Please share your homemade spaghetti sauce recipes!

[laurajetter]

The other post about using jarred vs. homemade sauce got me thinking that I really would love to make my own but I haven't found a great recipe. So far I've only tried recipes that use fresh tomatoes but after a ton of work they never turn out very well so I want to move away from using fresh tomatoes.

If you have any tried-and-true sauce recipes using crushed tomatoes/tomato paste would you mind posting here? TIA!

 

[Wishing on a star]

It is a little pricey... but, for me it sure beats the time and effort it takes to start from scratch...

I have been starting with a jar of Rao's Marinara.

 

[tink_n_pooh]

My recipe is based on the Kitchen Boss recipe on the TLC website. To make it even easier I throw it all in the crock pot and let it simmer on low most of the day

 

[CrazyCakeLady]

This is the tomato sauce my Italian grandmother made when I was growing up.

Tomato Sauce By the Gallon
4 28oz. cans Italian tomatoes, crushed or pureed in blender
4 6oz. Cans tomato paste, 3 cans of water for each can of paste
2 Tablespoons olive oil
4 Cloves of garlic
2 Teaspoons dried basil (more or less to taste)
Salt
2lbs. Italian Sweet Sausage (brown in oven first)
Meatballs (brown in oven first)
Brocioli (optional)
1 piece of Pork (optional)

In a large heavy pot, heat olive oil over medium heat; saute garlic until soft and starting to brown; remove garlic to a dish. Add tomatoes, tomato paste and water. Put garlic in garlic press and squeeze over sauce, add basil and stir. When sauce bubbles, add meat and reduce heat to low. Cover, leaving a small space. Simmer slowly for 2 hours or 3 hours if using a large piece of pork. stir occasionally.

I make a variation of this (in much SMALLER quantities ), but I add red wine to mine and don't typically use the brocioli... mainly out of pure laziness.

 

[Iforgetmypassword]

Funny-we were just saying that there are some dishes for which I don't need a recipe-I just throw it together and let it cook, and spaghetti sauce is one of those dishes.

I use whatever I have. Fresh tomatoes, canned tomatoes, jarred sauce-any combination. I'll chop up some onions and peppers, add them. Crushed/grated garlic. Toss in spices. Simmer for an hour at least. Taste. Add more spices if it's too bland. Brown ground beef, add it. Or add meatballs. Or sausage. Whatever. If its watery, I'll add tomato paste.

 

[alex9179]

Meat Sauce for anything Italian

2-3 slices of bacon (chopped) or some cubed pancetta-gives it wonderful depth of flavor
1 large onion
2 28 oz cans crushed tomatoes, add some diced if it looks too thick
1 small can tomato paste
5 cloves chopped garlic
1 T dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
salt and pepper
a little sugar to reduce the tomato bite if desired.
1-2 lb meat of choice - I usually season some ground beef because Italian sausage is so expensive. DH likes it meaty, so I use 2 lbs.

Render bacon/pancetta. Remove and add onions to drippings until soft. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. Add meat and brown. Add back bacon/pancetta along with the rest of the ingredients. Simmer until dinner time, I usually let it go for a 2-3 hrs.

For 2 lbs ground beef, I add approximately:
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
3/4 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp paprika
2 tsp kosher salt

For meatballs, I add grated parmesan and eggs to the mixture.

 

[Jestocost]

I don't work from an actual recipe anymore, but here are the basics.

1 c finely chopped onion
1 c finely chopped celery
1 c finely chopped carrot
4 cloves minced garlic
3 T olive oil
2 T unsalted butter
1/4 lb pancetta or bacon, chopped
1.5 lbs ground beef (or a mix of ground beef and ground veal)
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup white wine or dry vermouth
3-4 15 oz cans of tomato sauce or 2 28 oz cans of italian tomatoes with their juice
Fresh or dried basil, oregano and thyme, to taste

In a large, heavy stock pot over medium heat melt butter in oil until it foams. Add onions, celery, carrot and pancetta. Saute until lightly browned stirring frequently. Add garlic and saute another 30 seconds.

