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The BEST EVER Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

Brittany Kline | Updated January 3, 2025 Recipes

Growing up, we rarely used jarred tomato sauce because we always made our own homemade spaghetti sauce. When I was young, I never thought anything of it until I had jarred pasta sauce at a friend's house and hated it.
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A pot of homemade spaghetti sauce with uncooked spaghetti next to it, paired with a plate of pasta topped with rich, savory sauce.

My dad was generally the one who always made our sauce; it was one of his favorite things to do on Sunday afternoons.

A pot of homemade spaghetti sauce with uncooked spaghetti next to it, paired with a plate of pasta topped with rich, savory sauce.

Best Ever Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

This homemade spaghetti sauce recipe was passed down from my Sicilian grandma. It has been used for generations, and you can’t mess it up! It is really easy and tastes SO much better than the store-bought sauce. I love that you can make this in a crock-pot, too (my favorite crockpot is this one!); no need to spend hours babysitting the stove making sure it doesn’t burn.

In fact, it’s one of our favorite dump recipes!

Homemade sauce is not as hard as you may think! It is actually pretty simple and tastes so much better than store-bought sauce! You can either make it on the stovetop, crockpot, or pressure cooker.

Making homemade sauce makes me feel like a super mom, even though I typically make it in the crockpot.

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How to make homemade spaghetti sauce:

This is for the stovetop version of the sauce. 

Step 1: Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a 5+ qt. pot over medium heat, and saute 1/2 chopped onion until golden brown.

Step 2: Add the chopped or minced garlic. Heat for another one to two minutes, making sure not to burn the garlic, t

Step 3: Add spices: 1 Tbsp salt, 2 tsp black pepper, 4 Tbsp basil, and 1 Tbsp sugar (optional). Stirring often, bring to a low boil.

Step 4: Reduce heat to low and simmer for 2-3 hours stirring often. For the first half of the simmer time, do so with the pot uncovered, then cover.

Step 5: Add in 1/3 cup of grated Parmesan or Romano cheese, stir in and simmer for an additional 5 minutes or so.

Step 6: Taste and add more salt if necessary. Then stir.

Here is the Crockpot version of the sauce:

Step 1:  Add 2 Tbsp olive oil, 1/2 onion, and minced garlic to the bottom of the crockpot.

Step 2: Add in 3 cans of crushed tomatoes.

Step 3: Add in all the spices: 1 Tbsp salt, 2 tsp black pepper, 4 Tbsp basil, and 1 Tbsp sugar (optional)

Step 4: Stir together

Step 5: Set the crockpot to low and cook for 6 hours.

Step 6: Before serving, add in 1/3 cup of grated Parmesan or Romano cheese and stir. Return lid to crockpot and cook 10 minutes longer. Serve over spaghetti. You can also add use this to make Slow Cooker Spaghetti and Meatballs.

Step 7: Taste and add more salt if necessary. Then stir.

Helpful hints for a perfect spaghetti sauce:

1.) Pick the right crushed tomatoes.

There are so many ways to make sure your sauce can be perfect every time. You first need to start with the best quality crushed tomatoes. When you buy your crushed tomatoes, make sure that you are buying ones that do not have any seasoning added. Often times you can buy crushed tomatoes with basil and salt already added, which can throw off the taste when you take into account the spices I add to my tomatoes.

You also want to decide if you like a chunky or smooth spaghetti sauce. We prefer a smooth sauce, so I like to buy Tuttorosso or Hunt’s crushed tomatoes. If you prefer a chunky sauce, you may want to use whole tomatoes or buy a chunky canned crushed tomato.

2.) Add Ground Beef or Italian sausage.

You can easily add ground beef or Italian sausage to this sauce. We typically brown it before adding it to the sauce. Another thing that we like to add is the big sausage links. That way, if the kids don’t like them they can pick them out without it affecting the entire pot of sauce.

3.) Use canned crushed or fresh tomatoes.

When using canned tomatoes vs fresh tomatoes there are a few things to consider. If you are growing your own tomatoes at home, it is obviously going to be cheaper to make a sauce using your own tomatoes. You will need approx 15 medium-sized tomatoes to equal 3 28 oz cans of crushed tomatoes.

If you plan on purchasing fresh tomatoes in the grocery store to make a homemade sauce, you are going to spend about 3 x’s the price than if you were to use crushed tomatoes.

I can find 28 oz cans of crushed tomatoes on sale once a month for $0.50 per can, so this sauce should cost you no more than $2.00 per pot. If you were making this with fresh tomatoes purchased at the grocery store, out of season, you would spend about 2-3 times that.

Let’s take a look at how to make a homemade spaghetti sauce using fresh tomatoes.

How to make homemade spaghetti sauce using fresh tomatoes:

If using fresh tomatoes, you would need about 12-15 medium-sized tomatoes.

There is definitely more work involved when using fresh tomatoes, but it is worth it. Especially if your tomatoes are fresh off the vine from your own garden.

Here is how:

  1. Take the skins off.  The easiest method for this is to score the skins with a sharp knife, and then boil them for about a minute and then place them in cold water. This is easiest if you do this in batches.
  2. Peel the tomatoes. Once the tomatoes have cooled, the skins should peel off relatively easily.
  3. Chop the tomatoes and blend in a food processor.  You can control how chunky or smooth you want the sauce by how long you blend them.
  4. Once this step is done, follow the rest of the recipe using the tomatoes you just prepared replacing the crushed tomatoes.

How to thicken spaghetti sauce?

If your spaghetti sauce seems a little runny and you want to thicken it up, there are 3 different methods to do so. Often times your sauce can see runny when you’ve made it using fresh tomatoes, so if you are using fresh tomatoes read up on this. Here are the 3 methods.

