The Best Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
The rich, delicious flavor of this homemade spaghetti sauce is nothing short of amazing! Tried-and-true, this spaghetti sauce recipe really is the best.
This has been my go-to spaghetti sauce for years. I make a batch, freeze half, and we have several meals to look forward to!
The flavor in this spaghetti sauce is out of this world delicious.
How to Make Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
This sauce begins by building levels of flavor.
First: throw a chopped onion and red pepper in a blender and process until mostly smooth.
Doing this gives the sauce loads of flavor with minimal texture (making it especially kid-friendly!).
Second: brown ground beef (or a combination of ground beef, ground pork, or ground sausage) with lots of garlic and add the following.
- tomato paste
- blended onion and red pepper
- dried basil, oregano and thyme
- salt and pepper
Cook that mixture until sizzling and fragrant.
Third: add the “saucy” ingredients and a few more ingredients for flavor.
- diced tomatoes
- crushed tomatoes
- beef broth or stock
- brown sugar
- bay leaves
A Boost of Flavor
Cook the sauce at a low simmer for about an hour. It will reduce and thicken as it cooks.
Also: your house is going to smell amazing!
When it’s done cooking, stir in 1-2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar. Why? This balances out the sauce while adding a rich depth of flavor.
Slow Cooker Variation
This sauce can easily be made in a slow cooker for even easier prep!
Slow Cooker Instructions: cook the meat and garlic in a skillet on the stove. Drain the grease. Then add the cooked meat and everything else (minus the olive oil and balsamic vinegar) to the slow cooker. Cook on high for 4-6 or low for 7-9 hours. Stir in the balsamic vinegar about 15 minutes before serving.
A Family Favorite
This sauce has been our go-to homemade spaghetti sauce for over ten years. It’s perfect for spaghetti. But it can also be used for baked ziti, manicotti, and many other pasta dishes!
So many of you have become lifelong fans of this recipe as well.
Elizabeth says: This sauce is so good. I made everything exactly to a T. AMAZING!
Jorene says: I have been making this sauce for a couple years now. It truly is the best recipe. Everybody that eats it loves it. My sister asked for the recipe. That says a lot. I keep it in my freezer all the time.
Christy says: Omg! I haven’t made homemade sauce in over 20 years and I’m here to tell you that this is by far the best sauce I’ve ever tasted or made. Love it and wouldn’t change a thing. Thank you.
FAQ for Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
Yes, it’s delicious meatless, too (you can also use it for spaghetti and meatballs – add cooked meatballs toward the end after the sauce has simmered and let the meatballs heat through in the sauce).
I haven’t canned this recipe, but here’s another option!
https://www.melskitchencafe.com/homemade-spaghetti-marinara-sauce-for-canning-or-freezing/
The flavor is a bit different than this homemade spaghetti sauce (in order for the sauce to be safe for canning), but it’s super tasty.
I simmer partially covered.
Yes I do that all the time!
What to Serve With This
- Hot, cooked spaghetti noodles
- Divine breadsticks
- Simple green salad (or something more fancy like this Gourmet Green Salad)
The Best Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cups onion, chopped and divided
- 5 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 2 pounds lean ground beef or lean ground turkey
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded, cored and coarsely chopped
- 1 (12-ounce) can tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 teaspoons dried oregano
- 3 teaspoons dried basil
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried thyme
- 2 cans (14-ounces each) Italian-style diced tomatoes or regular diced tomatoes
- 2 cans (28-ounces each) crushed tomatoes
- 8 ounces button or baby bella mushrooms, chopped
- 1 ½ cups beef stock or beef broth
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add 1 cup of the chopped onions, and sauté until translucent and slightly browned, 3-4 minutes. Add garlic, and cook, stirring constantly for a minute or so.
- Add beef, and cook, breaking into small pieces, until it is no longer pink, 6-7 minutes. Drain excess grease.
- In a blender or food processor, blend remaining 1 cup onion and the red pepper until smooth. Pour the mixture into the pot with the beef and onions.
- Add the tomato paste, salt, pepper, oregano, basil and thyme, and cook for 1 minute, stirring until combined.
