Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

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This easy Homemade Spaghetti Sauce is made with beef, plenty of spices, and a touch of sugar for sweetness. It’s great for lasagna, spaghetti, or zoodles, and it comes together with easy pantry ingredients.

Spaghetti sauce in a blue Dutch oven.

A good homemade Spaghetti Sauce recipe is essential for the home cook. Yes, you can make Spaghetti with it, but you can also make loads of other recipes with it.

Stewed Sausage and Peppers, Lasagna, Baked Ziti, and Meatball Subs are all good examples. In a pinch, it can work as a pizza sauce, or you can thin it with water to make an Italian-flavored soup.

It’s also perfect for freezing, so make a big batch and store it away for busy days ahead when you wish you had time to slowly stir a simmering pot of Spaghetti Sauce.

Recipe ingredients

Labeled ingredients for homemade spaghetti sauce.

At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.

Ingredient notes

  • Sugar: Add sugar to taste. For some, that means omitting it entirely. For others, you can increase the sugar up to ¼ cup.
  • Italian seasoning: It’s easy to make your own homemade Italian seasoning with dried basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme and marjoram.

Step-by-step instructions

  1. In a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add beef and onion and cook until mostly browned, about 5 minutes. Drain if desired. Stir in garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Ground beef and onion in a saucepan.
  1. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, sugar, basil, Italian seasoning, and bay leaf. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Homemade spaghetti sauce in a saucepan.
  1. Season to taste with salt and pepper (I like 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper).
Spaghetti sauce in a blue Dutch oven.

Recipe tips and variations

  • Yield: This recipe makes 2 quarts or 8 cups, enough for 16 (½ cup) servings. It’s also enough for one lasagna.
  • Storage: store in the refrigerator and use within 4 days.
  • Freezer: Divide the broth into freezer-safe containers (I like to use 16-ounce glass jars) and leave 1/2-inch head space for expansion. Label and date, then freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Spaghetti with sauce in a white bowl.

Recipe FAQs

Can you make homemade spaghetti sauce in a slow cooker?

Yes, you sure can! Transfer the browned beef, onion, and garlic mixture to a slow cooker. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, sugar, basil, Italian seasoning, and bay leaf, then cover and cook on HIGH for 2 to 3 hours or LOW for 4 to 6 hours.

How can I customize spaghetti sauce?

To customize your homemade spaghetti sauce, stir in chopped green peppers or sliced mushrooms with the onions. Substitute fire-roasted tomatoes for the crushed tomatoes. Or, add chili flakes (a pinch or a lot!) for extra heat.

More pastas to try

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A Dutch oven filled with homemade spaghetti sauce.

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

This easy Homemade Meat Sauce is made with beef, plenty of spices, and a touch of sugar for sweetness. It’s great for lasagna, spaghetti, or zoodles, and it comes together with easy pantry ingredients.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 16 servings (1/2-cup each)
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Calories 154
5 from 1 vote

Ingredients 

Instructions 

  • In a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add beef and onion and cook until mostly browned, about 5 minutes. Drain if desired. Stir in garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  • Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, sugar, basil, Italian seasoning, and bay leaf. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with salt and pepper (I like 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper).

Notes

  1. Sugar: Add sugar to taste. For some, that means omitting it entirely. For others, you can increase the sugar up to ¼ cup.
  2. Italian seasoning: It’s easy to make your own homemade Italian seasoning with dried basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme and marjoram.
  3. Yield: This recipe makes 2 quarts or 8 cups, enough for 16 (½ cup) servings. It’s also enough for one lasagna.
  4. Storage: store in the refrigerator and use within 4 days.
  5. Freezer: Divide the broth into freezer-safe containers (I like to use 16-ounce glass jars) and leave 1/2-inch head space for expansion. Label and date, then freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving (½ cup each)Calories: 154kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 10gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 40mgSodium: 39mgPotassium: 171mgFiber: 0.2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 5IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 17mgIron: 1mg
Did you make this recipe?Tag @culinaryhill on Instagram so we can admire your masterpiece! #culinaryhill
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Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.

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