1.) Add a very small amount of starch. This can be cornstarch or flour/water roux.

2.) You can add a little bit of tomato paste to thicken things up more and improve the flavor. Add it a spoonful at a time, string after every spoonful.

3.) Increase the temperature to boiling for 5 minutes and stir your sauce. Reduce the temperature and simmer it for at least 10 minutes. This should thicken it up nicely.

One of these 3 methods should give you a very thick spaghetti sauce that will impress your guests

Tips for making ahead and freezing spaghetti sauce:

If you plan to can this sauce or freeze it you will want to omit the Parmesan cheese. Make a note on the freezer bag and add the cheese when you cook the sauce following the recipe.

We often add ground beef or Italian sausage to it BEFORE freezing it.  This just makes it that much easier to cook!

You can make this sauce with either canned crushed tomatoes or fresh tomatoes.

When I make my Slow Cooker Spaghetti and Meatballs I put the meatballs and sauce directly in the bag before I freeze it. Then throw it in the crockpot in the morning. In 6 hours I have a delicious and healthy meal for my family!

Spaghetti sauce, marinara sauce, and pizza sauce; what’s the difference?

The main difference between the 3 of these sauces is the spices used and the cooking method.

Spaghetti/Pasta sauce is a slow simmer sauce that has a few herbs like basil involved. This is usually a thicker sauce, and you usually add meats and peppers to it. This would never go over a pizza.

The marinara sauce is usually a quick-cooking sauce that only cooks for an hour or less. has a sweeter, deeper flavor. This can be used over pasta or even over pizza.

Pizza sauce is an uncooked tomato sauce. Pizza sauce is typically made with tomato pasta or thicker tomato sauce. It uses different spices from spaghetti sauce, featuring – oregano, Italian seasoning, garlic salt, onion powder, and sugar.

Other Italian Recipes

If you love this homemade spaghetti sauce recipe, you will love some of our other Italian recipes:

 

Dump Recipes

Slow Cooker Spaghetti and Meatballs

 

Slow Cooker Meat Sauce

Slow Cooker Meat Sauce

Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan Casserole

In fact, you can find many of these recipes in our ALDI Meal Plans, where we teach you how to make 20 meals for under $160 in under 3 hours!

Are you looking for an authentic italian spaghetti sauce recipe This one was passed down from my sicilian grandma and it the best you will ever eat!
5 from 5 votes

Homemade Italian Spaghetti Sauce Recipe

Here is my family spaghetti sauce recipe passed down from my grandmother in Italy – it is the best one you will ever cook – don’t trust me – try it!
Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours hours
Total Time: 3 hours hours 20 minutes minutes
Servings: 8
Prevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

  • 2 TSBP olive oil
  • 1/2 onion finely chopped
  • 4 cloves of garlic minced
  • 3 28 oz. cans of Crushed Tomatoes either regular or with basil, oregano and garlic 28 oz. sized cans OR 12-15 fresh tomatoes (peeled, chopped and blended in a food processor)
  • 1 Tbsp Salt
  • 4 Tbsp Basil
  • 1 tsp Black pepper
  • 1 Tbsp Sugar optional
  • 1/3 cup Grated Parmesan or Romano Cheese

Instructions

  • Heat the olive oil in a 5+ qt. pot over medium heat, and add the onion.
  • Saute for 10 minutes or so, stirring often and being careful not to burn it.
  • Add the chopped or pressed garlic.
  • Heat for another one to two minutes, making sure not to burn the garlic, then add all the tomatoes, salt, black pepper, basil, and sugar. Stirring often, bring to a low boil.
  • Reduce heat to low and simmer for 2-3 hours stirring often.
  • For the first half of the simmer time, do so with the pot uncovered, then cover.
  • Add the cheese, stir in and simmer for an additional 5 minutes or so.
  • This will make the equivalent of 4-5 jars of sauce, and the cost is probably about half (and it tastes way better).

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About Brittany Kline

Hi, I’m Brittany Kline—a mom, home systems expert, and culinary enthusiast passionate about helping busy families simplify life—starting in the kitchen. With a master’s degree in education and years of experience creating streamlined home solutions, I specialize in practical meal planning, effortless home organization, and family-friendly recipes that make life easier (and tastier) for moms everywhere.

As a former educator turned household management pro, I understand the daily chaos that comes with raising a family. That’s why I’ve dedicated my work to helping moms take control of meal planning, grocery shopping, and kitchen routines—so they can spend less time stressing and more time enjoying family meals.

My recipes and meal-planning strategies have been featured in leading publications such as Forbes, TIME, USA Today, and Business Insider, among many others. Whether you’re looking for quick weeknight dinners or tips to make meal prep stress-free, I’m here to help you turn chaos into calm. Click here to read all of my posts.

5 from 5 votes (3 ratings without comment)
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You are Wasting Money on these 20 Foods! - Lauren Cobello
8 years ago

[…] jarred sauce often has a lot of sugar in it.  Try one of these amazing homemade recipes – Classic Italian Spaghetti Sauce, Easy Bolognese Sauce, and Easy Alfredo Sauce (with a secret […]

1
Reply
Becky
Becky
8 years ago
Reply to  You are Wasting Money on these 20 Foods! - Lauren Cobello

I do not understand how you could get 6 jars from this recipe. Recipe. Confusing It first says 3/4 crushed tomatoes then all. This looks good but no instructions on adding meat or sausage. There is no way this would be 6 jars. Did I miss something

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Reply
scott graham
scott graham
8 years ago
Reply to  Becky

3-4 means 3 or 4 cans of tomatoes
3/4 means three quarters of a can.
Maybe that will help?