- Add diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, mushrooms (if using), beef broth, and sugar. Stir until combined before adding the bay leaves.
- Bring the sauce to a boil, and then reduce to low and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Stir in the balsamic vinegar and let the sauce rest for 10-15 minutes (for the flavor to absorb) before serving.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe
Recipe originally published September 2016; updated September 2022 with additional photos, notes, etc (did not change the recipe).
Do you ever add more veggies? I’ve made spaghetti sauce with “hidden” carrots and spinach in addition to the pepper and onions. I’ve used an immersion blender after they’ve simmered in the sauce. Just wondering how that might affect this particular recipe… thanks!
I bet it would work great!
Can you can this?
I haven’t tried – not sure if the pH levels are safe for canning.
I have 10 quarts of Mel’s sauce canned and we eat it even if its a year old . Tastes great.
Bob Yates
Thanks for chiming in, Bob!
Could I substitute a yellow bell pepper instead of red? I have an extra yellow laying around and forgot to buy a red one 🙁
Sure, that should work.
Oops-just made it for the first time and didn’t wait to add the balsamic. Will the flavor cook out?
It should be fine!
I made this in the slow cooker and it just barely fit in my large oval one. I took the advice of another commenter and did 1 lb ground beef + 1 lb sausage and it is amazing. I also have to admit I was a bit scared of the balsamic vinegar, worried that I would ruin the whole lot after it was done! So I only put in 1 T. Maybe next time I’ll be brave and do 2. It is really yummy– so excited to freeze this for more delicious meals!
Mel, have you ever thought of substuting grated carrots for the sugar….awesome…
Truly the best there is! I’m tempted to serve without the pasta and eat it by the bowlful….it’s that good!! 🙂 I pureed all of the onions as you suggested and the mushrooms as well – that way the kids will never know what’s hidden in there!
I agree – this is the best sauce I’ve made. I’m vegan and made it as written but simply left out the meat entirely. I also used vegetable broth. It was still fabulous. Tomorrow I’m going to try it in the slow cooker.
I have been making this sauce since you originally posted it. My Italian husband, who is quite particular about his Italian food, says this is THE BEST!
The only substitution I always make is to use 1 pound of ground beef and 1 pound of Italian sausage.
Sometimes I use turkey Italian sausage and the flavor is still great. I made a batch with ground turkey, instead of ground beef, and the husband didn’t like that batch. Back to the tried and true original I went!
This is a keeper recipe for sure! I have made it twice now. Freezes super well! My “go-to” spaghetti recipe from now on! Thanks for posting!
Our family doesn’t like mushrooms, do you taste them in the recipe? If you left them out how much would it affect the recipe?
You can definitely leave them out – I usually make the sauce without these days.
Do you ever sub this leftover sauce in your spaghetti pie, ziti, or lasagnas? I love making the sauce, and know I can freeze it. Just wondering if it can be used in other recipes on the sight.
Yes, all the time!
Ahh, thank you. Lunch plans are made!
I make a simuliar sauce which works great on Sloppy Joes plus its fast and easy
Hi Mel. I’m new at canning. I would like to know if you can can this sauce which has meat. I just did canned applesauce for the first time, but since this recipe contains meat, I ust want to be fure that it is ok to can sauce with meat.
If anyone knows, please let me know. Thank you. Cipi
I haven’t canned this recipe because it hasn’t been tested for food safety issues with canning – having said that, recipes with meat need to always be pressure canned not water bath canned. Hope that helps a little!
I can soup with meat and it is delicious, so I am sure you could do the sauce too. You just have to go by the canning rules. My soup is under pressure for 90 minutes and I have never had a problem.
I canned 12 quarts of Mel’s sauce and ate some a year later.
Tasted great.
Make sure to pressure can at 10 lbs for 1 hour and 15 minutes. My kids love this sauce.
Thanks for the details on canning the sauce, Robert!
