I think for every established cook, there exists a “perfect” spaghetti sauce recipe. With countless recipes swirling around the internet, it can be overwhelming to decide which one is truly worth trying. For me, this sauce represents decades of tradition, experimentation, and refinement. It’s somewhat classic at its core—featuring tomatoes, garlic, herbs, and olive oil—but over the years I’ve added my own modern twists to keep it fresh and interesting. This particular blend of flavors has become my family’s beloved tomato-based pasta sauce, and we even use a slightly tweaked version of it when making our signature lasagna.
One of the things I love about this recipe is its balance between simplicity and depth of flavor. You won’t find a long list of expensive ingredients here, just quality tomatoes, a handful of fragrant seasonings, and a few staple pantry items. Yet, when treated properly and simmered with care, these ingredients come together to create a rich, comforting sauce that tastes like you spent all day in the kitchen. Your home will fill with the kind of aroma that says “there’s something delicious happening here,” which, in my opinion, is what a great spaghetti sauce should do.
A key element of this recipe is time. While it’s not complicated or stressful to prepare, starting your sauce early is crucial—at least an hour before the pasta water begins to boil. This gives the flavors a chance to develop, mingle, and intensify, resulting in a sauce that feels balanced and full-bodied. Think of it as a gentle meditation in the kitchen: let the sauce simmer while you tidy up or sip a glass of wine, letting its warmth and aroma fill the air.
We also choose to keep the sodium level on the lower side, using low-sodium tomato sauce and adding only a modest amount of salt. I know that in much of North America, people might say this recipe “needs more salt,” and if that’s how you feel, go right ahead and adjust it. I always encourage cooks to taste as they go, adding seasoning in small increments until it’s just right for them. After all, the beauty of a homemade sauce is that you have full control over how it turns out.
Over the years, this sauce has become our go-to foundation whenever tomato-based pasta dishes come into play. From a classic spaghetti dinner to hearty baked ziti, and of course, a bubbling lasagna layered with cheese and noodles, this recipe provides a comforting base you can rely on. I’m excited to share it with you, and I hope you’ll soon come to treasure its familiar flavor and adaptability as much as my family and I do.
Spaghetti Sauce
Ingredients
- 1½ lbs ground meat beef and/or pork, lean to extra lean
- 2 oz bulk sausage preferred style, optional
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 onion medium, diced fine
- 1 T garlic minced
- 2-3 cans tomato sauce 15oz, see notes
- 2 T worchestershire sauce
Optional Add-Ins
- 1 can diced tomatoes ~19oz, see notes
- 2 T bell pepper red, yellow, or orange, diced very fine
- ½ cup mushrooms fresh or canned, sliced or diced
- ½ cup black olives sliced or diced
Seasonings
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp italian seasoning
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp black pepper or to taste
- ½ tsp salt or to taste
- ¼ tsp smoke paprika
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper or to taste, optional
- 1 pinch crushed/ground celery leaves optional
Instructions
- In large pan or pot, on medium to medium-high heat, brown the 1½ lbs ground meat, and 2 oz bulk sausage (if using) until cooked through. Drain, set aside.
- To the same pan or pot, heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil then add prepared 1 onionnion and cook until soft and starting to caramelize, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add prepared 1 T garlicarlic to cooking onion, and cook for 1 minute.
- Return the ground beef to the pan or pot with the onions and garlic.
- Mix in any optional add-ins: 2 T bell pepper, ½ cup mushrooms, ½ cup black olives, 1 can diced tomatoes.
- Stir in 2 cans tomato sauce and 2 T worchestershire sauce.
- Add all the seasonings: 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp dried basil, 1 tsp dried oregano, ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp italian seasoning, ½ tsp dried thyme, ½ tsp black pepper, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp smoke paprika, ¼ tsp crushed red pepper (if desired), and 1 pinch crushed/ground celery leaves (if desired), stir well to combine.
- If sauce is thicker than preferred, add 1 can tomato sauce and stir well.
- Allow sauce to come to a slow boil (we call it blurping, when tomato sauces start those slow burping sounding bubbles) and reduce heat to a slow simmer, about low to medium-low.
- Cover and let simmer for at least 60 minutes, stirring occasionally; the longer the better.
- Serving suggestion: Mix into, or serve over, preferred pasta with parmesan cheese.
Notes
Nutrition
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