0
Reply
Samantha
Samantha
7 years ago
Reply to  Becky

I really don’t see how it would make 6 jars either, unless they are very small jars. I made this to use with my Manicotti yesterday, I only used “half” of everything as it was my first time making it and didn’t know whether the family would like it and didn’t want extra. My Manicotti recipe called for a 26oz jar of sauce and I barely had enough. I would say this recipe would make maybe 2-3 average size jars (24-26oz) of sauce. Though I can see it making 6 jars of the smaller sauce jars, like 16-18 oz jars.… Read more »

0
Reply
MRP
MRP
8 years ago
Reply to  You are Wasting Money on these 20 Foods! - Lauren Cobello

Re. the homemade Italian spaghetti sauce recipe, and it being a favorite “dump-recipe”:
How do the directions change when using the crockpot, as opposed to in the pan ,(which is how the website instructions read,)?
Also, what meats (hamburger and/or sausage ? Pre-cooked or raw? Are ground chicken or turkey or turkey sausages possibilities ? ) and meat quantities are used for a batch of this size ?
Thx.

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Reply
Stephen Canas
Stephen Canas
7 years ago
Reply to  MRP

In a crackpot recipe, you lightly brown the hamburger and sausage mix (with the Italian herbs in it) in a 2 -3 quart pan leave it partially red from cooking the lump of meat mix and break it up at at the bottom of the crackpot and then dump the rest of the sauce ingredients in and set the crokpot to go and over that time the meat will cook with the sauce. You brown it to envelope the flavors together and cook the meat a bit. It all finishes in the crockpot with the addition of other flavors and… Read more »

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Jeanne Lilley
Jeanne Lilley
6 years ago
Reply to  You are Wasting Money on these 20 Foods! - Lauren Cobello

Becoming a vegan at 64 years of age is a bit tough. But what is great is I found this wonderful simple sauce! I’m making it again for the third time. The only thing I add is majoram and when the pan is very hot while sauteing the onions and garlic, I add a little red wine. Thank you for the sauce recipe. I love it because I can adapt it to my palate!
Happy New Year!

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Brittany Kline
Author
Brittany Kline
8 years ago

The recipe is at the bottom of the post Dave.

1
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Gabe
Gabe
7 years ago
Reply to  Brittany Kline

Same question I had

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Reply
Gloria
Gloria
8 years ago

Delicious! I added 1 large sweet onion whole and a pack of boneless ribs and about 3/4 lb of ground beef. I cooked it in the slow cooker from 9-3, then transferred it to the pot to cook down and threw in a little tomato paste. The onion falls apart as it cooks. At 3, I took it out and chopped it tiny and put it back in. If you add in the whole onion and ribs, it gets this sweet taste like it has seafood in it. After I transferred it to the pot, I tasted it. It was… Read more »

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RIMROCK 218
RIMROCK 218
7 years ago
Reply to  Gloria

Baking soda???

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Reply
rob
rob
7 years ago
Reply to  RIMROCK 218

Baking soda takes the acid out of the tomato’s. So if you know someone that gets heartburn after eating a tomato based meal try baking soda.

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Reply
Kim
Kim
7 years ago
Reply to  RIMROCK 218

So will a little lemon juice.

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Mike
Mike
7 years ago
Reply to  RIMROCK 218

If you plan on canning your sauce you must add lemon juice or citric acid. To increase the acidity. And if you want to can your sauce never put Sodium Bicarbonate ( baking soda ) in it. You can kill people that way.

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Cheffry
Cheffry
7 years ago
Reply to  Gloria

lemon juice is acid so it won’t take acid out, baking soda has base ph so it will neutralize acid. if you want to add a bit of sweetness without the sugar, place a whole peeled carrot in the pot, not only will it balance the acid in the tomatoes, but it will remove the canned taste if you are using tomatoes in a can.

1
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John
John
7 years ago
Reply to  Cheffry

I grate a medium carrot which sweetens the sauce without the cloying sweetness of added sugar.

0
Reply
Kim
Kim
7 years ago
Reply to  Cheffry

I do that as well and, the carrots really make a difference.
Kim

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Heather
Heather
8 years ago

I didn’t remove the seeds and regretted it. Looks like salsa. Lol. Next time I will remove the seeds. I also added tomato paste to help thicken the sauce.

0
Reply
trackback
5 Things That are Tastier and Cheaper to Make at Home – 25percentsolution
8 years ago

[…] Pasta sauce. You will never go back. Even though there are only two of us, I make a huge batch of this stuff and we eat like kings. Tastes amazing, costs very little, and you can doctor the recipe according to your tastes and nutritional preferences. I prefer mine meaty, but you could easily adapt this to vegetarian tastes. Try this recipe–I like to add about a quarter-pound of Italian sausage to it for even more meaty  zest. […]

0
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Simmi A
Simmi A
8 years ago

Can you please mention, quantity of beef and when to incorporate it in the recipe?

0
Reply
Samantha
Samantha
7 years ago
Reply to  Simmi A

I would like to know as well

0
Reply
Leslie
Leslie
7 years ago
Reply to  Samantha

Me too

0
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Debbie Nilson
Debbie Nilson
8 years ago

I have had no problems freezing sauce with ground meat. I have also defrosted first as well as heat from frozen. Both methods work.

0
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trackback
19 of the Best Foods to Buy at Wholesale Clubs
8 years ago

[…] 5.) Canned Tomatoes – A FANTASTIC deal!  One huge can of canned tomatoes and you can make two batches of my homemade spaghetti sauce. […]

0
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Cindy
Cindy
8 years ago

Lauren i am really excited to try this recipe. Any canning suggestions or have you tried canning this?

0
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John Greyson
John Greyson
8 years ago

Wassa matta you! Itsa not called spaghetti sauce, itsa called gravy!