Mel, you’re an angel. I was looking online for a simple spaghetti recipe that had onions, garlic, bella mushrooms and vine-ripened tomatoes and yours came up! I modified it a little (no meat) and skipped the balsamic vinegar (didn’t have any at home; i’ll try it next time). I’ve been cooking for over 30yrs; 1 always-hungry husband and 3 now grown children and this is the best spaghetti sauce I’ve ever made. My husband devoured it and asked for more. Then he asked if this was a “secret Mafia Italian recipe”…lol. I just smiled and said “enjoy!” Thank you sweet Mel!
Haha…love that! So happy you liked it.
Thank you for this marvelous recipe! I’ve made it so many times now. I leave out the meat (because I have some young children who would be vegetarian if I let them), use a #10 can of crushed tomatoes from Costco, and leave everything the same except I increase the spices by a third and throw in an extra bell pepper (my favorite veggie). Always amazing. Spaghetti with store-bought sauce is an I’m-losing-my-sanity-let’s-just-eat meal, but spaghetti with this sauce is something I always look forward to! Thank you!
I don’t know if this will help anyone but if you like more veggies and less meat in your sauce, try combining half this recipe with a whole batch of Mel’s marinara sauce. AMAZING. And we had two quarts left over, so I froze them (separately) and used one quart with a 16-oz package of spaghetti noodles today and it was the perfect amount of sauce to noodles. My kids gobbled it–they even gobbled the spaghetti squash I served it on in the first place, which they’ve never eaten so well before. THANK YOU.
I browned the meat with onion separately and added it to the rest of the sauce + veggies after pureeing that with my immersion blender, then simmered for an hour. Worked beautifully.
Love this! Sounds like a delicious combination!
Any chance you have made this in your Instant Pot?? and if not then any pointers on how you would cook it in the IP and without the meat? Any guidance would be much appreciated! Thank you
I haven’t yet but if it were me, I’d brown the ground beef in the IP, drain the grease, and then add everything else in and cook for 15 minutes high pressure? That’s just a guess but a good starting place. I will say that I don’t think a full batch of this will fit in the popular 6-quart Instant Pot so you might want to halve it for pressure cooker safety.
I made it in the IP on saute and then simmered using the slow cook setting. It fit perfectly. But I would suggest pressure cooking the entire recipe in the IP.
Made this for supper tonight. I did use my own home canned tomatoespecially, yummy. I did not do the vinegar or the beef broth. It turned out great.
Made this for supper tonight. I did use my own home canned tomatoespecially, yummy. I did not do the vinegar or the beef broth. It turned out great.
i would love a vegeterian version 🙂
This has been my go-to spaghetti sauce recipe for years! So glad to see you’re shining a light on it again. I made it for my first-generation Italian grandparents and they both said it was the best sauce they’d ever had – and my grandparents are NOT ones to flatter or give compliments lightly!
Mel – this was a great recipe. I loved the pureed bell pepper in it. I think next time I’ll reduce the amount of meat slightly and add more mushrooms, but otherwise it was just fantastic. And maybe one time I’ll try it meatless with like 2lbs of mushrooms – we are real mushroom lovers here. 🙂 (Note: I tried to make it in my crock pot and it was WAY too much sauce to fit in there and it’s a pretty standard size. Just a heads up to anyone else considering a crock pot, you’ll need a pretty large one. I ended up just cooking it on the stove in my stockpot and it was great.)
Hi Mel!I always follow you with your recipes but this isn’t an Italian recipe, maybe it is your idea of an italian sauce but it isn’t an italian sauce. We don’t use so much garlic and we don’t use vinegrar. If you want I could send you the right recipe like granny’s style.
🙂
Hi Mel, I have to agree with Sara…this is not traditional Italian sauce by any means. My husband and I thought it was too sweet…probably half the brown sugar and balsamic vinegar would have made it more balanced??? I have a low tolerance for salt but had to add some extra to this sauce. I love every recipe I have made from this site and appreciate you sharing your awesome talent. Those looking for authentic Italian may be disappointed, others may love it as the positive reviews confirm.
After eating leftovers the past couple days, there is more to say about this recipe. Husband and I both noticed a rather unpleasant aftertaste – was it the vinegar? In general, I love spaghetti sauce for its rich tomato flavor but the flavors in this sauce – overly sweet with aftertaste, masked the tomato flavor. The recipe may have turned South adding 2 TBS. of the last ingredient – the balsamic vinegar, and I also use a good brand from Costco.
