Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
Updated
Updated
This hearty Homemade Spaghetti Sauce, made with sausage, ground beef, three kinds of tomatoes, and wonderfully seasoned is perfect over spaghetti or in lasagna!
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5 STAR REVIEW
Everyone should have a go-to homemade spaghetti sauce recipe in their arsenal. I know jarred sauce is so convenient, but there’s just nothing like homemade sauce. This is my favorite, made with a combination of ground beef and Italian sausage, three different types of tomatoes, wonderful aromatics, and perfect seasonings.
Maybe not considered a quick spaghetti sauce, since you really want it to simmer for several hours which deepens the flavors, but definitely an easy spaghetti sauce. It’s perfect for piling on top of spaghetti, used as the sauce layer in lasagna, or just mopped up with some garlic bread. It also freezes beautifully, so you can always have some on hand.
And for days you’re not in the mood for a red sauce, try our popular alfredo sauce or pesto sauce.
Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 pound Italian sausage, (hot, mild, or sweet)
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 large sweet onion, , diced
- 5 cloves garlic, , minced
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, (see note)
- 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/3 cup fresh chopped parsley
- 12 ounces tomato paste
- 15 ounce can diced fire roasted tomatoes
- 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 cup chicken or beef broth
Instructions
- In a large pot or pan, add in the sausage and beef over medium-high heat. Use a spoon to break up the meat into small pieces. Add in the onion and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until the meat is browned and no pink remains. Drain off the grease.
- Reduce heat to medium; add in the sugar, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and parsley. Add in the tomato paste and stir to combine.
- Pour in the diced tomatoes with their liquid, crushed tomatoes, and chicken (or beef) broth. Stir well until combined; bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and simmer for at least 1 hour (ideally 3.)
- Use right away, refrigerate for later, or freeze for down the road!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and any changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are very important to you, I would recommend calculating them yourself.
Did you make this? Leave a rating below!Tips and Possible Variations
- Don’t omit the sugar. Sugar, like salt, is a great ingredient that gives balance to food and helps with overall flavor. It is especially needed in a spaghetti sauce to help cut the acidity from the tomatoes. Keep in mind, it’s only a small amount for an entire pot of sauce.
- The combination of sausage and ground beef provide the best flavor. Hot, mild, or sweet Italian sausage and lean ground beef together makes the best sauce. You can double up on one or the other, but the combination of both in awesome.
- Broth. I replace water with broth for way more flavor. I typically use chicken broth or my homemade chicken stock because I always have it on hand, but beef broth is great too, of course, which matches up with the ground beef.
- A low and slow simmer. Similar to a beef stew, the longer the sauce cooks, the deeper the flavors. If you’re in a pinch for time, you can certainly get away with cooking it for a short time, but you really want the sauce to simmer for at least 1 hour, and ideally 3 or 4.
- Crockpot. I personally have never tested this sauce in the slow cooker, but there a several reviews from others who have with good results.
What Is The Difference Between Marinara Sauce and Spaghetti Sauce?
I know they look and smell the same, but marinara sauce is basically tomato sauce with aromatics such as herbs and onion, whereas spaghetti sauce is usually made with meat and vegetables. Then there’s also a Bolognese sauce, which usually includes carrots, wine and/or milk. This particular recipe is sort of a cross between all three!
What To Do With Leftover Spaghetti Sauce
We love leftover spaghetti sauce and bank on there being some the next day. Here are a few great ways to use it:
- Make some homemade garlic bread instead of pasta and mop up the sauce with it!
- Top some roasted spaghetti squash with it for a delicious low-carb option.
- Swap out some of the ingredients in this American Goulash recipe for a scoop or two.
- Use it to make lazy day lasagna or skillet lasagna.
Proper Storage
- Can spaghetti sauce be made in advance? Definitely! In fact, I recommend making it in advance. Start it in the morning and let it low simmer for hours. The longer it cooks, the better!
- How long does spaghetti sauce last in the fridge? It can be made ahead and kept refrigerated in an air-tight container for up to 4 days.
- Can you freeze spaghetti sauce? Yep! You can further extend its shelf life by freezing it, covered in an airtight freezer-safe container, for up to 4 months.