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Real italian
Real italian
8 years ago
Reply to  John Greyson

No, what’s matter you! Gravy is what you put on mashed potatoes or turkey! What you put on spaghetti is called “SAUCE “

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Kim
Kim
7 years ago
Reply to  Real italian

If your Italian some call sauce gravy!!!

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Jim
Jim
8 years ago
Reply to  John Greyson

You are both wrong..
Any sauce which contains meat, is called and referred to as “gravy”. If your sauce doesn’t contain any meat, then its called sauce – hence marinara sauce.

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Katie
Katie
5 years ago
Reply to  Jim

You are correct Sir

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Reply
joan gondeck
joan gondeck
8 years ago
Reply to  John Greyson

I believe it is called gravy on the East Coast. The rest of the country calls in spaghetti sauce.

0
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FAYE skeen
FAYE skeen
7 years ago
Reply to  John Greyson

I’m from South Carolina and we all call it sauce for spaghetti

0
Reply
Sandyjeanie
Sandyjeanie
4 years ago
Reply to  John Greyson

John Greyson My Nonna from northern Italy called it spaghetti sauce..not gravy. I think only those in organized crime called it gravy. LOL!! Goodfellas!!

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tig519
tig519
8 years ago

What tomatoes do you recommend? My garden was quite the jungle this year and I have about a bushel of San Marzano tomatoes and then a much smaller amount of beefsteak and heirloom.

0
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Kim
Kim
7 years ago
Reply to  tig519

Omg! San Mariano … makes the best everything!!!

0
Reply
Dianna
Dianna
8 years ago

I would suggest sweet anise if you want to up it another notch

0
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trackback
18 Foods that are Breaking your Grocery Budget - Lauren Cobello
8 years ago

[…] $1.00 with a coupon, you are spending WAY too much money on buying jarred spaghetti sauce.  Try my homemade spaghetti sauce recipe and make your own for much […]

0
Reply
trackback
Slow Cooker Spaghetti and Meatballs - Lauren Cobello
8 years ago

[…] the smell of spaghetti sauce and meatballs slowly simmering in the kitchen. My dad had a KILLER spaghetti sauce recipe, and he made great meatballs too. But ever since I’ve been on this slow cooker kick, […]

0
Reply
trackback
40 Dump Recipes for the Slow Cooker that are actually Amazing
8 years ago

[…] For a busy mom like myself, that’s my kind of recipe! One of my favorite dump recipes is my homemade spaghetti sauce. You can either make it as directed, or just throw all the ingredients in a pot and cook […]

0
Reply
trackback
Easy Meatball Recipes - Lauren Cobello
8 years ago

[…] the meatballs in the sauce and simmer for at least a half […]

0
Reply
trackback
The BEST Turkey Meatballs Recipe - and they are heathy too!
8 years ago

[…] recipe that I really liked that much, until I tried these!  The addition of the spices and my homemade spaghetti sauce recipe, made them […]

0
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RM
RM
8 years ago

I learned a similar recipe from my mother. Some things to try: My mother taught me to add three primary ingredients (holy trinity) chopped/minced garlic, chopped onion, and chopped pepper.) I wonder if the onion is a Scottish thing (mom was born and raised in Glasgow, but worked for five years for an Italian family restaurant). Like the recipe says, the key is creating a base by sauteing the first ingredients at a low to medium heat in olive oil. I use only San Marzano canned tomatoes from Italy… I was told by an Italian friend that they are less… Read more »

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Reply
Joe
Joe
8 years ago
Reply to  RM

That is not the “Holy Trinity”. Carrots, celery, and onion is the “Holy Trinity” of Italian cooking.

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Reply
Rene
Rene
8 years ago
Reply to  Joe

No. That is called “mirepoix” and it is French.

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Reply
Kat boss
Kat boss
7 years ago
Reply to  Joe

That “holy trinity” is used in many cultures for a base for many sauces, soups & stews. Try watching real cooks on some cooking shows. That’s how I start all of mine, been
Cooking for 60 years now, & still love getting new ideas from the pro’s.
PS: also get a kick out of the ” Snotty ” remarks from some of you self righteous
people out there, LOL!, K

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Shannon K Eisenberg
Shannon K Eisenberg
8 years ago

Do you have a recipe for a much smaller batch? I do not have freezer space or equipment to store the sauce in jars.

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Reply
Victor Russo Vergara
Victor Russo Vergara
8 years ago
Reply to  Shannon K Eisenberg

Use half of everything. 😉

0
Reply
Jeffrey D. Packer
Jeffrey D. Packer
8 years ago
Reply to  Victor Russo Vergara

You were very kind with your REPLY

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Reply
V
V
8 years ago

When my husband and I visited Italy a few years back, we had the privilege of eating spaghetti cooked by our Italian chef friend that was out of this world delicious and was the exact recipe that Lauren’s grandmother passed down to her. It is not the thick pasty tomatoey glob that overpowers American spaghetti so you can’t taste anything else. You can call it gravy or whatever you please…I call it fantastic and tasteful. I am so glad Lauren shared her culinary treasure!!! Love, Love, Love it!!!!

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Reply
Faye
Faye
7 years ago
Reply to  V

I agree with you,call it what you wish so I will be making this gravy because I want to try something different.I will be serving it to my trashy husband who will call it good I am sure.

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donna fauci
donna fauci
6 years ago
Reply to  V

I have to agree .I love it too .Simple and clean tasting. I haven’t made sauce in a long time and actually forgot how much I put of what. It used to come naturally of knowing how much. I Just for forgot however I didn’t forget how to make my meatballs TG.Now that I’m older I was looking for something with less spices and fresher tasting. This fit the bill.

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Reply
J
J
8 years ago

Thank you for this incredible recipe! I made this sauce for a spaghetti night with friends, and than used the remainder for a large batch of lasagna. Everyone raved about the flavor, and asked for the recipe. It’s incredibly delicious, and so easy to make. This URL is being bookmarked for eternity! THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!