Add ground meat and cook until no longer pink. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then turn heat to high and deglaze with white wine. Continue boiling until wine is evaporated, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot frequently.

Add tomato sauce or canned tomatoes, and stir in herbs. If using canned tomatoes, break up tomato chunks with a spoon as you stir. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer, loosely covered, for at least 30 minutes or until sauce reaches desired consistency.

For a more traditional Bolognese meat sauce you can stir in a little milk or cream at the end.

For a vegetarian sauce just leave out the meat and it still works fine.

You also can make the vegetarian version, then add browned meatballs in the last 30 minutes of simmering if you prefer.

 

[Marionnette]

Very basic.

2 Tbl. olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 small can tomato paste
1 large can crushed tomatoes
1 large can tomato puree
1-1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper


Saute onions in olive oil until transparent. Add garlic and stir until fragrant (about 15 seconds). Add tomato paste and mix. Stir in canned tomatoes. Add salt and pepper. Cover and continue to heat over low heat for 30 minutes.

 

[Minnesota!]

I have one in the crockpot right now. I have 1 big can of tomato juice, 1 big can of crushed tomatoes, 1 can tomato paste, lots of Italian seasonings, parm cheese, pepperoni, crushed red pepper, chili powder, and red wine.

 

[lovesmurfs]

Mine's very simple. You really have to work hard to screw up spaghetti sauce.

1 onion, chopped
3 or more cloves garlic, minced
1 green pepper, chopped

Saute in olive oil until soft. Add mushrooms (if desired). Then add

2 cans tomato sauce (1 lb cans)
1 small can tomato paste
1 bay leaf
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
1 tsp parsley
Salt & Pepper to taste

(adjust seasoning to taste)

Cook on low for about an hour, stirring occasionally. You can brown sausage or ground beef and add it if you want.

I will also add a can of crushed tomatoes if I have it in the cupboard.

 

[Iforgetmypassword]

You really have to work hard to screw up spaghetti sauce.

Exactly. It really is difficult to mess up. Probably only possible by burning it!!

 

[Pamlur]

I never tasted it, but my husband apparently messed up a pan of spaghetti sauce badly; he decided it needed sugar, so he added quite a bit. The evidence was long gone before I got home.

 

[Jedana]

I posted it on the other thread but here:

Saute:
1 lb hot Italian sausage (you can use mild, I like hot)
1 onion, chopped
in a bit of olive oil.

Add 1 TBLS tomato paste (from a tube)
2-3 cloves garlic, minced.
Saute for just a minute.
Add a bit of water and get all the yummy goodness off the bottom of the skillet.

Add
2 boxes tomatoes (I like puree and chopped, but whatever floats your boat)
3-4 TBLS red wine vinegar
oregano, basil, salt and pepper (this is to taste, I don't use much salt)

cook 3 hours or so.
Add water if too thick. leave uncovered if too thin and that will help thicken.
Adjust seasonings 30 minutes before serving.

 

[msmouse]

When I die, this recipe dies with me as far as my family goes. It was my mother in law's recipe and I seem to be the only one that can do it right. However, it is a 2 day process, so not many people want to tackle it.

Cover pan with olive oil
Put in 2 cans tomato paste and cook until almost black.
Add bell peppers, onions and celery
Add 3 cans of tomato sauce
add 2 cans of tomato puree

for every empty can you have, fill it with water 3 times and add to mixture.

Season with dried oregano, basil, mint, salt, pepper, sugar and I add a little Hot pepper flakes.

Cook for 4-5 hours.

I make meatballs and put them in at the 5 hour mark. Cook for 1 additional hour. Refrigerate. Next day, continue to cook down til the sauce is thick and wonderful.

It's a dish my family craves, so I am trying to get someone to learn how to do it.

 

[DisneyCowgirl]

Love this one (and it only takes an hour):

http://makinglifedelicious.com/2011/03/19/omas-one-hour-homemade-spaghetti-sauce/