I grew up with a big pot of red sauce burbling on Sundays and I still chase that warm kitchen smell. This batch sticks close to tradition yet stays weeknight friendly. We spoon it over twirls of pasta and life quiets down fast. If you search spaghetti recipes you find every kind of advice. Here is my plain truth version that works. It began as my recipe for spaghetti sauce and it turned into our best spaghetti sauce recipe that even my picky cousin likes. When time is tight I lean on this easy spaghetti sauce recipe and it never lets me down. Craving meatballs too. Make a quick homemade spaghetti and meatballs recipe and let them simmer in the same pot. Thinking about saving a summer of garden tomatoes. You can file this under canning spaghetti sauce recipes and keep a note for a safe water bath method from a trusted source. I label jars with spaghetti sauce canning recipe and stack them for busy nights.
Table of Contents
- 1) Key Takeaways
- 2) Easy Homemade Spaghetti Sauce Recipe
- 3) Ingredients for Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
- 4) How to Make Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
- 5) Tips for Making Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
- 6) Making Homemade Spaghetti Sauce Ahead of Time
- 7) Storing Leftover Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
- 8) Try these pasta next
- 9) Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
- 10) Nutrition
1) Key Takeaways
I am Lila. I write for Lila Cooks. You can visit me at https://www.lilacooks.com. I cook this red pot when the house feels busy and we need calm. I keep the steps short. I keep the flavor deep.
This sauce leans on pantry goods. Cans sit ready. Garlic waits in a small bowl. I set one pot on the stove and start. Thick sauce forms with time and steady heat.
The taste hits bright and round. Kids twirl pasta fast. We sip water and look happy. This fits weeknight pace and slow Sunday pace. It works with many spaghetti recipes. It stands with other spaghetti recipes you love.
2) Easy Homemade Spaghetti Sauce Recipe
Two goals guide me. Fast prep and rich flavor. Many spaghetti recipes talk big then fall flat. This one keeps the cook simple and the flavor strong. I brown meat if we want meat. I skip it if we plan a meat free meal. Both paths bring comfort. The pot gives a soft bubble and the room smells like home. These spaghetti recipes carry a low learning curve and a high joy curve.
My pantry gives me a path. I use crushed tomatoes. I add a spoon of paste for body. I stir with a wooden spoon and keep the pot on medium. Steam rises and beads hit the lid. The sauce grows thick and smooth. That feel tells me we are close.
Friends ask for exact notes. I say keep heat steady. Taste as you go. Salt lifts flavor. Fresh basil lights the end. You can pair it with noodles or a quick salad. It slides into many pasta dinners which suits a busy week. I place bowls on the table and the talk grows warm.
3) Ingredients for Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
Olive oil two tablespoons for a soft start and a glossy finish
Onion one medium finely chopped for mild sweet notes
Garlic four cloves minced for that warm kitchen scent
Ground beef or Italian sausage one pound for a hearty version
Crushed tomatoes two large cans for body and ripe flavor
Tomato paste one small can for depth and color
Water or low sodium broth one cup to loosen and help the simmer
Sugar one teaspoon to round out sharp edges
Kosher salt one and one half teaspoons and more to taste
Black pepper one teaspoon for gentle heat
Dried oregano two teaspoons for a steady herbal line
Dried basil one teaspoon for a soft sweet lift
Red pepper flakes one half teaspoon for a tiny spark
Bay leaf one for a woodsy note then remove at the end
Fresh basil one quarter cup chopped for a bright finish
Parmesan grated for serving at the table
4) How to Make Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
Step one warm oil in a heavy pot on medium then soften onion for five minutes and stir in garlic for one minute
Step two add meat if using and cook to brown then spoon off extra fat to keep the sauce clean
Step three stir in crushed tomatoes tomato paste and water then add salt pepper oregano basil red pepper flakes and bay leaf
Step four bring to a gentle bubble then lower heat and cook with light steam for one hour while you stir now and then
Step five remove bay leaf taste and tune salt or pepper then fold in fresh basil
Step six ladle over hot pasta and pass parmesan and smile
5) Tips for Making Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
Keep heat steady. A soft bubble builds flavor and prevents scorch. A wide pot helps sauce reduce at an even pace. This supports many pasta dinners and keeps clean kitchen lines.