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Reply
Diane
Diane
8 years ago

I am making this recipe right now! No salt?

0
Reply
Mrsk0396
Mrsk0396
14 years ago

This is great! I will be trying it Thursday! Thanks for posting!

0
Reply
Ginger S. White
Ginger S. White
8 years ago
Reply to  Mrsk0396

Is this sauce something you can also can,and if so how long will it keep

0
Reply
saucepan
saucepan
7 years ago
Reply to  Ginger S. White

You don’t need to can it, but you can if you want to (no pun intended). You can keep it in the freezer in a container for awhile and by awhile I mean like a year. You’ll probably use it up by then. I’m half Italian and my mom (full Italian, R.I.P.) did this every week or two for a good 60 years or so, no problems whatsoever. Also I think it tastes better once it is frozen and thawed, believe it or not. Good luck!

0
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Gary
Gary
7 years ago
Reply to  Ginger S. White

My wife and I are proficient “canners”. When we “can” we do at least 40 cans of various tomato sauces, salsa or other vegetables. We do not can spaghetti sauce every season. But our batch of sauce is fine after sitting on a dark shelf in the cool basement for over a year. Same with our salsa or any of our pickled beets, corn relish, pickled mushrooms etc.

0
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Sheila
Sheila
6 years ago
Reply to  Ginger S. White

I tried this sauce last week. My family loved it, so easy to make. Thank you for sharing it.

0
Reply
Laura
Laura
5 years ago
Reply to  Ginger S. White

Can you add meat to it?

0
Reply
Darcie DiBasio
Darcie DiBasio
3 years ago
Reply to  Ginger S. White

NO: you CANNOT can this recipe. If you want to safely can any sauce or soup, look for FDA approved recipes, and know, that tomato SAUCE has to be canned in a pressure canner. It is not safe in a water bath canner.

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Reply
chad
chad
7 years ago
Reply to  Mrsk0396

Just made your sauce for my wife’s work pot luck tomorrow. So good so easy.. thank you… I added some wine.. to deepen the flavor. It’s going to be a hit with the Italian sausages and pasta.. thank you..

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Reply
Crystal
Crystal
7 years ago
Reply to  Mrsk0396

What type of onion?

0
Reply
Dawn
Dawn
7 years ago
Reply to  Mrsk0396

Could you use diced tomatoes for this recipe?

0
Reply
Bill
Bill
7 years ago
Reply to  Dawn

absolutely

0
Reply
William Lester
William Lester
6 years ago
Reply to  Dawn

I just followed this recipe perfectly. I’m very disappointed in this sauce. It does not stick to the noodles at all. I used fresh tomatoes and everything else exactly. I’m confused how anyone would consider this to be a good pasta sauce. I was so looking forward to trying this but unfortunately not very impressed.

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Bob S.
Bob S.
7 years ago
Reply to  Mrsk0396

Just goes to show you that jerks lurk in all places. I have made this sauce, and think it is excellent. No processed foods, salts, preservatives added, 100% healthy

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Chef Smitty
Chef Smitty
3 years ago
Reply to  Bob S.

I’m guessing he didn’t get “GOOD” Tomatoes. In the winter, Roma’s suck and heirlooms are expensive a.f. I honestly got 2 cans, one tomato sauce, and a 6oz tomato paste, used the equivalence of the 3-28oz cans in cherry tomatoes and roasted them with the onions and garlic peeled the lil skins …best sauce ever following the rest of the recipe.which is exactly what my mom’s (rip mommy) recipe was. Delectable and delicious. ::Chef’s kiss:: Magnifique

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Rita Lunetto
Rita Lunetto
7 years ago
Reply to  Mrsk0396

That’s more like a marinara sauce and we never use sugar in any tomato sauce.

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Sandyjeanie
Sandyjeanie
4 years ago
Reply to  Rita Lunetto

My Nonna from Italy & my mom..never used sugar in their spaghetti sauce. They sweetened their sauce with carrots. I throw about 10 (whole) baby carrots into my sauce and cook them until soft. The carrots serve 2 purposes: 1. The carrots help to sweeten the sauce and 2. The carrots draw any of the tartness out of the tomatoes. My Nonna used to remove the carrots & use them later for soup. But..my mom and I always LOVED eating the carrots in the spaghetti sauce. That’s my method for sweetening the sauce.

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David Quintana
David Quintana
7 years ago
Reply to  Mrsk0396

Thank you so much, I don’t eat sugar and I have been looking for a recipe for awhile, I will be trying this weekend

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Troy
Troy
7 years ago
Reply to  Mrsk0396

There must be 80 million grandmothers that live in Sicily. When it comes time to cook pasta and sauce, everyone has a family recipe handed down from there grandma, lol…

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Winnie E. Davis
Winnie E. Davis
7 years ago
Reply to  Mrsk0396

What type of meat flavoring to you use?

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Sandyjeanie
Sandyjeanie
7 years ago
Reply to  Mrsk0396

I’m Italian. My grandmother (Nonna) grew up in Northern Italy..and I agree with Rich. He did not sound angry to me..just truthful. I make my Nonna’s spaghetti sauce recipe. It takes me 2 days to make my homemade spaghetti sauce. And..I could definitely open an Italian restaurant with my sauce. I cannot give away all of my secrets but I will give away a few. I slow roast green & red peppers over an open flame..before they go in my sauce. I never use sugar..only a certain red wine for sweetening. And, if the tomatoes are tart..adding 2 fresh carrots… Read more »

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Steve Daniels
Steve Daniels
6 years ago
Reply to  Sandyjeanie

BUT….most of us don’t have 2 day to make sauce. This is a quick and easy alternative to store bought sauce and with a little love turns out amazing! And rich is a dick…this sauce is 1000 times better than anything you can buy in a store! Paired with my meatballs I could sale this anywhere!! And by the “the love” i added 4 extra cloves of garlic in the sauce ( not cooked with the onion ) and an extra heaping table spoon of sugar. Sweet is sweet it doesn’t matter if you get it from a sweet red… Read more »

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Maureen
Maureen
6 years ago
Reply to  Sandyjeanie

If you think your sauce is superior why don’t you have your own blog?