Hi Julie – thanks for your review(s). Sounds like this recipe isn’t for you; I genuinely hope you find one you love!
Hi Sara – I bet your authentic recipe is delicious! Feel free to send it along! I never really claimed this to be authentic Italian – it’s just the homemade spaghetti sauce my family loves and prefers. 🙂
What brand of balsamic vinegar do you prefer? I’ve never bought before.
Thanks for what sounds like a awesome spaghetti sauce!
Hi Edie – I know there are a lot of high end balsamic vinegars out there but I almost always use the brand they sell at Costco.
Made this a couple days ago – excellent!
Hey Mel- I know you like to do some canning and I also know you have pizza a lot. I love your homemade sauce and I have been using it quite a bit! Now that my tomatoes are on (just in time for those cold Idaho Autumn days!) I am canning them and doing pasta and pizza sauces. I really love Mrs Wages sauce packets. You just prep about 20 tomatoes, add this sauce packet and a little sugar and simmer for 25 mins or so and then bottle them up! They are the tastiest sauces I have ever had. If you ever see them (usually found at Cal-ranch stores or even grocery stores that are Associated Foods) you should try them and tell me what you think. I just really love to can those two things because I’m lazy and hate that extra step when I’m cooking! Thanks for continually sharing your talents with us!
Thanks for the tip! I’m canning today, actually! I’ll have to keep an eye out for those packets. 🙂
Yum!! Have you tried to make it in the instant pot? I am newly obsessed with mine 🙂
I haven’t, Emily, but don’t see why you couldn’t! I’m obsessed with my IP, too. 🙂
I love that you re-posted this. I was just thinking I needed to get this recipe in my collection and there it was at the top of your blog! Perfect timing!
OMG,..I can’t imagine spaghetti or pizza without mushrooms. That’s the way my mom made them which was passed on from her mom. For me I can never get enough mushrooms, and I add them at the very end or they would shrink to almost nothing.
@Allie- my signature go-to recipe is chicken cacciatore which I add zucchini, bell pepper, mushrooms. What makes this my ace recipe when I want to impress is from the extra depth element from the brown bits by sauté chicken thighs/legs with skin 1st before adding the vegs. It’s the same effect browning the beef for beef stew.
I discovered this recipe just a few months ago, and it is AMAZING! I love freezing it in single servings because it is so easy to take from frozen to heated through in the amount of time it takes to make some pasta. It is soooo good! I don’t like cooking ground beef in the slow cooker, so I throw everything in the slow cooker except for the ground beef and balsamic vinegar. Then when it’s almost time to eat, I brown the beef with a few spices and add it to the sauce with the vinegar. Yum, yum, yum!
Mel – quick question re: the mushrooms. I think mushrooms add amazing umami to recipes, but I cannot stand their texture (cooked or raw) – would adding them to the onion/pepper combo in the blender work? What do you think?
Yes! Great point and I meant to add that to the note. They are delicious when blended with the onion and red pepper (very similar to the classic lasagna recipe red sauce I have on my site). Thanks for bringing that up!
We actually made a sauce similar to this but added diced zucchini, more bell peppers, and on occasion squash. We froze it and then took it camping with us. Worked well as an ice pack and a nice easy meal.
For those quick pinch nights, we’ve been using Mel’s sauce for meatball subs. It is soooo good!!! I’m going to try this one, too.
Eep. I was planning on making spag sauce to bottle today. I’d much rather use your recipe, wonder if my tomatoes will wait….
Hi Mel, I have been making this awhile and this past week made an especially good batch of it- not sure what made the difference – maybe I sometimes forget the balsamic vinegar and I remembered it this time. SO good! And we grilled spaghetti squash to go with it (boiled a few elbow noodles to in case the kids needed some encouragement, but the adults mainly ate the spaghetti squash with sauce). It was amazingly good. Love this sauce!
Wanted to say hi while I had this window open. Thanks for this yummy spaghetti recipe from a girl who grew up with NOT homemade spaghetti. I made it again tonight and it’s always delish. 🙂
Always love hearing from you, Alisha!
