Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
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So, sometimes I do this thing where I make my life more difficult than it has to be.
Like, I make bread from scratch sometimes.
Or, I make my own cheese. <—- Yep. I did that.
Often, I make my own donuts instead of just buying them from the donut shop like most people do.
But this spaghetti sauce making habit of mine? It’s so crazy.
I mean, it’s DELICIOUS and one hundred and three times more flavorful than the jarred kind at the store. That’s a mathematically correct fact. I did the research. It took hours.
Anyway, the thing with this sauce is that it costs a bit more than a jar of sauce from the store and you need to let it simmer on the stove for hours and hours. That said, it’s so super worth it.
Besides, having a big pot of spaghetti sauce simmering away for hours not only makes you feel all domesticated, it makes the house smell divine.
Give this a try the next time you’re having a spaghetti dinner. You won’t regret it!
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SaveHomemade italian Spaghetti Sauce
This sauce is full of Italian flavors! It will make enough to coat 2 pounds of spaghetti, but I usually just use it for one pound of spaghetti and then we dip bread in the leftovers. It keeps well in the fridge for one week.
Ingredients:
1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 pound pork sausage (substitute with all beef, if desired)
1/2 onion, finely diced
6 cloves garlic, finely diced
2 28 ounce cans crushed tomatoes (I prefer Muir Glen Organic Fire Roasted Crushed Tomatoes)
6 ounces tomato paste (I omit this, because my husband doesn't like when I add it, but if you want a really tomato-y sauce, try it!)
2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon sugar, if desired
salt and pepper, to taste (I prefer it pretty salty)
Directions:
In a large pot over medium heat, cook the ground beef and pork until no longer pink. Do not drain.
Add the onion and garlic to the pot with the meat and cook over low heat until the onions are soft and the garlic is fragrant.
Add the remaining ingredients to the pot and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 2-4 hours.
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Thanks for the recipe. Sounds delish! Can’t wait to try!!!
I am so glad I am not the only one out there making life harder. I once made homemade spaghetti sauce and fresh bread for it in the same night. I sat down to the dinner table and realized I was exhausted and we were just having spaghetti. lol I have been searching for a good sauce recipe yours will be the next one I try.
What a yummy sauce! Love the meat in there. Cooking sauce all day is one of the things I look forward to about winter – it’s finally cool enough in my kitchen to leave my stove on all day!
I bet this would make a delicious lasagna too! I love pork and beef in lasagna. Do you ever make it with just meatballs? My husband and son don’t like meatspace as much (I love it, you can get a bit of meat and sauce and spaghetti in one bite)…
Karly — November 4th, 2012 @ 9:38 pm
@Melissa,
I LOVE meatballs in spaghetti ever since making this recipe: http://bunsinmyoven.com/2011/03/16/spaghetti-and-meatballs/ but my family prefers this simpler version with the meat spread throughout.
This is so fabulous! Gotta love a good spaghetti sauce.
I love love love family/homemade tomato sauces. Store bought or even restaurant sauces will never, ever compare! And YES I love love love the way it makes my mom’s house smell when it’s on the stove all day. Makes me nostalgic just to think about
I adore homemade spaghetti sauce. Usually I just toss it all in the slow cooker and let that do the work for me. The sauce comes out so rich and thick.
Karly — November 5th, 2012 @ 8:11 am
@Cat Davis – Food Family Finds,
Ooh, that’s smart! Great idea!
Haha and to think you’ve always told me that you were a jarred sauce girl! I always knew you’d come around.
Karly — November 5th, 2012 @ 8:11 am
@Joanne,
Don’t tell, but I’m a pretty new convert. I did make homemade sauce for awhile there in 2011 and then I just sorta stopped. I’m back now. Let’s all hope that I don’t fall off the wagon again.
I totally understand the convenience of grabbing a can of Ragu and calling it a day, but man, nothing beats homemade spaghetti sauce. NOTHING. I seriously think we should go in the business of having spaghetti sauce facials because they’re so tasty and obviously, if they’re good for your soul, will be good for your complexion. Or something.
This looks so incredibly yummy! Perfect for a chilly fall day
Do you use regular sugar? I’ve heard some people use brown sugar in their tomato sauce. I’d love to know if you have tried it!
Karly — November 5th, 2012 @ 11:28 am
@Jennifer @ Not Your Momma’s Cookie,
Ooh, I haven’t tried it. I generally don’t add sugar if I use the Muir Glen tomatoes. I do add it with other brands though. I’ll have to try it with brown sugar next time.
I’ve also heard some people add a little coffee instead of sugar and I’d like to try that, too! Have you done that before?
Jennifer @ Not Your Momma's Cookie — November 5th, 2012 @ 7:15 pm
@Karly,
Nope, I haven’t tried it either – I must confess that I’m normally a jar sauce kind of girl. I know that homemade sauces always taste better, but my sheer laziness usually wins
Well, it may cost a little bit more than the cheap store stuff, but I can guarantee that stuff doesn’t have all of the good stuff in yours!! I can smell it right now!
I’ve been wanting to go back to making my own sauce – thanks for the recipe.
Have you ever tried turkey Italian sausage instead of pork? Delish!
I’ll let you make my life easier – I’d be happy to eat your homemade donuts or this sauce any day of the week!
yum! homemade spaghetti sauce is the BEST!!!!
this looks like exactly what i want in a red sauce. i always make it more difficult than it should be. thanks for putting it in writing. now i can get it right every time.
Very simular to my original recipe. I do add beef boulion now and a bay leaf. I like the flavor of bay.
I do cheap more as I age so use a garlic or onion basil jar sauce and doctor it now. Browning the meat and adding diced pepperoni that I have zapped in microwave. I do add more fresh onion and garlic.
I prefer Pomi Spagetti Sauce when making from scratch then add a can of diced fire roasted. I always make from scratch when doing ziti or lasagna. Both of which are much better with fresh sauce.