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Mary
Mary
6 years ago
Reply to  Sandyjeanie

Thank you Sandyjeanie! Sounds so good I am going to steal your recipe and make it my own family tradition. Since you left some mystery in seasoning – I wondered if you ever use saffron?

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rosemary morris
rosemary morris
6 years ago
Reply to  Sandyjeanie

what the name of the red wine you used? is it lambruso red ty I had a friend from the early 1970 and they put a sweet red wine in the sauce but i cannot remember maybe if you can help i would appericate it ty rose

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J.Scandaliato
J.Scandaliato
6 years ago
Reply to  Sandyjeanie

I agree with Sandy and her sauce is the closest to my grandparents recipes. My dad is full blooded italian and honestly Sandy is the 1st blog I came across where they actually brown the tomato paste. My grandma always said that was they key to a good sauce. Also, both sides of my dads family cook their sauce slightly different. One side added sugar and the other didn’t, but their sauce was more spicy. Now I do not cook my sauce for 2 days, but it does cook all day.

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Suzy000
Suzy000
6 years ago
Reply to  Sandyjeanie

My Nana grew up in Northern Italy too and were not taught that a simple sauce is best. In fact…reading how you make your sauce, you weren’t either! So how did you come to the conclusion that Rich was right when you you wrote a paragraph rebuking everything he said? I don’t know about your Nonna…but my Nana would throw the pan of sauce out in the sink if I made it “simple” with Rich’s ingredients!

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jack
jack
4 years ago
Reply to  Sandyjeanie

using a red wine means you dont get to share it with your family right? kids involved…

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Theresa Land
Theresa Land
2 years ago
Reply to  Sandyjeanie

Doesn’t sound like Italian sauce to me.

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Billieg
Billieg
7 years ago
Reply to  Mrsk0396

You know, any good cook knows that making a good sauce means less than an hr of cooking time because it gets acid and will taste bitter. A great sauce is made with at least 15 ingredients and let sit over night to mature. This is just another “me too” sauce that will be bland and eat your stomach out.

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Seth Thomson
Seth Thomson
5 years ago
Reply to  Billieg

that’s why you add a bit of sugar to combat that acidicness to it

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Sandyjeanie
Sandyjeanie
4 years ago
Reply to  Billieg

Billieg My sauce would be acidic & bitter if it cooked for less than an hour. All day cooking sweetens my sauce. The more you cook it..the sweeter the sauce becomes.

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Saundra Sillaway
Saundra Sillaway
6 years ago
Reply to  Mrsk0396

There are as many tomato sauces as there are hairs on your head.,the quick sauce , just olive oil garlic and tomatoes simmers in 30 minutes to the Sunday Gravy which has pigs feet, , ribs, braciole, sausage and meatballs and cooks three hours. It would be good to share some techniques we have learned to help novice cooks. My mom used whole onions in all her soups and sauces. She didn’t like bits and pieces of onion floating in the sauce.It requires the longer cooking sauces . In her easy quick sauces she sauteed the garlic whole or chopped… Read more »

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Stephanie
Stephanie
4 years ago
Reply to  Saundra Sillaway

your comment on how you made your meatballs is funny to me because my mother was North Italian she made a stuffing for Thanksgiving or Christmas when we had turkey and it always had soaked bread ground beef onions garlic celery salt pepper oregano Italian seasonings and she’s sweet and with soaked white raisins then she would fry it up in a big pot and stuff the turkey with it it was always amazing

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Kayla
Kayla
6 years ago
Reply to  Mrsk0396

Sugar bro? Stick to your store bought Ragu crap then. Some people actually know what they’re doing.

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Ellen
Ellen
2 years ago
Reply to  Kayla

Ragu is the worst sauce I’ve ever had in my life and I am 72 years old

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Joeseph Braker
Joeseph Braker
6 years ago
Reply to  Mrsk0396

I have to agree.
I followed the directions 100% and was not impressed with the taste?

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Consuela
Consuela
6 years ago
Reply to  Mrsk0396

HI Rich,
So sorry to hear about your restaurant closing.

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donna fauci
donna fauci
6 years ago
Reply to  Mrsk0396

I’m making it now and so far I love it. Very fresh and clean tasting not over burdened with a lot of spices. Just what I was looking for . I can add my meats and meatballs if I want more flavor but I like starting with a good base that can stand alone if you don’t want to add meats.

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donna fauci
donna fauci
6 years ago
Reply to  Mrsk0396

This one is simple too and actually quite good!

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donna fauci
donna fauci
6 years ago
Reply to  Mrsk0396

I buy the 102 ounces of Italian tomatoes/ How much garlic , basil and onions would you put in that?

thank you

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robin hunt
robin hunt
6 years ago
Reply to  Mrsk0396

I love it!
I added seasoned hamburger and hot Italian Sauage and red and green bell peppers. YUM!!!!!

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Jan Crosson
Jan Crosson
5 years ago
Reply to  Mrsk0396

I know this sauce is delicious ! Because this is the same as I’ve made it for 40years. I make it adding ground chuck and I also like basil in the sauce!! But other than that it’s the same…

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Erykah
Erykah
14 years ago

Will try! How do you store?