I’m so pleased to have found this recipie. I made it to the letter the first time. Delish.I opened my patio door to let dogs out and my nbrs called to see what I was cooking. It smells fantastic. Lol I have some on the stove now and the only thing I changed was the thyme. We found it to be just a tad overpowering, but still very delish. This time I used some rosemary and maybe 1/8 of a tsp time. Cannot think you enough for this recipie it’s the best I have ever made and I have always made my own from scratch.
I’m passing this recipie along to everyone. Ty again for this wonderful recipie. I’m hooked.
Thanks, Dee! 🙂
I miss the yummly option
I made this without the meat and it made exactly 12 cups for me. Just for others who might wonder. What a yummy sauce!! Another win from Mel’s kitchen to mine.
Mel. I love your site.
As luck would have it, I need to make a batch of Spaghetti Sauce for the freezer, and found your recipe. One of the comments, someone said to use San Marzano (sp?) canned tomatoes. Do you use a particular brand?
Can’t wait to make your recipe.
I’ve made this recipe with probably every brand on the market and to be honest, I think it’s great with everything from Hunt’s to San Marzano (those are hard to find in my neck of the woods).
I just wanted to let you know I have been making this recipe for a while now. My family loves it and so does everyone that comes over. I have tried so many recipes and then found this one and it’s all I use.
Hi Mel! I absolutely LOVE your site! It’s become my go-to for pretty much everything food wise.
We also love this sauce! I replace one pound of the ground beef with one pound Italian sausage and we like it even more. SO yummy!
Thank you so much for all you do! I appreciate you 🙂
Have a Merry Christmas!
Looks like you’ve had plenty of comments about this sauce, but I’m gonna add my 2 cents. Been married to an Italian for 34 1/2 years. nearly every recipe I’ve tried has been okay, Made yours, and jack pot……………………he fell in love. Just perfect!!!!! He raves, which makes me smile. Thank you…………………..you Rock.
MY KIDS ATE DINNER!! I’m shouting and celebrating because dinner is routinely a difficult experience (I.e. I make dinner & they complain about eating it). But tonight I made this awesome sauce (puréed it for the kids) and served over low carb penne. Amazing! I followed the recipe exactly, except I quartered it because I only had a half pound of mild Italian sausage & no ground beef. When I finally got to the basalmic vinegar stage I was salivating in anticipation… I reached for my trusty old bottle and… It was gone! I had used it up and forgot to buy more. What??? I knew I needed something with a full, tangy flavor & finally decided on red plum sauce. Weird, but magnificently good! Thanks Mel, this one’s definitely a winner! (Can’t wait to try it with Basalmic)
Hi Mel,
I stumbled upon your site last night. Made the sauce this morning… doubled the recipe in a massive 18qt. pot for my three kiddos play date tomorrow and for our meals. Everyone loved it! Thank you so much. My picky eater wiped the plate clean!
So happy to hear that!
Do you happen to have a yummy spaghetti sauce recipe that uses fresh tomatoes? I have toms from my garden that I would like to use.
Thanks.
I don’t, sorry, but I believe others up in the comment thread have made this with fresh tomatoes.
I’d love to make this using all the fresh tomatoes I have piling up from my garden. Any idea how many to use and how I would do that?
I would add up the ounces of crushed and diced tomatoes in the recipe and substitute a similar amount of fresh tomatoes, blending the amount that would sub in for the crushed tomatoes. Good luck!
I’ve only made this recipe like a million times. I love it so much. Making it today with no canned tomatoes – all fresh from the garden. Can’t wait!
How do I adapt this for the slow cooker?
I’ve never made it in the slow cooker so you’ll have to experiment. Others may have reported back in the comments about how they’ve done it. I’ve made it on the stovetop before and kept it warm in the slow cooker but never done it start to finish that way.
Am making this now and it smells yummy… I was a bit confused by your note that it might seem watery… mine is quite thick before starting to simmer… 12 oz of tomato paste and 2 X 48 oz cans of crushed tomato, even offset by the broth and diced tomato doesn’t equal a lot of excess liquid. I just added some water as the bottom was scorching as the sauce was simmering.