My son requested spaghetti for dinner last week, it’s one of his favorite meals. I realized that I didn’t have a recipe for homemade spaghetti sauce on the blog. What?!! How can that be?! We eat spaghetti pretty often, but I don’t always take the time to make the sauce from scratch. It takes some time and some days we are just really, really busy. I’ve posted a favorite Zucchini Spaghetti recipe and a recipe for the Best Marinara Sauce, but never my favorite spaghetti sauce. It’s definitely time to share! This recipe was passed along to me by my mother-in-law years ago and it’s a keeper. Lauren says that it’s her absolute favorite sauce and she’s quite the spaghetti connoisseur.
Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 lbs lean ground beef (I use 92% lean)
- 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 1 green pepper, finely chopped
- 6 stalks celery, finely sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 (6 oz) cans tomato paste
- 2 (15 oz) cans tomato sauce
- 2 (15 oz) cans diced tomatoes
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tbsp dried oregano
- 2 tbsp dried basil
- 1 tsp salt
- fresh cracked pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan or dutch oven on medium heat. Add ground beef, celery, peppers, onion and garlic and cook until meat is no longer pink, stirring occasionally. Drain fat and return beef mixture to pan. Add all remaining ingredients and bring to a full boil. Stir and reduce heat to low. Partially cover (I prop the lid on sideways to vent and simmer for at least two hours, stirring occasionally. The longer this simmers, the better. Serve with your favorite pasta, spaghetti squash or spiralized zucchini noodles.
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Can you do canning with this or does it have to be refrigerated?
Hi Frances! I would freeze it or refrigerate it, unless you use a pressure canner. I just don’t have any personal experience with that method.
There is nothing like a great spaghetti sauce. I am with Lauren–I love being a connoisseur. I even love it over spaghetti squash…a good sauce and you never know its not pasta!
I agree, Karli! The sauce is always the star of the dish! 🙂
This has become my go-to sauce! I’ve made it several times and it always disappear in no time. There are so many recipes out there that are more complex but none are better!! Thank you for sharing!
Liz, thank you so much!! I’m so glad that you love the recipe and I really appreciate you taking the time to comment! 🙂