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Lauren Cobello
Lauren Cobello
14 years ago
Reply to  Erykah

I store in a tupperware container and we either eat it that week, or I
freeze it in Ziploc bags.

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Bill
Bill
7 years ago
Reply to  Lauren Cobello

The ! gallon freezer bags work great for me. I fill them each 1/3 to 1/2 full then fold out all of the extra air. Then I put them in a container after they cool off so they can freeze into thin bricks that stack nicely later. The thin configuration helps with faster defrosting later.

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Jen
Jen
14 years ago

Mmm…that recipe sounds great! I bet that grated cheese really makes it. Hunts is one of my favorite brands and the only canned tomato sauce that I will use. I like to use it as a base for pizza sauce and enchilada sauce.

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Barbara Tips
Barbara Tips
8 years ago
Reply to  Jen

You are right!

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patrick
patrick
7 years ago
Reply to  Jen

if jen likes it- why comment, I’m curious-
i don’t like reading comments that make other people feel bad 🙁

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Joyce
Joyce
3 years ago
Reply to  patrick

I have to agree with you, Patrick!

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Marti
Marti
7 years ago
Reply to  Jen

you shouldn’t buy it then, but I luv luv luv it.

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Pam
Pam
7 years ago
Reply to  Jen

I agree with Patrick!

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Pam
Pam
7 years ago
Reply to  Jen

Yum! Love Hunts tomato sauce!

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Katy
Katy
7 years ago
Reply to  Jen

well then don’t eat it!!

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Mike
Mike
7 years ago
Reply to  Jen

How do you taste the metal can. Cans have a lining so the tomatos never come into contact with the metal in the can. If you have a metallic taste in your tomatoes it’s not the can. Just cheap processing.

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donna fauci
donna fauci
6 years ago
Reply to  Jen

The secret to a good sauce are Italian tomatoes.

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Cosmo
Cosmo
8 years ago

Sounds great gonna try it Sunday My Sunday wouldent be complete without spaghetti dinner. But always used jar sauce So I want something more tastier How much ground beef or Italian sausage do you recommend for this recipe? One other thing is I read some negative posts about the recipe. That wasn’t nice when you took the time to share a family recipe Thank you.

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Maria
Maria
8 years ago

Thanks for sharing! It’s somewhat similar to my grandmother’s sauce however with a few American twists, as she called it. She and my grandfather moved to the Brooklyn from Southern Italy in the 1950’s. The American twists in her sauce being oregano and onions, which she had added to her mother’s recipe.

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Lorraine
Lorraine
8 years ago

My napoletan grandma added onion to the gravy my Sicilian grandma never did. I prefer without the onion never peppers. The basic recipe is the same brown the garlic in olive oil , add crushed tomatoes I like Cento , or tuttorosa or any imported from Italy they seem less watery, of course you can crush regular whole tomatoes as well. If you want meat sauce I add a few Italian and hot sausage, meatballs and porky ribs , sometimes a piece of steak, first add the tomatoes I use 4 or 5 cans to the lightly browned garlic stir… Read more »

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Sally
Sally
8 years ago

Can’t wait to try. Am going to make a day ahead. and I will be adding meatballs towards the end. Been craving this!!

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jay
jay
8 years ago

its called sauce everywhere but down south there its called gravy they put on everything

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Linda
Linda
8 years ago

I have a quick question, how much green pepper should be added? Also, should it be added in the 2nd step along with all the other ingredients? Thank you very much in advance for your help!

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Mark
Mark
8 years ago
Reply to  Linda

Hi Linda. When I use green pepper, I use probably about 1/3 of a green pepper and dice it into very small pieces. Then I saute it with the onion. Hope that helps!

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Brenda
Brenda
7 years ago
Reply to  Linda

What is the best peppers to use?

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Craig Rosenorn
Craig Rosenorn
8 years ago

Hi Lauren,

I found your recipe on the Internet back in August of 2015 and have been using it ever since, best Spaghetti sauce recipe I’ve ever made or tasted. Of course I doctor it up but the base is your recipe. Thanks for sharing.

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Mark
Mark
8 years ago
Reply to  Craig Rosenorn

Thanks, Craig 🙂

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Abby
Abby
8 years ago

Can you cook the pasta in the sauce, or do you have to boil it?

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Mark
Mark
8 years ago
Reply to  Abby

Cook the pasta in water.

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Frank
Frank
8 years ago

As an Italian restaurant owner for 50 years, spaghetti sauce is called sugo. Your receipt is pretty close to mine…simple and rich. The secret is in the humidity for the day. Longer if damp, but shorter and lower temp when dry, you can not rush flavor! Also sugo is better when it sets for a least 5 days (use stainless steel or glass). Freezing make is thick and rich.

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Kristina
Kristina
7 years ago
Reply to  Frank

Thanks for the insight….very good advice.

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Dave
Dave
7 years ago
Reply to  Frank

How do you let it set? In the freezer immediately after cooking?

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Jan
Jan
8 years ago

Made this last night. Made a few changes (extra basil, sugar, onions, green pepper, mushrooms, chicken, and a little tomato paste to thicken). I love this recipe! Definitely my new go to recipe. Fed my husband and my neighbor. Both loved it.

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Barbara Y.
Barbara Y.
8 years ago

Thanks, everybody — I always use ground beef (part sirloin) in spaghetti sauce. I brown it in a large pan and thereafter add everything else that’s going in the sauce. I don’t use onions, but just onion powder. (Somebody in my house doesn’t like “real” onions.) I generally use Tuttaroso canned sauce, but any other will do fine. Use lots of spices — your
choice — and cook slowly, for at least an hour to blend everything. Delicious!

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verlyn dittman
verlyn dittman
6 years ago
Reply to  Barbara Y.

How/what can I do to the ground beef as sometimes it has no or little taste (especially when I make chili)???

