. Add ground beef, and cook, chopping beef up with spatula to break it up as it browns.
- When beef is completely browned add tomato paste, stir, fill can with water, add to pan. Add the diced and pureed cans of tomatoes, stir to blend.
- Now season: add sugar, Italian seasoning, basil, crushed red pepper flakes(feel free to add more if you like spicy or omit). Simmer for at least 30 minutes – 2 hours. see note below
- **Crock Pot version: brown meat with onions and garlic put in crock pot with all the other ingredients and cook on high for 4-5 hours medium/low heat for 8. Stir occasionally if you have time.
Notes
The longer you cook the more the flavor will develop. Cook low and slow. However if you don’t have two hours 30 minutes still gives you a great sauce.
Nutrition
Calories: 312kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 23gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 47mgSodium: 740mgPotassium: 1365mgFiber: 9gSugar: 26gVitamin A: 1014IUVitamin C: 39mgCalcium: 128mgIron: 7mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @eat2gather or tag #eat2gather!
Hi, I’ve been using this recipe for years it always reminds me of my Mom’s. I do add chili powder because my Mom always did, double the meat and only one T Whey Low sugar sub. Thank you!
Karen, So glad you love it! I sometimes leave the sugar out all together! Thanks for being here. If you have time to rate the recipe in the recipe card, I would be very grateful. Best, Sheila
Oh, I can't wait to make this recipe this week with my homemade meatballs! They are so good!!!
Yummy! I want to come for dinner!
Love the gravy recipe. Has some similarities to my family recipe. Seasoning is a little different though and we cook ours longer. Might have to give yours try 🙂
Kim, It is fun to feed other kids….sometimes they look at me like are you crazy women, we only eat chicken nuggets our house…but they almost always ask for seconds : D
Great recipe and tips!!!
Blessings-
Amanda
I LOVE pasta and am anxious to try your sauce. PS ~ Doesn't it feel so good to get a compliment like that?? So sweet when your kids' friends enjoy your cooking.
Thank you Shelia… I can't wait to make it. It might be what's for dinner at our house tonight.