More Pasta Sauces To Try:
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
This truly is the best hands down! I make as written, but add. I use lanko granulated monk fruit in place of the sugar and half the amount. I add diced green bell pepper, mushrooms and a bit of ground red pepper for a slight heat. Chef’s kiss!!!!
The search for the best and most flavorful spaghetti sauce ends with this. I’m not looking anymore. It is so yummy. Thank you so much for sharing.
I’m not typically one to write reviews, but this recipe deserves all the rave. Something so delicious and so simple to make with room for ways to spice it up the way you prefer. HOWEVER, it is truly perfect the way it is written! This makes 2 batches of sauce for my 4-person family. I freeze the other half and use it when needed (typically just adding broth to thin it out when in the pot). Love, love, love this recipe and find myself referring to it monthly.
Amy, this was a fantastic sauce! I’ve made “my” sauce for years and thought it was the best. I discovered tonight that I was wrong. Yours is definitely the best! Served it to my husband, brother and sister-in-law tonight and we all gave it great reviews! Simmered for about 4 hours and it was absolutely delish. Enough for 4 big eaters with a bit leftover. We really enjoyed it. Thank you!
As a vegetarian, my family gets ripped off a lot when I make spaghetti. I usually just use a very good jarred marinara sauce and call it good. I decided to treat them to this one after watching your video! What a hit! I started early and let it simmer all day. I used a 16oz package of spaghetti noodles. Served 2 adult men with hearty appetites in my house. One went back for 2nds. (I ate plain noodles and was ok with that, haha) but I was able to freeze leftover sauce for at least 4 more servings, took a plate over to my 88 yr old mother in law, and have a serving in the fridge for my son’s lunch! What a way to stretch the budget. Recipe is clear and I followed it to a T. Will definitely make this again when I’m not being lazy!
Absolutely delicious recipe. My new favourite. Thank you.
Best ever
This is my definite go-to recipe for spaghetti sauce and I’ve been asked for the recipe more than once. It makes 6 hearty servings! Delicious!!!
Delicious! Everyone who has had this at my house loves it!
Afternoon Amy .. just wondering what’s the tin of fire roasted tomatoes.? . we don’t have those here in Australia… just add another can of tomatoes? Thank you .. looking forward to try this recipe
Hi Wendy – canned fire roasted tomatoes deliver a smoky, robust flavor that elevates the flavor of this sauce. I typically use Muir Glen, but there are many different brands. If they’re not available to you, yes, use an equal amount of canned diced tomatoes, but you’ll need extra seasoning.
This is our families favourite spaghetti recipe. I will sometimes add red or green pepper and I use coconut sugar instead of white sugar.
It freezes well, but usually there is never left overs.
I have been looking for a recipe that was similar to my mom’s for awhile and this comes as close as I ever gotten. The only thing I did different was to add a stick of butter to it because I know that my mom always added that to hers! Thanks, this will be made over and over!
I can honestly say this is one of the better recipes for a great sauce for spaghetti or pasta! Definitely love the 2 meat combo that gives this an extra push in flavor! I did make a couple minor changes, I used pasta water to thin out the sauce a bit. After cooking for 3 hours it was really thick. Also added half a jar (less than a cup) of a spicy marinara sauce from Trader Joe’s to give it a slight boost! This dish came out so good there were NO LEFTOVERS! Everyone loved it and asked to have it again! Thanks for a great recipe!
Best meat sauce ever. WOW.
I have made this on many occasions. It is delicious. In the original recipe did it call for hot, mild or sweet sausage?
This is my original recipe. You can use hot, mild, or sweet sausage depending on your personal preference. They’re all good!
I made this in the crock pot…..turned out yummy
Best I’ve ever had and it’s easy to make! My future daughter in law wants to have it at their wedding.
This sauce has been a hit in my family for years. I do let it simmer in a crockpot for hours (usually AT LEAST four hours). Turns out amazing every time, so don’t be afraid to transfer it to a crockpot and let it go for hours!
The best Spaghetti Sauce I ever ate. I make it all the time.
I loved this recipe so much. Can you substitute ground turkey for the ground beef? Thank you in advance…
Yep!