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Sandyjeanie
Sandyjeanie
4 years ago
Reply to  verlyn dittman

verlyn dittman To flavor the ground beef..I add a packet of Brown Gravy Mix (the powdered one) to the meat while browning it. Do not add water..just pour the packet straight into the ground beef and mix well. I do this when making chili, shepherd’s pie, american chop suey & spaghetti sauce. It gives the beef a great flavor..plus it’s not so dry. Hope you like it!!

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Mary Ann
Mary Ann
7 years ago

Absolutely delicious. My grandmother as well, was born in Sicily.

This is a finger licking recipe. Thank u

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Terry
Terry
7 years ago

Very similar to recipe my Italian friends mother gave me years ago. She adds a splash of burgundy or other red wine. Adds Wow factor! I never use canned/jarred sauce. When hubby 1st tasted my home-made sauce he thought he had died and gone to Heaven! His mother, like mine, used a BOX mix! Ugh Ugh!! Always swore I would never use it, only home-made.

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Elizabeth
Elizabeth
7 years ago

Similar to my family’s recipe (came from italy in 1900) – but is that a metal pot? Never use any reactive pan w/ anything w/ tomatoes (you will get a metallic taste!). Don’t cover w/ foil unless you make sure the foil does not touch the tomatoes or sauce (you will end up w/ foil melted into your recipe). Thanks for sharing the recipe!

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V Wood
V Wood
7 years ago

This is how I make mine and it keeps very well in the freezer. This gives me something to do with all my tomatoes from my garden and all the oregano and basil I have. I just stew them down all day and add everything else a couple hours before I think it is ‘saucy’ enough. …. and yes i cut my tomatoes in half and squeeze the seeds out.

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Deana and Sarah
Deana and Sarah
7 years ago

my daughter and I made this and it was awful. it was watery though we followed your recipe to the letter. (we used tomatoes) we were hoping for a richer sauce with flavor, not so runny. we were very disappointed. Very.

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Brittany Kline
Author
Brittany Kline
7 years ago
Reply to  Deana and Sarah

Did you use your own crushed tomatoes or store bought?

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Amanda
Amanda
7 years ago
Reply to  Brittany Kline

If you follow the recipe with fresh tomatoes it does get really runny and watery. I figured out to add a can of tomato paste to it when you start it in the crock pot in the morning or when you add the tomatoes to the pot if you are cooking on the stove.

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Brenda Prosser
Brenda Prosser
7 years ago
Reply to  Brittany Kline

If you are using fresh tomatoes yuo have to use a very meaty tomato such as a Roma, seed and squeeze most of the juice out. Same if you are makng salsa or ketchup. Tomatoes are so full of water that you can’t use a regular canning tomato or garden tomatoefor a rich sauce. Don’t give up, this is really a very good recipe and I am very picky about my pasta sauce reccomendations

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Armando
Armando
7 years ago
Reply to  Deana and Sarah

Mine was watery and the rich flavor was not there

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Amanda
Amanda
7 years ago

Cornstarch may also work but I don’t know if it will change the flavor or not.

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Brenda Prosser
Brenda Prosser
7 years ago

I have been making Italian sauces fior many years. Most of my recipes were learned from the mother of a dear friend while I was on an extended visit to Italia. This recipe reminds me so much of one herss and it was always one of my favorites. I did use a cup of dry red wine, fresh basil and fresh oregano. I use raw honey instead of sugar. I made this exactly by your recipe for my first batch and everyone thought it was great. I made the few changes just because it was what I was used to.… Read more »

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Alene Jones
Alene Jones
7 years ago

Just made your sauce tonight! So delicious!!!! Exactly what I was looking for. Simplicity at it’s best! My husband who is not a big fan of Spaghetti absolutely loved it!

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Karl
Karl
7 years ago

Trying to copy the recipe but something is preventing me from doing it. If you had an email version you could send would be great, thank you.

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Faye
Faye
7 years ago
Reply to  Karl

There is a little envelope at bottom right of the page.This will allow you to send the recipe to yourself.

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Amy
Amy
6 years ago
Reply to  Karl

What?

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Mike
Mike
7 years ago

I made this with Romano tomatoes from the garden. I blended them in my Vitamix, no need to peel. I also added a can of tomatoes paste to thicken it up. It turned out great!

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Holly
Holly
7 years ago

Did you leave the seeds in when using fresh tomatoes? I did and am worried I ruined it! Thanks!

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David
David
7 years ago

The sauce ended up being more pale, and not as rich, what did I do wrong?

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Eric faulkner
Eric faulkner
7 years ago

I like the sounds of your recipe all the way through and I’m going to give it a try today the only thing I would add is it after the tomatoes are cooled before you peel off the skin hold them over the sink and give them one quick firm squeeze this shoots out all the extra water and 95% of the seeds.

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Emily
Emily
7 years ago

3-4 cans at 28 oz. per can, correct?

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Brittany Kline
Author
Brittany Kline
7 years ago
Reply to  Emily

Correct

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Karen Sherratt
Karen Sherratt
7 years ago
Reply to  Brittany Kline

HELP!!! I’m making the sauce now and I to find it rather water/runny. I realize I should have used roma (?) tomatoes? so… now that I’m almost through cooking the sauce – what can I do to rectify the runny/watery issue? I’m not a cook at all.. .I eat, believe me, but rushing home to turn on the stove has just never been my passion. I retired a week ago and my first task was to make home made spaghetti sauce… recipe looks great and I’m sure it will taste great but… what do I do now???? help. thank you… Read more »

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Brittany Kline
Author
Brittany Kline
7 years ago
Reply to  Karen Sherratt

I would turn the temperature up and try to boil some of the water off. Watch it close and stir frequently so that you don’t burn it.

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