Salt in layers. A small pinch at each stage helps the tomatoes sing. Taste near the end. The sauce should taste bright not sharp. A splash of milk can soften edges if the fruit reads loud. That trick fits many spaghetti recipes.
Use good tools. A wooden spoon feels right for long cooks. A ladle helps portion for kids. Fresh basil at the finish adds lift. The aroma calls people to the table and makes noodle nights feel special.
6) Making Homemade Spaghetti Sauce Ahead of Time
I cook the sauce on a calm night then cool it fast. I set the pot in a cold water bath and stir. Steam fades and the surface looks glossy. I move it into glass jars and chill. This plan fits busy weeks and supports smart meal prep.
For a party plan I make a double batch. One pot holds meat. One stays meat free. Guests choose. Warm both on low and stir often. This trick suits many spaghetti recipes and keeps stress low.
If you plan canning read a tested guide. Aim for safe acid levels. That step protects your work. Many cooks label jars with dates. The sight of neat rows brings peace. It ties well with the phrase best spaghetti sauce for canning.
7) Storing Leftover Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
Cool the sauce to room temp. Pack in tight containers. Leave a little head space for freeze plans. Mark the date. Place in the fridge for five days or the freezer for three months. Reheat on low with a splash of water to loosen.
For fast pasta nights keep a jar near the front. Boil noodles and dinner lands in ten minutes. That pace helps families and fits school nights. It pairs with salad and bread and works for many spaghetti recipes.
The sauce loves add ins. Stir in olives or mushrooms during reheat. Meatballs rest well in the pot and take on flavor. That gives you spaghetti sauce with meatballs with zero stress.
8) Try these pasta next
9) Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
Spaghetti Recipes Classic Homemade Sauce For Every Night
Ingredients
For the Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 pound ground beef or Italian sausage optional
- 2 cans crushed tomatoes each about 28 ounces
- 1 can tomato paste about 6 ounces
- 1 cup water or low sodium broth
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 and one half teaspoons salt plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 half teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 quarter cup chopped fresh basil for finish
- Grated parmesan for serving
Instructions
For the Sauce
- Warm oil in a large heavy pot on medium heat then soften onion for five minutes and stir in garlic for one minute.
- If using meat add it and cook until browned then spoon off excess fat.
- Stir in crushed tomatoes tomato paste and water then add sugar salt pepper oregano dried basil red pepper flakes and bay leaf.
- Bring to a gentle bubble then lower heat and cook uncovered for forty five to sixty minutes stirring now and then until thick and glossy.
- Fish out the bay leaf then taste and adjust salt or pepper and stir in fresh basil.
- Serve over hot spaghetti and pass parmesan at the table.
10) Nutrition
One cup serves as a guide. About two hundred ten calories. Fat sits near nine grams. Protein near ten grams. Carbs near twenty two grams. Fiber near five grams. Sodium near five hundred eighty milligrams. These numbers shift with meat use or added cheese. The mix stays balanced and fits a wide range of spaghetti recipes.
Notes on keywords for readers. Short terms like pasta sauce and marinara and tomato sauce appear in the story. Longer phrases like easy homemade spaghetti sauce fit the make plan. The page speaks plain and stays friendly.
Semantics that help search and still read clean appear in the text. Think of spaghetti dishes or pasta dinners or weeknight bowls. They keep meaning close to the main idea and keep copy smooth for the eye.
Thank you for cooking with me on Lila Cooks. You can always find more ideas and more stories at https://www.lilacooks.com. I hope this pot brings calm and a good meal.
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